Allergic contact dermatitis from formaldehyde in a liquid soap.

Abstract

A case is reported of a 74-year-old white man who developed generalized allergic contact dermatitis from formaldehyde present in a liquid soap. The patient had a 2+ positive patch test reaction to formaldehyde, which was present as a preservative in the soap at 0.1% concentration. His dermatitis cleared when he switched to a nonformaldehyde-containing bar soap. The cause of the contact dermatitis was covert to both physician and patient before patch testing. Since registration with the Food and Drug Administration of formaldehyde-containing soaps is voluntary, it is likely that there are more soaps on the market than the six registered as of June 1988.

• Authors: A Zemtsov, J S Taylor, P Evey, J Dijkstra
• Journal: Cleveland Clinic journal of medicine (Cleve Clin J Med) Vol. 57 Issue 3 Pg. 301-3 (May 1990) ISSN: 0891-1150 [Print] United States
• PMID: 2357787 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Soaps
• Surface-Active Agents
• Formaldehyde

Topics

• Aged
• Dermatitis, Contact (etiology)
• Formaldehyde (adverse effects)
• Humans
• Male
• Soaps (adverse effects)
• Surface-Active Agents (adverse effects)