Formaldehyde allergic contact dermatitis

The most frequent causes of allergic contact dermatitis in the United States include plants (poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac), metallic salts, organic dyes, plastic resins, rubber additives, and germicides.74 The most common skin patch test allergens found to be positive in patients along with potential sources of exposure are shown in Table 32.1.75 In patients with occupational contact dermatitis who were skin patch tested, the common allergens included carba mix, thiuram mix, formaldehyde, epoxy resin, and nickel.76... 

The substance may penetrate the skin and cause allergic contact dermatitis (formaldehyde, nickel, phthalic anhydride)... 

Formaldehyde is one of the most common causes of occupational skin disease the major effects of formaldehyde on the skin are irritant dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. Irritant dermatitis results from direct injury to the skin and is characterized by redness and thickening of the affected areas. In more severe cases there may be blistering, scaling, and the formation of fissures. 

Contact with the bryozoan Alcyonidium gelatinosum gives rise to Dogger Bank itch , an allergic contact dermatitis. The causative agent is (2-hydroxyethyl)dimethylsulfoxonium ion (1). Synthesis of 1 was achieved by base-catalysed condensation of trimethylsulfoxonium chloride and formaldehyde [26]. 

Allergic dermatitis has been demonstrated from direct skin contact and from exposure to gaseous formaldehyde in the air. Various forms of reaction occur, from simple erythema to maculopapular lesions, hyperesthesia, and angioedema. Five patients developed an allergic contact dermatitis to plaster casts, caused by free formaldehyde released by a melamine-formaldehyde resin incorporated in the plaster. 

Preservatives are important causes of allergic contact dermatitis in cosmetics. In a 10-year analysis in 16 centers in 11 countries, 73 818 consecutive patients were patch-tested for the preservatives listed above. There were several cases of contact allergy to formaldehyde and MCI/MI. These preservatives are currently avoided in cosmetics. However, the frequency of positive reactions to MDBGN has risen, from 0.7% in 1991 to 3.5% in 2000. The authors suggested that the concentration of this preservative should be reduced in leave-on cosmetic products (1). 

Fowler JF, Skinner SM, Belsito DV. 1992. Allergic contact dermatitis from formaldehyde resins in permanent press clothing An underdiagnosed cause of generalized dermatitis. J Am Acad Dermatol 27 962-968. 

Gailhofer G, Binder H. 1988. Allergic contact dermatitis caused by an acetone-formaldehyde condensate. Contact Dermatitis 18 110-111. 

Garcia Bracamonte B, Ortiz de Frutos FJ, Iglesias Diez L. 1995. Occupational allergic contact dermatitis due to formaldehyde and textile finish resins. Contact Dermatitis 33 139-140. 

Epstein E, Maibach HI (1966) Formaldehyde allergy. Arch Dermatol 94 186-190 Epstein E, Maibach HI (1968) Ethylenediamine allergic contact dermatitis. Arch Dermatol 98 476-477... 

Many contact sensitizers also have irritant properties. Patch testing with such sensitizers at high concentrations can cause an irritant reaction or a chemical burn, which seems to facilitate active sensitization. However, only a few sensitizers can cause chemical burns without occlusion, e.g., formaldehyde, chromic acid, amines, chloroacetophenone, some plastic monomers, and methylisothiazolinones. Even one single contact with these chemicals can both cause a chemical burn and induce sensitization, with a subsequent possible development of an allergic contact dermatitis (Bruze et al. 1990 Kanerva 1994). Therefore, when a potential sensitizer has caused a chemical burn, the patient should be patch tested with the sensitizer after healing of the burn, independent of any subsequent development of an eczema. 

Flyvholm M-A, Menne T (1992) Allergic contact dermatitis from formaldehyde. A case study focussing on sources of formaldehyde exposure. Contact Dermatitis 27 27-36 Flyvholm M-A, Andersen P, Beck ID, Brandorff NP (1992) PROBAS The Danish Product Register Data Base - a national register of chemical substances and products. J Hazardous Materials 30 59-69... 

In cosmetics, the concentration of formaldehyde aqua is usually 0.05-2%. The patch-test concentration is 1% aqua. Allergic contact dermatitis in response to formaldehyde is common. Immediate non-immuno-logic contact reactions are reported. 

Phenol-formaldehyde resins can cause several types of damage to the skin. The most frequently reported effects are different types of contact dermatitis such as irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. Depigmentation and contact urticaria have also been described. Reaction products, such as monomers and dimers, or remaining raw materials, such as phenols and aldehydes, are causative agents. 

