(UTC) 

 // I have a very nasty case on one forearm that seems to be colonizing any new area it touches, except my palms.  So that seems to agree with the suggestion that the palms are much less susceptible.  Now, I realize that medical practitioners repeat the official line that the dermatitis cannot spread.  But I've worked in R&D; long enough to know that official wisdoms are often wrong, especially in the very complex science of medicine, and I've found that practitioners are often the least able to think for themselves (with apologies and respect to those wonderful MDs who can).  Also, personal experience suggests it can spread.  For example, my wife's wrist-only case spread over 2-3 weeks to areas that could not possibly have been initially contacted, yet which she knows were in intimate contact (weeks later) with her wrist.  I've heard the going  theory: the other areas must have been contacted, but just less severely, so it took longer to manifest.  Based on timing and location (in my wife's case), that doesn't seem remotely credible.  I've also heard the speculation that new outbreaks are merely new contact with previously contaminated items or clothing or insufficiently cleansed skin. I can confidently rule that out in this case too.  If the dermatitis is caused by our immune response to metabolites of the plants oil, then can't those metabolites be present in the weepage, to contact new skin and prompt new local response?    17:43, 15 October 2010