Hand dermatitis in beauticians in India

• Published in: Indian journal of dermatology, venereology, and leprology Vol. 63; no. 3; pp. 157 - 161
• Main Author: KHANNA, N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Delhi Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists 01.05.1997
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Chemical compounds (mineral, organic); Chemical, physic and infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Occupational medicine; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Tropical medicine; Asia; India; Human; Allergy; Skin disease; Occupational disease; Hairdresser; Irritant compound; Dermatitis; Hand; Patch; Allergen; Result
• ISSN: 0378-6323

One hundred and sixty-one beauticians and hairdressers (146 women and 15 men) were examined for the presence of hand dermatitis and those with hand eczema were patch tested with a battery of antigens standardised for beauticians. Forty-two (26.1%) subjects were found to have hand dermatitis and of these, in 31 (69.3%) the patch tests were positive; the following antigens elicited a positive response; paraphenylene diamine (35.5%), rubber antigens (22.6%), nickel (22.6%), shampoos (12.9%), ammonium thioglycollate (9.7%), ammonium persulphate (3.2%), henna mixture (3.2%) and detergents (6.5%). In addition, irritant reaction was seen in 7; in 5 patients it was to shampoos and in 2 to ammonium persulphate. Of the 8 patients who, on questioning, had a history of atopy, 7 (87.5%) had hand eczema, while 1 (12.5%) did not, and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001), suggesting that beauticians with a history of atopy were more likely to develop hand eczema.