Allergic contact dermatitis to ethylenediamine. A continuing problem

Abstract

Ethylenediamine would be an infrequent sensitizer if it were not present in a widely prescribed topical corticosteroid preparation that is applied to inflamed skin. Occupational allergic contact dermatitis to ethylenediamine is not common. The educational efforts of American dermatologists such as Dr. Alex Fisher have helped lead to the deletion of ethylenediamine from Mycolog cream. It is unfortunate that the same pharmaceutical company continues to use ethylenediamine in its products in other countries, as the continued popularity of these creams may allow ethylenediamine to remain a common sensitizer in some areas, particularly where inflammatory skin conditions are treated predominantly by nondermatologists.