Contact allergy to 4-isopropyl dibenzoylmethane and 3-(4''-methylbenzylidene) camphor in the sunscreen Eusolex 8021

10 cases of contact allergy from the sunscreen Eusolex 8021 are reported. 5 patients were sensitized to a lipstick, 4 to a sunscreen cream, and 1 reacted to several cosmetic creams. Of 9 patients tested with the 2 ingredients of Eusolex 8021, 5 proved to be allergic to both (chemically unrelated) constituents: 4-isopropyl-dibenzoylmethane and 3-(4'-methylbenzylidene) camphor; 4 were allergic to 4-isopropyl-dibenzoylmethane only. Contact allergy to this recently introduced broad spectrum sunscreen may not be rare. The relevant literature is reviewed.     

The wrist is a reliable body site for personal dosimetry of ultraviolet radiation

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of measuring solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) doses with personal UV dosimeters worn on the wrist. Individual solar UVR exposure was measured over one day under standardised conditions (One-day Beach Study), and over an extended period of time with varying UV exposure and activities (Holiday Study). Dosimeters of a UV-sensitive spore-film filter type (VioSpor) were placed on the right wrist and on the top of head of the test subjects. The wrist was chosen as being a practical position for personal dosimetry and the head position as an internal control for maximal personal UV doses. The One-day Beach Study took place in the vicinity of Copenhagen in June 1998 over 5 h and included 11 subjects. The Holiday Study included 9 subjects during a period with a mean of 14 days in Scandinavia and Europe from June to September 1998. The head position received the highest UV dose in all subjects in both studies. In both studies, despite considerable individual variation, the mean wrist dose was the same (50%) of that received on the head, although the wrist dose correlated significantly with head dose (P<0.01) only in the Holiday Study. We conclude that the wrist position is a practical and convenient body site for personal dosimetry, yielding reliable results in group exposure studies.     

Immediate and delayed photocontact dermatitis from isopropyl dibenzoylmethane

Immediate and delayed photocontact dermatitis from the UVA absorber isopropyl dibenzoylmethane is described in 1 patient. In a dose response study in a 2nd patient with delayed photocontact dermatitis, the minimal dose of UVA needed to elicit a positive photopatch to isopropyl dibenzoylmethane 2% was determined to be 2 J/cm2.     

Contact allergy to oleamidopropyl dimethylamine

Contact allergy to the cationic emulfisier oleamidopropyl dimethylamine was demonstrated in 3 patients. In every case the emulsifier was present in a particular brand of body lotion. Patch test concentrations of 0.1% and 0.5% in water are proposed; slightly higher concentrations may induce irritant responses. Although these are the first domumented cases of contact allergy to oleamidopropyl dimethylamine, it is argued that hypersensitivity to this compound may not be rare.     

Skin2®– an in vitro human skin model: the correlation between in vivo and in Vitro testing of surfactants

Abstract: The availability of an in vitro test system to replace animal testing of potential irritants is becoming more and more urgent especially in Europe as a consequence of the European Community Cosmetics Directive. To evaluate the ability of Advanced Tissue Sciences'(ATS) ZK1301 skin model to predict the skin irritation potential of surfactants, we performed a pilot validation study utilizing four different laboratories. The in vitro protocol was designed as a quantitative pre-screen for the clinical patch studies. Sixteen substances, representing various surfactant categories and ranges of irritation potential, were tested. The 3-[4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to quantitate viability in vitro . we documented the viability of tissues exposed to unknown substances for specific periods. The in vtiro results were calcuslated as percent distilled water controls (DWC). The time required to reduce the viability of each tissue to 50% of the distilled water controls (T₅₀) was compared to men erthema and edema scores from the clinical studies by Pearson's correlation. The individual laboratories demonstrated coefficients of 072. The results indicated that the 30 min percent untreated control values best predicted the 24 h clinical patch scores. No statistically significant interlab variability was found. Only one false negative was seen when non/mild and moderate/severe irritant categories were assigned according to the in vitro scores. These results demonstrate that the skin²® in vitro test system may serve as a good screening method prior to clinical patch studdies.     

Hydrating effects of moisturizer active compounds incorporated into hydrogels: in vivo assessment and comparison between devices

Background  Water is an important factor on the appearance and function of the skin and, when dehydrated, it becomes rough and flaky. The measurement of stratum corneum hydration is widely employed to verify the moisture effect of topical products.
Aims  This study has evaluated in vivo the stratum corneum hydration, by the electrical measurements of skin, after treatment with different moisturizers presented in gel base. MoistureMeter® and Corneometer were used as bio-instruments. Urea, the herbal extract ( Imperata cylindrical ), the NMF™ components and the carbohydrate derivate compound (xylityglucoside, anhydroxylitol, and xylitol) were used as the active substances.
Methods  The study protocol was carried out according to the three-factor factorial design. The gels were applied on both forearms of eight female volunteers. However, each volunteer had one untreated skin area as the skin moisture control. The electrical capacitance of the skin was measured by both instruments in different times: after application (0 time), 30, 60, 120, 240 and 360 min.
Results  Gel base, gel containing herbal extract, and gel containing NMF™ components statistically have equal moisture effect measurements, according to both bio-instruments. However, the values obtained for urea, carbohydrate derivate compound, and untreated skin (control) have statically different results in both devices.
Conclusion  The gel containing urea and the carbohydrate derivate compound gel have promoted the most intense moisture effect compared with the other formulations. The measurements of hydration between the devices generated different absolute values; however, the statistical analysis has shown similar precision among the measurements.     

Sensitivity to sunscreens

The patients sensitised to sunscreen agents who attended our Contact Dermatitis Clinic between February 1985 to March 1987 have been reviewed. 15 (5%) of 280 patients tested with sunscreens had positive reactions; 3 of them were allergic to more than one agent. The most frequent contact allergens were hydroxy methoxy methyl benzophenone (Mexenone) [6], followed by isopropyl dibenzoylmethane (Eusolex 8020/8021) [5], octyl dimethyl para-aminobenzoate (Escalol 507) [2], and one reaction each to butyl methoxy dibenzoylmethane (Parsol 1789), amyl dimethyl para-aminobenzoate (Escalol 506), and ethoxy ethyl-p-methoxy cinnamate (Givtan F). Positive photopatch tests were seen with isopropyl dibenzoylmethane, butyl methoxy dibenzoylmethane, para-aminobenzoate (PABA) and ethoxy ethyl-p-methoxy cinnamate, one reaction each.