BEING A PATIENT AT THE DEPARTMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENIVIRONMENTAL DERMATOLOGY (YMDA)

At the department of occupational and environmental dermatology we investigate dermatological conditions suspected to be related to work or leisure time activities.

We see patients from the south of Sweden; Skåne, Blekinge, Kronoberg and the southern parts of Halland. We regularly see patients in Halmstad, Växjö and Karlshamn.
Usually you come to us via a referral from your primary care physician, your occupational health physician or a dermatologist. You can also write your own referral. If our doctor assesses that you should have a contact allergy investigation, you will receive a letter with your appointments. The investigation usually includes three appointments during the course of a week. At your first visit you will see a dermatologist, and the patch test will be carried out. Patches with selected allergens will be placed on the skin of your back, which you leave on for 48 hours. Thereafter you remove them yourself. After this you have two additional appointments, where the doctor will see if you have any reactions to the patch tests. If you have products that you suspect could be relevant to your skin problems, please bring them to your first appointment so that the doctor can decide whether they should be included in the testing or not.
After two readings of the patch tests the investigation is usually completed, if additional testing isn’t required. The result of the investigation is summarized and given to you, and to the person that referred you to us. You will also be given counselling based on the findings in the investigation, and you have the option of seeing our social counsellor.
Sometimes the investigation is supplemented with work site visits and laboratory analysis.