Prolonged and recurrent occupational dermatitis. Some whys and wherefores.

Most cases of occupational dermatitis are successfully diagnosed and treated effectively; with proper preventive measures, the patient can resume work. This is not always the case, however, because there are certain employees whose dermatitis defies the best diagnostic and therapeutic measures. Such cases engender disagreement between the patient and physician, the employer, the insurance carrier, and the compensation commission. Several of the causes for failure to effect a cure in cases of occupational dermatitis are explained in this article.