title: The lanolin paradox.
abstract: Several puzzling aspects of the use of lanolin are discussed as "lanolin paradoxes', in analogy with the 'paraben paradoxes'. Lanolin in topical therapeutic agents sensitizes a high proportion of patients, whereas the same lanolin is 'safe' in cosmetics so widely used by millions of individuals. Patients with an allergic contact dermatitis to lanolin in a medication applied to a stasis ulcer can nevertheless use lanolin-containing cosmetics and not experience a reaction. Lanolin-sensitive individuals often show false-negative patch test reactions to unaltered lanolin. Patch testing with 30% wool wax alcohols used in the standard patch test tray cannot be considered a reliable method for detecting and confirming lanolin allergies. There are too many false-positive and false-negative results using the standard patch test tray.
authors.affiliation: Maccabee Dermatologic Outpatient Clinic, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D003358:Cosmetics; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D007809:Lanolin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010328:Patch Tests
chemical_list: D003358:Cosmetics; D007809:Lanolin