Cheilitis due to olive oil

Contact dermatitis caused by pharmaceutical ointments containing ‘ozonated’ olive oil

“…Although irritancy may be a possible explanation in the first patient, there is nothing to exclude contact allergy to a substance present in the ointment at a concentration too low to give a positive patch test reaction but high enough to elicit dermatitis on frequent exposure. In accordance with a previous report (8), the exact sensitizer among the components of olive oil remains to be shown, including in those cases published hitherto concerning plain olive oil. Chromatography might help in obtaining different fractions of olive oil, containing potential sensitizer(s), for patch testing.…”

“…Differences between various anatomical skin sites, with different thicknesses of the stratum corneum, might have to be taken in account when the potential irritancy of such ozonated olive oil is evaluated. Moreover, as shown during the work‐up of our second patient, the high number of control patients (8/20) showing clear irritant reactions to a fully ozonated olive oil seems to suggest that the irritant effect of such oil might be even more important than the irritant properties of plain olive oil, being often used as a vehicle for patch testing , although this would have to be shown in future comparative studies.…”

“…when used as a patch test vehicle) , whereas others have stressed that this might occur . Taking this into account, it has been advocated to preferentially use ‘extra virgin’ and freshly prepared olive oil , or oil of a pharmaceutical grade (free from contaminants such as, for example, pesticide residues) . Ideally, it should also be protected from light and stored in N 2 , to prevent autoxidation, which might boost the irritant properties of the oil , possibly leading to irritant skin and patch test reactions .…”

“…Although some authors have suggested that oxidation (by O 2 ) of the unsaturated lipids of olive oil might transform it into a non‐sensitizer , it may also enhance its irritant properties . According to the literature, ozone (O 3 ) may have both toxic and beneficial effects, depending on the dose, the length of exposure, and the antioxidant capacity of the tissue involved .…”

Effect of Olive and Sunflower Seed Oil on the Adult Skin Barrier: Implications for Neonatal Skin Care

“…The skin of neonates has features similar to those of AD and is therefore likely to be more susceptible to the negative effects of topical oils. In neonates and patients with AD, it is also important to consider the potential allergenicity of protein residues found in natural oils when assessing their safety .…”