title: Skin irritation thresholds in hairdressers: implications for the development of hand dermatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Individuals vary in their ability to react to irritants.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To observe the development of clinical hand dermatitis and sensitization prospectively in trainee hairdressers and to compare this with their irritant threshold to sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were patch tested to a limited series of occupational importance and their irritant threshold to SLS was determined; patch testing was repeated 6 months later and subjects were assessed for hand dermatitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The development of hand dermatitis was associated with a lower irritant threshold. A similar association was not found for sensitization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The development of clinical dermatitis in prospectively followed subjects with greater irritant reactivity has not previously been identified. The association of greater irritant reactivity with a proinflammatory cytokine polymorphism may partly explain this. Further development of the irritant threshold test could contribute to the identification of non-atopic subjects at risk of occupational skin disease.
authors: Contact Dermatitis Clinic, St John's Institute of Dermatology, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK.
authors: H R
authors: HR
authors: Smith
authors: D K B
authors: DK
authors: Armstrong
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Holloway
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Whittam
authors: D A
authors: DA
authors: Basketter
authors: J P
authors: JP
authors: McFadden
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001505:Beauty Culture; D017453:Dermatitis, Irritant / Q000209:etiology*; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000209:etiology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006203:Hair Preparations / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D007509:Irritants / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010328:Patch Tests / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D006203:Hair Preparations; D007509:Irritants