Contact with certain substances at work can give you a bad reaction on your skin. These reactions usually affect your hands and forearms, the parts of your body most likely to be in contact with the substance.

Early signs of these skin problems include dryness, redness and itching. The skin may become swollen, cracked, scaly and thickened. Blisters may develop.

How fast a skin reaction develops depends on the strength of the substance and how long and how often it touches your skin. Skin problems often diminish when you are away from work, on weekends or vacations.

Over-exposure to liquids, including water, can […]