THE LANOLIN PARADOX

Several puzzling aspects of the use of lanolin are discussed as 'lanol in paradoxes', in analogy with the 'paraben paradoxes'. Lanolin in top ical therapeutic agents sensitizes a high proportion of patients, wher eas the same lanolin is 'safe' in cosmetics so widely used by millions of individuals. Patients with an allergic contact dermatitis to lanol in in a medication applied to a stasis ulcer can nevertheless use lano lin-containing cosmetics and not experience a reaction. Lanolin-sensit ive individuals often show false-negative patch test reactions to unal tered lanolin. Patch testing with 30% wool wax alcohols used in the st andard patch test tray cannot be considered a reliable method for dete cting and confirming lanolin allergies. There are too many false-posit ive and false-negative results using the standard patch test tray.