OCCUPATIONAL CONTACT-DERMATITIS IN HAIRDR ESSERS RESULTS OF A MULTICENTER STUDY IN 8 CENTERS OF THE INFORMATION NETWORK OF DERMATOLOGICAL CLINICS IN GERMANY

Facing an increasing incidence of occupational contact dermatitis in h airdressers, it is important to establish an exact allergological diag nosis at an early stage to avoid the development of severe recalcitran t dermatitis. Patch test results with a special series, obtained from 191 hairdressers in eight dermatological centers of the DKG (German Co ntact Dermatitis Research Group) and the IVDK (Information Network of Dermatological Clinics), have been analyzed. In 361 % of these patient s contact allergy to nickel was diagnosed. The occupational relevance has to be evaluated carefully on an individual basis, considering the time of sensitization and manifestation at the respective sites. Glyce ryl monothioglycolate (GMTG) resulted in 34 % positive reactions, head ing the list of occupational allergens for hairdressers, with 10 % of all patients tested and 20.7 % of those with occupational contact alle rgy displaying a sensitization solely to GMTG. Ammoniumpersulfate, a c omponent of bleaches, resulted in 15.9 %, p-phenylenediamine (PPD) and p-toluylenediamine (PTD) base, ingredients of coloring agents, in 19 % and 14.3 % positive reactions, respectively. Among the coupling agen ts of hair coloring agents a sensitization to pyrogallol was demonstra ted in 63 %. The sensitization rate of 2.6 % to cocamidopropylbetaine was lower than in previous studies.