TOLUENE SULFONAMIDE-FORMALDEHYDE RESIN ALLERGY SIMULATING NICKEL DERMATITIS

Tolune sulfonamide-formaldehyde resin (TSFR) is a well known allergen in nail cosmetics, and it may induce unsuspected clinical symptoms. We report a patient who developed skin symptoms from her metallic wrist watch. Accordingly, she believed she was allergic to nickel. She had t herefore started to use nail varnish on the back of her wrist watch in order to prevent the nickel from coming into contact with her skin. P atch testing revealed that she had become sensitized to TSFR, nickel b eing negative. This case shows how important it is to use patch testin g to reveal the cause of dermatitis. Without patch testing this patien t would have been classified as nickel allergic, and she would have co ntinued to have unexplained dermatitis reactions induced by her nail v arnish on various parts of her body.