A red, itchy rash caused by direct contact with a substance or an allergic reaction to it. The rash isn’t contagious or life-threatening, but it can be very uncomfortable. There are many substances that can cause these reactions to occur including soaps, cosmetics, fragrance, metals or some jewelry and even plants and flowers (like poison ivy) Scratching will only make it more irritated or even cause a skin infection that requires antibiotics. See your dermatologist for a treatment that will work.