Common Allergens Used in Patch Testing
Agent | Sources |
|---|---|
In topical antibiotic preparations | |
Balsam of Peru (myroxylon) | A flavoring agent for drinks and tobacco, as well as a fixative and fragrance in perfumes; also occurs in many topical medications, dental agents, and other products Chief allergens: Esters of cinnamic and benzoic acid, vanillin Cross-reactions with colophony (rosin) and balsam of Tolu, cinnamates, benzoates, styrax, and tincture of benzoin Probably also some phototoxicity |
Black rubber mix | In rubber May cross-react with hair dyes |
Bronopol | A preservative found in cosmetics, shampoos, and skin care products; also in some detergents and cleaning agents |
Screens for class B corticosteroid allergy and should initiate search for sensitization to other topical corticosteroids | |
Caine mix | Often used in dentistry but also widely found and used in topical preparations to reduce itching, pain, and stinging and widely used in hemorrhoidal preparations and cough syrups |
Carba mix | Used as an accelerator in rubber, rubber glues, vinyl, and some pesticides |
Cl+ Me– isothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone | Occur in cosmetics and skin care products, some drugs, household cleaning products, and certain industrial fluids and greases |
Cobalt dichloride | Occurs in some paints, cement, metal, and metal-plated objects Coactivity with nickel (which is not cross-sensitivity) |
Colophony (rosin) | Used by string players (violinists are especially prone to rosin allergy), baseball players, and bowlers Derived from several conifer species Occurs in cosmetics, adhesives, lacquers, varnishes, soldering fluxes, paper, and many other industrial products |
A preservative with broad-spectrum application found in cosmetics, shampoos, skin care products, and cleaning agents | |
Disperse blue 106 | A dark blue textile dye found in fabrics colored dark blue, brown, black, purple, and some greens |
Epoxy resin | A low molecular weight (340) epoxy based on bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin Is a sensitizer only when uncured or incompletely cured |
Ethylenediamine | Used as an emulsifier and stabilizer in certain topical medications, eye drops, some industrial solvents, curing agents for certain plastics, and anticorrosion agents |
Formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers | Used widely in formulation of plastics, resins for clothing, glues, and adhesives |
Fragrance mixes | Can contain alpha-amyl cinnamic alcohol, cinnamic aldehyde, cinnamic alcohol, oak moss absolute, hydroxycitronellal, eugenol, isoeugenol, geraniol, citral, citronellol, coumarin, farnesol, hexyl cinnamal, hydroxyisohexyl-3-cyclohexene, and carboxaldehyde Occurs in many toiletries, soaps, aftershave lotions, shampoos, and scented household products and in many industrial products (eg, cutting fluids) |
Found in gold or gold-plated jewelry or dental restorations | |
A corticosteroid found in creams or lotions used to treat inflammatory skin diseases; also present in some ear and eye drops | |
A preservative with broad-spectrum application found in cosmetics, shampoos, skin care products, and cleaning agents | |
Mercaptobenzothiazole | Occurs in rubber, adhesives, and coolants |
Mercapto mix | Occurs in rubber, glues, coolants, and other industrial products |
Methyldibromo-glutaronitrile | Found in paints, adhesives, and oils |
Found in topical antibiotics, first-aid creams, ear drops, and nose drops; possible delay (about 4‒5 days) in patch test reaction (so reading should be done at 7 days when possible) | |
Nickel sulfate | The most common allergen Used in jewelry, dentures, scissors, razors, eyeglass frames, silverware, and foods (eg, canned foods, foods cooked in nickel utensils) |
Paraben mix | Five parabens: Methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, and benzyl parahydroxybenzoates, which are the most common preservatives used worldwide and are in numerous creams and cosmetics and in some industrial oils, fats, and glues |
Parthenolide | A sesquiterpene lactone naturally present in the traditional medicine herb, feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium); found in natural medicine and cosmetics Cross-reacts with other genera in Compositae and Magnoliaceae |
Potassium dichromate | Occurs in cement (in minute amounts), in tanning solutions for leather, and in safety matches Used in photography, electroplating solutions, many anticorrosives, paints, glues, pigments, and some detergents |
p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) | Occurs in hair dyes, some inks, photo developers, and textile dyes |
p-Tert-butylphenol formaldehyde resin | A resin formed by condensation between p-tert-butylphenol and formaldehyde Occurs in leather finishes (especially shoes), paper, fabrics, rockwood, furniture, and certain glues |
Quaternium | Common preservative occurring in cosmetics and in some household cleaners and polishes |
Quinolone mix | Contains clioquinol and chlorquinaldol Antimicrobials occurring in certain medicated creams and ointments, medicated bandages, and veterinary products |
Thimerosal | Preservative in contact lens solutions, certain cosmetics, nose and ear drops, and injectables Source often not identified |
Thiuram mix | Common rubber allergen |
Tixocortol-21-pivalate | Screens for class A corticosteroid allergy; found in buccal, nasal, throat, and rectal but not topical corticosteroid preparations |
Wool alcohols |