“Allergen of the Year” by the American Contact Dermatitis Society

In his session, “Contact Dermatitis Update,” presented at Fall Dermatology Week 2022, Matthew J. Zirwas, MD, reviewed the 20+ years of Allergens of the Year, the clinical pearls around them, and their treatment options.

Dr Zirwas explained why allergens need to be focused on, such as they:

• have new and important findings
• are under-appreciated
• are generating more “concern” than is appropriate.

The Allergens of the Year and their pearls were listed by Dr Zirwas from disperse blue dye as the first in 2000 to isobornyl acrylate in 2020. In the years between 2000 and 2020, there were the following Allergens of the Year:

• Gold
• Bacitracin
• Cocamidopropyl betaine
• Glucocorticoids
• P-phenylenediamine
• Fragrance
• Nickel
• Mixed dialkyl thioureas
• Neomycin
• Dimethyl fumarate
• Acrylates
• Methylisothiazolinone
• Benzophenones
• Formaldehyde
• Cobalt
• Alkyl glucosides
• Propylene glycol

Among these 20+ years, there were 2 (non)Allergens of the Year. In 2002, the (non)Allergen of the Year was thimerosal, which is present in some flu vaccines and 1 tetanus vaccine. Next, in 2019, the (non)Allergen of the Year was parabens, a rare cause of contact dermatitis.

“I could imagine it being remotely possible for there to be a hormone effect if someone applied a paraben-containing leave-on product in larger amounts all over their body on a regular basis over a long period of time,” Dr Zirwas elaborated.

Reference
Zirwas MJ. Contact dermatitis update. Presented at: Dermatology Week 2022; September 14-17, 2022; Virtual.