Depigmentation can be caused by certain resins and is likely due to remaining phenols such as p-tert-butylphenol (Malten et al. 1971 Stevenson 1981). Contact urticaria has been ascribed to phenol-formaldehyde resins (Kalimo et al. 1980). Most reports about adverse effects from phenol-formaldehyde resins describe allergic contact dermatitis. Although free formaldehyde can be found in many phenol-formaldehyde resins, it is not a major sensitiser in these... 

Freeman S (1997) Shoe dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis 36 247-251 Fregert S (1980) Irritant dermatitis from phenol-formaldehyde resin powder. Contact Dermatitis 6 493 Fregert S, Hjort N (1969) Results of standard patch tests with substances abandoned. Contact Dermatitis Newslett 5 85-86 Fregert S, Tegner E (1972) Allergic contact dermatitis due to phenolic resin in ready products. Contact Dermatitis Newslett 12 328... 

Hayakawa R, Ogino Y, Suzuki M, Kaniwa M (1994) Allergic contact dermatitis from para-tertiary-butylphenol-formalde-hyde resin (PTBP-F-R). Contact Dermatitis 30 187-188 Hjort N, Fregert S (1967) Sensitivity to formaldehyde and formaldehyde resins. Contact Dermatitis Newslett 2 18-19 Hogberg M, Wahlberg JE (1980) Health screening for occupational dermatoses in house painters. Contact Dermatitis 6 100-106... 

Matrolonardo M, Loconsole F, Conte A, Rantuccio F (1993) Allergic contact dermatitis due to para-tertiary-butylphenol-formaldehyde resin in a hearing aid. Contact Dermatitis 28 179... 

Mobacken H, Hersle K (1976) Allergic contact dermatitis caused by paratertiary butylphenol-formaldehyde resin in watch straps. Contact Dermatitis 2 59... 

Butylphenol-formaldhydharze. Dermatosen 27 49-52 Shono M, Ezoe K, Kaniwa M-A, Ikarashi Y, Kojima S, Nakamura A (1991) Allergic contact dermatitis from para-tertiary-butylphenol-formaldehyde resin (PTBP-FR) in athletic tape and leather adhesive. Contact Dermatitis 24 281-288 Snell FD, Ettre LS (1973) Encyclopedia of industrial chemical analysis, vol 17. Interscience Publishers, USA, pp 9-10... 

Vincenzi C, Guerra L, Peluso AM, Zucchelli V (1992) Allergic contact dermatitis due to phenol-formaldehyde resin in a knee-guard. Contact Dermatitis 27 54 van der Willingen AH, Stolz E, van Joost T (1987) Sensitization to phenol formaldehyde in rubber glue. Contact Dermati-tisi6 29i-292... 

Allergic contact dermatitis is the most important occupational skin disease among painters. The consequences can be serious the sensitized workers may, for instance, have been obliged to change their occupation (Mathias 1984 Holmes 1993). Since the 1970s, synthetic resins have replaced turpentine as the most important causes of sensitization caused by paints (Mathias 1984 Jolanki 1991 Holmes et al. 1993 Kanerva 1995). Other causes include biocides necessary in water-based paints, and other additives such as hardeners or accelerators and inhibitors of polymerization (Mathias 1984 Fischer 1990, 1995). There are also several other potential causes, including plasticizers, dryers and chromates (Mathias 1984 Fischer et al. 1990). Formaldehyde and rubber chemicals, as well as turpentine and other natural products, can also be included in the list of potential allergens. 

At the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) between 1974 and 1997, a total of 85 cases of allergic contact dermatitis were diagnosed in different kinds of painters, lacquerers, parquet installers and paint-factory workers. Synthetic resins caused 68 of the cases, 54 of them in paints, lacquers or raw materials of paints, 5 in floor coverings, 5 in car painters filling cements, 4 in parquet lacquers and one in a glue. The other agents included chromium, formaldehyde, cobalt, colophony, a mixture of isothi-azolinones, and rubber chemicals. No cases of type 1 sensitization to natural rubber latex were found. 

Piperazine, phenothiazine, and levamisole are anthelmintics that may cause allergic contact dermatitis. Allergic contact dermatitis to nitrofurazone has been reported. This anticoccidian is used in cattle feed. Formaldehyde is the allergen in nitrofurazone. Allergic contact dermatitis to 3,5 dinitro-o-toluamide, an anticoccidian used in chicken feeds, has been reported [149]. 

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