A rarely cited double-blind study in 1982 reported that a course of oral urushiol usually hyposensitized subjects.

The aim of treatment is to relieve the allergy-induced itch and to remove the fleas from the pet and its home environment. In some cases, secondary bacterial or yeast infections will also need treatment before the itching subsides. Environmental flea control includes using flea foggers or bombs, vacuuming, and treating pet bedding by washing on a hot cycle (over 60 degrees Celsius) in the washing machine. The current on-pet treatment recommended by veterinary dermatologists is spinosad (Comfortis) monthly and nitenpyram (Capstar or generics) every 48 hours until improvement.

Many pets with FAD may also have other allergies, such as allergies to food, contact allergies, and atopic dermatitis.

Treatment consists of two phases: stopping the urushiol contact that is causing the reaction (this must be done within minutes) and, later, reducing the pain and/or itching.

Primary treatment involves washing exposed skin thoroughly with soap, water, and friction as soon as possible after exposure is discovered. Soap or detergent is necessary because urushiol is an oil; friction, with a washcloth or something similar, is necessary because urushiol adheres strongly to the skin. Commercial removal preparations, which are available in areas where poison ivy grows, usually contain surfactants, such as the nonionic detergent Triton X-100, to solubilize urushiol; some products also contain abrasives.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends applying a wet compress or soaking the affected area in cool water; topical corticosteroids (available over-the-counter) or oral corticosteroids (available by prescription); and topical skin protectants, such as zinc acetate, zinc carbonate, zinc oxide, and calamine. Baking soda or colloidal oatmeal can relieve minor irritation and itching. Aluminium acetate, sometimes known as Burow's solution, can also ease the rash.

Showers or compresses using hot (but not scalding) water can relieve itching for up to several hours, though this "also taxes the skin's integrity, opening pores and generally making it more vulnerable", and is only useful for secondary treatment (not for cleaning urushiol from the skin, which should be done with cold water). People who have had a prior systemic reaction may be able to prevent subsequent exposure from turning systemic by avoiding heat and excitation of the circulatory system and applying moderate cold to any infected skin with biting pain.

Antihistamine and hydrocortisone creams, or oral antihistamines in severe cases, can alleviate the symptoms of a developed rash. Nonprescription oral diphenhydramine (U.S. trade name Benadryl) is the most commonly suggested antihistamine. Topical formulations containing diphenhydramine are also available but may further irritate the skin.

In cases of extreme symptoms, steroids such as prednisone or triamcinolone are sometimes administered to attenuate the immune response and prevent long-term skin damage, especially if the eyes are involved. Prednisone is the most commonly prescribed systemic treatment but can cause serious adrenal suppression, so it must be taken carefully and tapered off slowly. If bacterial secondary infection of affected areas occurs, antibiotics may also be necessary.

Scrubbing with plain soap and cold water will remove urushiol from skin if it is done within a few minutes of exposure. Many home remedies and commercial products (e.g., Tecnu, Zanfel) also claim to prevent urushiol rashes after exposure. A study that compared Tecnu ($1.25/oz.) with Goop Hand Cleaner or Dial Ultra Dishwashing Soap ($0.07/oz.) found that differences among the three—in the range of 56–70% improvement over no treatment—were nonsignificant ("P" > 0.05), but that improvement over no treatment was significant at the same level of confidence.

Further observations:

- Ordinary laundering with laundry detergent will remove urushiol from most clothing but not from leather or suede.

- The fluid from the resulting blisters does "not" spread urushiol to others.

- Blisters should be left unbroken during healing.

- Poison ivy and poison oak are still harmful when the leaves have fallen off, as the toxic residue is persistent, and exposure to any parts of plants containing urushiol can cause a rash at any time of the year.

- Ice, cold water, cooling lotions, and cold air do "not" help cure poison ivy rashes, but cooling can reduce inflammation and soothe the itch.

- Results for jewelweed as a natural agent for treatment are conflicting. Some studies indicate that it "failed to decrease symptoms of poison ivy dermatitis" [1980] and had "no prophylactic effect" [1997]. The juice of the leaves and stems of Impatiens capensis is a traditional Native American remedy for skin rashes, including poison ivy and such use has been supported by at least one peer-reviewed study, as recently as 2012.

There is no good evidence that a mother's diet during pregnancy, the formula used, or breastfeeding changes the risk. There is tentative evidence that probiotics in infancy may reduce rates but it is insufficient to recommend its use.

People with eczema should not get the smallpox vaccination due to risk of developing eczema vaccinatum, a potentially severe and sometimes fatal complication.

The role of vitamin D on atopic dermatitis is not clear, but there is some evidence that vitamin D supplementation may improve its symptoms.

