ABSTRACT
Contact dermatitis is one of the most common skin diseases, with a great socio-economic impact (Uter et al., 1998). As the outermost barrier of the human body, the skin is the fi rst to encounter chemical and physical agents from the environment. According to the pathophysiological mechanisms involved, two major types of contact dermatitis may be recognized, that is, irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) and allergic contact dermatitis (ACD).
