Allergic contact dermatitis from formaldehyde in a liquid soap.
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.
Zemtsov
A
A
Department of Dermatology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio 44195.
Taylor
J S
JS
Evey
P
P
Dijkstra
J
J
D000368:Aged; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000209:etiology*; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012915:Soaps / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*
D012915:Soaps; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D005557:Formaldehyde