Studies have investigated the role of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) supplementation and LCPUFA status in the prevention and treatment of atopic diseases, but the results are controversial. It remains unclear if the nutritional intake of n-3 fatty acids has a clear preventive or therapeutic role, or if n-6 fatty acids consumption promotes atopic diseases.

Several probiotics seem to have a positive effect with a roughly 20% reduction in the rate of atopic dermatitis. The best evidence is for multiple strains of bacteria.

In people with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, a gluten free diet improves their symptoms and prevents the occurrence of new outbreaks.

Bathing once or more a day is recommended, usually for five to ten minutes in warm water. Soaps should be avoided as they tend to strip the skin of natural oils and lead to excessive dryness.

There has not been adequate evaluation of changing the diet to reduce eczema. There is some evidence that infants with an established egg allergy may have a reduction in symptoms if eggs are eliminated from their diets. Benefits have not been shown for other elimination diets, though the studies are small and poorly executed. Establishing that there is a food allergy before dietary change could avoid unnecessary lifestyle changes.

People can wear clothing designed to manage the itching, scratching and peeling.

With no particular affinity to any particular ethnic group, seen in all age groups and equally amongst males and females, the precise prevalence is not known.

Some sources claim that diaper rash is more common with cloth diapers. Others claim the material of the diaper is relevant insofar as it can wick and keep moisture away from the baby's skin, and preventing secondary "Candida" infection. However, there may not be enough data from good-quality, randomized controlled trials to support or refute disposable diaper use thus far. Furthermore, the effect of non-biodegradable diapers on the environment is a concerning matter for public policy.

Applying moisturisers may prevent the skin from drying out and decrease the need for other medications. Affected persons often report that improvement of skin hydration parallels with improvement in AD symptoms.

Health professionals often recommend that persons with AD bathe regularly in lukewarm baths, especially in salt water, to moisten their skin. Avoiding woollen clothing is usually good for those with AD. Likewise silk, silver-coated clothing may help. Dilute bleach baths have also been reported effective at managing AD.

The most effective treatment, although not the most practical one, is to discontinue use of diapers, allowing the affected skin to air out. Another option is simply to increase the frequency of diaper changing. Thorough drying of the skin before diapering is a good preventive measure because it is the excess moisture, either from urine and feces or from sweating, that sets the conditions for a diaper rash to occur.

In an industrial setting the employer has a duty of care to its worker to provide the correct level of safety equipment to mitigate exposure to harmful irritants. This can take the form of protective clothing, gloves, or barrier cream, depending on the working environment.

Topical antibiotics should not be used to prevent infection in wounds after surgery. When they are used, it is inappropriate, and the person recovering from surgery is at significantly increased risk of developing contact dermatitis.

One of the keys to treatment and prevention involves keeping the skin moisturized. Lotions, creams, and bath oils may help prevent an outbreak. If the condition flares up, a common treatment involves the application of topical corticosteroids. Oral antihistamines may help lessen itching. Avoidance of irritants is a common strategy. More severe cases sometimes respond to ultraviolet light treatment.

The diagnosis of flea allergy dermatitis is complicated by the grooming habits of pets. Cats in particular are very efficient at grooming out fleas, often removing any evidence of infestation. Fleas begin biting within 5 minutes of finding a host, and there are no flea treatments that kill fleas before biting occurs.

Three different genera of rove beetles, all members of the same subtribe Paederina, can cause paederus dermatitis: "Paederus", "Paederidus", and "Megalopaederus". This irritant is called pederin and is highly toxic, more potent than cobra venom.

In different parts of the world, different species of rove beetle cause Paederus dermatitis:

- "Paederus melampus", also known as the Manipal bug or Nitte Police, occurs in the Indian state of Karnataka. (Manipal is the name of a university town.) In a 2007 article titled 'Paederus Dermatitis', two dermatologists from Sri Devaraj Medical College in Karnataka identified the Manipal bug as "Paederus melampus". They are also sometimes called "blister beetle", although rove beetles such as "P. melampus" are in a different family (Staphylinidae) than the blister beetle family Meloidae.

- "Paederus brasilensis", also called "El podo," causes dermatitis in South America. There is also a Venezuelan species, "Paederus columbinus".

- "Paederus fuscipes" is probably the major agent that causes linear dermatitis in northern Iran. Whereas this disease is a rural difficulty in the south, mainly in villages or small towns, it is an urban problem in northern provinces along the Caspian Sea shore. The same species also causes linear dermatitis in Taiwan.

- "Paederus australis" is responsible for outbreaks of dermatitis in Queensland and the Northern Territory, and "Paederus cruenticollis" for outbreaks in southern New South Wales.

- Nairobi fly: "Paederus crebrepunctatus" and "Paederus sabaeus" both cause dermatitis in Central and East Africa.

Paederus dermatitis has also been reported from Nigeria, France, Okinawa, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, India, Vietnam (Perumbavoor, Kerala), Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka.

