Background: Contact dermatitis to homemade slime has been frequently reported, with isothiazolinones as a likely sensitizer. Little is known on the presence of these preservatives in commercial, store-bought slime products.Objectives: The aims of the study were to review the literature on "slime dermatitis" and to assess for the presence of isothiazolinones in commercially available slime products and homemade slime components.Methods: An experimental, colorimetric spot test was used to verify the presence of isothiazolinones in 38 slime products of the 16 best-selling commercial slime kits, 1 finished homemade slime, and 4 common components of homemade slime. High-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection was performed on 8 commercial slime products.Results: According to the spot test, 27 (71%) of the 38 commercial slime products contained isothiazolinones. High-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection analyses indicated, however, that false-positives and false-negatives readily occur: isothiazolinone content was correctly identified in only 4 (50%) of the 8 samples.Conclusions: This study is the first to demonstrate the presence of isothiazolinones in commercial slime toys. Although the colorimetric spot test may have some utility as a screening assay, it is far from specific and likely not sensitive enough to reliably identify methylisothiazolinone.

Background: Surgery is the gold standard treatment for primary cutaneous melanoma but may not be suitable given some comorbiditiies, lesion size or location, or anticipated functional impairment. Imiquimod (IMQ) is a topical immunotherapy infrequently used for melanoma, often in combination with other treatments. Objective: The present work aims to review the available literature on the safety and efficacy of imiquimod in the treatment of cutaneous primary and metastatic melanoma. Methods: We systematically reviewed the literature on topical imiquimod as monotherapy for melanoma, excluding in situ disease. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL searches were conducted using terms related to imiquimod and melanoma, results summarized according to the PRISMA Guidelines and quality of evidence assessed using the GRADE tool. Results: Of 559 citations identified, 14 case reports and series with 38 patients with 95 lesions met inclusion criteria. There was heterogeneity in treatment regimens, including the number of applications and treatment length. Complete clearance was observed in 39% of cases, while the stable or progressive disease was seen in 42% of cases; treatment efficacy was limited in cases with prior metastatic disease. Conclusion: The current literature for the use of imiquimod in cutaneous primary and metastatic melanoma remains scarce, with most evidence derived from case reports and series likely to be influenced by selection bias for positive treatment results. Nevertheless, imiquimod remains a relatively well-tolerated treatment for cutaneous primary and metastatic melanoma that may be used in selected cases.