Deodorants: an experimental provocation study with isoeugenol

Abstract

Axillary dermatitis is common and overrepresented in people with contact allergy to fragrances. Many people suspect their deodorants to be the incriminating products. In order to investigate the significance of isoeugenol in deodorants for the development of axillary dermatitis when used by people with and without contact allergy to isoeugenol, patch tests with deodorants and ethanol solutions with isoeugenol, as well as repeated open application tests (ROAT) with roll-on deodorants with and without isoeugenol at various concentrations, were performed in 35 dermatitis patients, 10 without and 25 with contact allergy to isoeugenol. A positive ROAT was observed only in patients hypersensitive to isoeugenol (P<0.001) and only in the axilla to which the deodorants containing isoeugenol had been applied (P<0.001). Deodorants containing isoeugenol in the concentration range of 0.0063-0.2% used 2 times daily on healthy skin can thus elicit axillary dermatitis within a few weeks in people with contact allergy to isoeugenol.

Validation of a questionnaire algorithm based on repeated open application testing with the constituents of fragrance mix I

“…When various usage tests including ROATs have been performed with fragrance sensitizers, positive reactions have been obtained in 0–100% of participants . Major reasons for the great variation are the concentration, the actual dose per cm 2 of the applied usage or ROAT preparation, and the length of the application period.…”

Skincare products containing low concentrations of formaldehyde detected by the chromotropic acid method cannot be safely used in formaldehyde-allergic patients

“…13,[30][31][32][33][34] It simulates the mode and frequency of the ordinary application of the suspected agent and helps to verify the clinical relevance of positive patch test results. The ROAT has been used since 1986 35 with different allergens, 36 in different anatomical regions 33,34 and on normal and diseased skin. 37 Initially, use tests were often performed for 1-2 weeks, 30 but it has been pointed out that many reactions may appear after 2-3 weeks.…”

Contact sensitization to fragrances in the general population: a Koch’s approach may reveal the burden of disease

“…Furthermore, the history is only one step in a relevance assessment as one may also perform repeat open application tests (ROATs). The majority of patients with dermatitis with a positive patch test to a specific fragrance ingredient will develop a reaction upon exposure to relevant levels of that allergen in a ROAT 45–47 . It is possible to make a reliable estimate of the prevalence of relevant positive patch test reactions and thus ACD only by using such methods.…”