Skin irritation thresholds in hairdressers: implications for the development of hand dermatitis.
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.
Smith
H R
HR
Contact Dermatitis Clinic, St John's Institute of Dermatology, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK.
Armstrong
D K B
DK
Holloway
D
D
Whittam
L
L
Basketter
D A
DA
McFadden
J P
JP
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
D006203:Hair Preparations; D007509:Irritants