CONTACT ALLERGY TO POPULAR PERFUMES - ASSESSED BY PATCH TEST, USE TEST AND CHEMICAL-ANALYSIS

The frequency of contact allergy to the 10 best-selling women's perfum es was studied in 335 consecutive female eczema patients by patch test ing, The diagnostic ability of the fragrance mix, in relation to these products, was evaluated, Of eczema patients, 6.9% had a positive patc h test to one or more of the perfumes, and 56.5% of these had a concur rent positive reaction to the fragrance mix, Hence, testing with the p atients' own cosmetics is a significant part of diagnosing perfume all ergy. The clinical relevance of the patch-test reactions to the commer cial perfumes was equal to that of the fragrance mix, as judged from t he patient's history and use testing with one of the perfumes, At leas t three of the chemically defined sensitizers in the fragrance mix wer e detected in all the perfumes by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry , which indicates that the fragrance mix is a good imitation of actual exposure.