Slime" is a homemade play gel obtained by mixing several cosmetic and household products, including shaving foams, boric acidcontaining contact lens solutions, glues, and liquid detergents. It has recently gained immense popularity among children and adolescents, and its use even appears to be advised in paediatric (functional) therapies. 1 We here report on 2 children with severe, vesicular hand dermatitis in whom contact sensitization to ingredients present in "slime" was observed. CASE REPORTSThe first case concerned an 11-year-old non-atopic girl, referred for a second opinion on a severe, palmar vesicular dermatitis, which had been present for a few months. Her history showed that she had had contact with several recreational do-it-yourself products, including textile glue ( Figure 1A,B), which she used, together with household detergents and (food) colorants, for the creation of her own homemade "slime". Moreover, her mother acknowledged that she also regularly played with a ready-made play gel (Bouncing Putty; Toys, Amsterdam, The Netherlands).The second case concerned an atopic 9-year-old boy who presented with a vesicular hand dermatitis (Figure 2A) following contact with a similar "slime" as used by the first patient. Moreover, he also enjoyed playing with another brand of play gel (Play-Doh; Hasbro, Pawtucket, Rhode Island), which, according to the mother, seemed to aggravate his skin lesions.Both children, whose hand dermatitis was also difficult to control, underwent patch testing with a baseline and a cosmetic series (all allergens from Chemotechnique Diagnostics, Vellinge, Sweden); in the girl, a ready-made play gel was also patch tested ("as is", under occlusion).All tests, mounted on Allergeaze patch test chambers (SmartPractice, Calgary, Canada), applied on the upper back, and occluded for 2 days with Fixomull stretch (BSN Medical, Hamburg, Germany), were read, according to ESCD guidelines, 2 on day (D) 2 and D4. The following reactions were observed: • Case 1: methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI)/methylisothiazolinone (MI) 0.02% aq. (++) (Figure 1C), MI 0.2% aq. (+), methyldibromo glutaronitrile (MDBGN) 0.5% pet. (+), linalool hydroperoxides 1% and 0.5% pet. (both ?+), and Bouncing Putty gel (+). • Case 2: paraben mix 16% pet. (++) (Figure 2B), fragrance mix I 8% pet. (?+), Myroxylon pereirae 25% pet. (+), amerchol L101 50% pet. (?+), limonene hydroperoxides 0.3% and 0.2% pet. (both ?+), and linalool hydroperoxides 1% and 0.5% pet. (both ?+). Additional patch tests with all 4 constituents of the paraben mix showed AERTS ET AL. 385

No abstract

adapting to technical progress annexes II, III, VI and VII to council directive 76/768/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to cosmetic products (text with EEA relevance).