Allergic Contact Dermatitis from Cosmetics

Abstract Of 70,289 dermatological patients seen in a skin hospital in Singapore, 0.2% suffered from cosmetic allergy. This represents 4.7% of the 2,471 patients patch tested in the contact dermatitis clinic of the hospital. The prevalence of cosmetic allergy, especially to hair dyes, increases with age. The difference in the prevalence of allergic dermatitis to hair dyes in men (1.2%) and women (0.7%) was not statistically significant, but the difference in the prevalence of allergic dermatitis to the other cosmetics was significantly higher in women (5.1%) than men (2.4%). Perfumes, colognes, make‐up, and hair dyes were the most common causative allergens. Fragrances and paraphenylenediamine were the most common sensitizers. Contact allergy to preservatives, lanolin, or other cosmetic ingredients were uncommon. Cosmetic labelling is strongly recommended, as it facilitates investigation of patients with cosmetic allergy.