Prevention measures include avoidance of the irritant through its removal from the workplace or through technical shielding by the use of potent irritants in closed systems or automation, irritant replacement or removal and personal protection of the workers.

Once pederin is on the skin from the initial beetle contact, it may also be spread elsewhere on the skin. "Kissing" or "mirror-image" lesions where two skin areas come in contact (for example, the elbow flexure) are often seen. Washing the hands and skin with soap and water is strongly recommended, if contact with a rove beetle has occurred.

Initial skin contact with pederin shows no immediate result. Within 12–36 hours, however, a reddish rash (erythema) appears, which develops into blisters. Irritation, including crusting and scaling, may last from two to three weeks.

One study reported best results with a treatment regimen that combined topical steroids with oral antihistamines and antibiotics. The authors hypothesized that antibiotics were helpful because of the possible contamination of skin by pederin-producing bacteria.

Garlic allergy or allergic contact dermatitis to garlic is a common inflammatory skin condition caused by contact with garlic oil or dust. It mostly affects people who cut and handle fresh garlic, such as chefs, and presents on the tips of the thumb, index and middle fingers of the non-dominant hand (which typically hold garlic bulbs during the cutting). The affected fingertips show an asymmetrical pattern of fissure as well as thickening and shedding of the outer skin layers, which may progress to second- or third-degree burn of injured skin.

Garlic dermatitis is similar to the tulip dermatitis and is induced by a combined mechanical and chemical action. Whereas the former mechanism acts via skin rubbing which progresses into damage, the major cause of the latter is the chemical diallyl disulfide (DADS), together with related compounds allyl propyl disulfide and allicin. These chemicals occur in oils of plants of the genus "Allium", including garlic, onion and leek.

Garlic allergy has been known since at least 1950. It is not limited to hand contact, but can also be induced, with different symptoms, by inhaling garlic dust or ingesting raw garlic, though the latter cases are relatively rare. DADS penetrates through most types of commercial gloves, and thus wearing gloves while handling garlic has proven inefficient against the allergy. Treatment includes avoiding any contact with garlic oil or vapours, as well as medication, such as administering acitretin (25 mg/day, orally) or applying psoralen and ultraviolet light to the affected skin area over a period of 12 weeks (PUVA therapy).

Perioral dermatitis often happens after the use of topical steroids on the face and is more likely the greater the strength of topical steroid used. Discontinuing the steroids often initially worsens the dermatitis and dependency on the steroids can occur as people believe the steroids were initially controlling the condition. Inhaled corticosteroids may also trigger perioral dermatitis. Perioral dermatitis has a tendency to occur on the drier parts of the face and can be aggravated by drying agents including topical benzoyl peroxide, tretinoin and lotions with an alcohol base.

A full recovery is expected with treatment. Recurrent id reactions are frequently due to inadequate treatment of the primary infection or dermatitis and often the cause of recurrence is unknown.

Reports of perioral dermatitis in renal transplant recipients treated with oral corticosteroids and azathioprine have been documented.

The clinical expression of the dermatitis can be mitigated by avoidance of the allergen. Through compliance with avoidance measures, the immune system can become less stimulated. The key to avoidance is proper evaluation and detection of the inciting allergen. However, once the immune system registers the allergen, the recognition is permanent.

The first step in treating the condition is appropriate recognition of the clinical problem, followed by identification of the culprit chemical and the source of that chemical. Corticosteroid creams should be used carefully and according to the prescribed directions because when overused over longer periods of time they can cause thinning of the skin. Also, in some instances such as poison ivy dermatitis calamine lotion and cool oatmeal baths may relieve itching.

Usually, severe cases are treated with systemic corticosteroids which may be tapered gradually, with various dosing schedules ranging from a total of 12 – 20 days to prevent the recurrence of the rash (while the chemical allergen is still in the skin, up to 3 weeks, as well as a topical corticosteroid. Tacrolimus ointment or pimecrolimus cream can also be used additionally to the corticosteroid creams or instead of these. Oral antihistamines such as diphenhydramine or hydroxyzine may also be used in more severe cases to relieve the intense itching. Topical antihistamines are not advised as there might be a second skin reaction (treatment associated contact dermatitis) from the lotion itself.

The other symptoms caused by allergic contact dermatitis may be eased with cool compresses to stop the itching. It is vital for treatment success that the trigger be identified and avoided. The discomfort caused by the symptoms may be relieved by wearing smooth-textured cotton clothing to avoid frictional skin irritation or by avoiding soaps with perfumes and dyes.

Commonly, the symptoms may resolve without treatment in 2 to 4 weeks but specific medication may hasten the healing as long as the trigger is avoided. Also, the condition might become chronic if the allergen is not detected and avoided.

If the rash does not improve or continues to spread after 2–3 of days of self-care, or if the itching and/or pain is severe, the patient should contact a dermatologist or other physician. Medical treatment usually consists of lotions, creams, or oral medications.

- Corticosteroids. A corticosteroid medication similar to hydrocortisone may be prescribed to combat inflammation in a localized area. It may be applied to the skin as a cream or ointment. If the reaction covers a relatively large portion of the skin or is severe, a corticosteroid in pill or injection form may be prescribed.

In severe cases, a stronger medicine like halobetasol may be prescribed by a dermatologist.

- Antihistamines. Prescription antihistamines may be given if non-prescription strengths are inadequate.

Defatting can be prevented by wearing appropriate protective clothing such as gloves, lab coats and aprons when working regularly with defatting agents. Prolonged skin contact or chronic defatting of the skin increases the possibility for developing irritant contact dermatitis and has the potential to worsen pre-existing skin conditions. Patients with chronic dermatitis are advised to use non-irritating soaps and dishwashing liquids sparingly and to choose those with a neutral pH and minimal defatting capability.

Common allergens implicated include the following:

- Nickel (nickel sulfate hexahydrate) – has been recognized as a significant cause of allergy. This metal is frequently encountered in stainless steel cookware, jewelry and clasps or buttons on clothing. Current estimates gauge are that roughly 2.5 million US adults and 250,000 children suffer from nickel allergy, which costs an estimated $5.7 billion per year for treatment of symptoms. A significant portion of nickel allergy is preventable.

- Gold (gold sodium thiosulfate) – precious metal often found in jewelry and dental materials

- Balsam of Peru (Myroxylon pereirae) – used in food and drink for flavoring, in perfumes and toiletries for fragrance, and in medicine and pharmaceutical items for healing properties; derived from tree resin. It may also be a component of artificial vanilla and/or cinnamon flavorings.

- Chromium – used in the tanning of leather. Also a component of uncured cement/mortar, facial cosmetics and some bar soaps.

- Urushiol – oily coating from plants of Toxicodendron genus – poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. Also found in mango plants and cashews.

- Sap from certain species of mangrove and agave

- Thiomersal – mercury compound used in local antiseptics and in vaccines

- Neomycin – topical antibiotic common in first aid creams and ointments, cosmetics, deodorant, soap, and pet food. Found by itself, or in Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic

- Fragrance mix – group of the eight most common fragrance allergens found in foods, cosmetic products, insecticides, antiseptics, soaps, perfumes, and dental products

- Formaldehyde – preservative with multiple uses, "e.g.", in paper products, paints, medications, household cleaners, cosmetic products, and fabric finishes. Often released into products by the use of formaldehyde releasers such as imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, Quaternium-15, DMDM Hydantoin, and 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol.

- Cobalt chloride – metal found in medical products; hair dye; antiperspirant; metal-plated objects such as snaps, buttons or tools; and in cobalt blue pigment

- Bacitracin – topical antibiotic found by itself, or as Polysporin or Triple Antibiotic

- Quaternium-15 – preservative in cosmetic products (self-tanners, shampoo, nail polish, sunscreen) and in industrial products (polishes, paints and waxes).

- Colophony (Rosin) – rosin, sap or sawdust typically from spruce or fir trees

- Topical steroid – "see" steroid allergy

- Photographic developers, especially those containing metol

- Topical anesthetics – such as pramoxine or diphenhydramine, after prolonged use

- Isothiazolinones – preservatives used in many personal care, household, and commercial products.

- Mercaptobenzothiazole – in rubber products, notably shoes, gloves, and car tires.

- Soluble salts of platinum – "see" platinosis

To help with cradle cap, parents can gently massage their baby's scalp with their fingers or a soft brush to loosen the scales. They may want to shampoo the baby's hair more frequently (no more than once a day), and after shampooing gently brush the baby's scalp with a soft brush or a terrycloth towel. Oil remedies can be used by rubbing a small amount of pure, plant-derived oil (coconut oil, pure olive oil, almond oil) on the baby's scalp and leaving it on for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, gently comb out the flakes with a fine tooth comb or brush. Be sure to wash out all of the oil to avoid making the cradle cap worse.

For infants: in cases that are related to fungal infection, such as Tinea capitis, doctors may recommend a treatment application of clotrimazole (commonly prescribed for jock itch or athlete's foot) or miconazole (commonly prescribed for vaginal yeast infections).

For toddlers: doctors may recommend a treatment with a mild dandruff shampoo such as Selsun Blue or Neutrogena T-gel, even though the treatment may cause initial additional scalp irritation. A doctor may instead prescribe an antifungal soap such as ketoconazole (2%) shampoo, which can work in a single treatment and shows significantly less irritation than over-the-counter shampoos such as selenium disulfide shampoos, but no adequate and controlled study has been conducted for pediatric use as of 2010.

For adults: see the article on seborrheic dermatitis (the adult version of cradle cap).