Photo by Retha Ferguson from Pexels

Petrolatum Facts—150 years to today.

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Petrolatum was discovered in 1859 inadvertently by the oil rig drillers in Titusville, Pennsylvania. The thick “rod wax” caused the rigs to malfunction and had to scraped off, however the workers found it to help soothe and heal their skin cuts. Robert Chesebrough, a chemist, refined, distilled, patented, and named it Vaseline—from the German wasser (water) and the Greek elaion (olive oil).

Purified petrolatum is a highly useful moisturizer and skin protectant as it prevents up to 98% of transepidermal water loss, is triple-purified and devoid of any allergens. It is recommended by the National Eczema Association as safe treatment option. There have not been any evidence-based reports directly linking purified petrolatum to cancer.

However, unrefined, low grade petrolatum does contain carcinogens called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Although the US does not regulate petrolatum use in cosmetics, labels stating “white petrolatum” or “Petrolatum, USP” can be sure they are buying a purified high grade product.

Petrolatum itself has never been reported to cause allergic contact dermatitis. Some petrolatum-based products, however, may not use a purified form of petroleum and often have additional ingredients such as Lanolin or fragrances and should be carefully evaluated for their ingredients by patients with known sensitizations.  

T.R.U.E. Test (patch test) receives pediatric indication

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T.R.U.E Pediatric indication: T.R.U.E. Test (patch test) receives approval letter from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for children 6 and older. After 12 years of investigations, evidence and data indicating that the patch testing is safe and efficacious in children suffering from recalcitrant dermatitis – the FDA has approved T.R.U.E Pediatric indication – the use of TRUE test to aid in the diagnosis of ACD in children.

This is the first commercially available patch test to receive approval for use in children 6 and older.  The T.R.U.E. test has 36 components, one is a negative control.

To read more about patch testing in children:

Article on Pediatric Allergic Contact Dermatitis.

“August 25, 2017

Dear Ms. Sullivan:
SUPPLEMENT APPROVAL PMR FULFILLED
August 25, 2017
We have approved your request dated October 26, 2016, to supplement your Biologics License Application submitted under section 351(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262) for Thin-layer Rapid Use Epicutaneous Patch Test (T.R.U.E. TEST), to use as an aid in the diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis in persons 6 years of age and older whose history suggests sensitivity to one or more of the 35 substances included on the T.R.U.E. TEST panels.”

FDA indication
Approval letter

Contact Dermatitis Awareness Ribbon

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Announcing the Contact Dermatitis Awareness Ribbon:

On March 19, 2016 a Montessori Teacher and a Customer Service Representative, two mothers with children suffering with allergic contact dermatitis, joined together to start a patient-centered outreach group on Facebook called “Eczema, Contact Dermatitis and Patch Testing Alliance”. Currently, this 1,925 member focus group is providing educational resources to sufferers of allergic contact dermatitis worldwide.

As the eve of the anniversary of the group approached the lead administrator (Misha Bertolino, MA) raised the question, Why is there not a contact dermatitis awareness ribbon?

**Contact dermatitis costs a reported $1,529 million/year in medical costs!

**Contact dermatitis is the 8th most costly skin disease!

**Contact dermatitis is preventable!

 

The Contact Dermatitis Awareness Ribbon is indeed very much needed!

In a collaborative effort, the Eczema, Contact Dermatitis and Patch Test alliance along with artist Janna Vassantachart, MD, logistician Chandler Rundle, BS, practicing contact dermatitis specialists, and global advocates – the orchid (eczema) and teal (allergy) contact dermatitis awareness ribbon has become a reality.

This symbol can be worn to show support and solidarity for the millions of people who suffer from this disease.  In alignment with these symbols, our mission at the Dermatitis Academy is to educate the public, the medical providers, the manufacturers and the legislators on ACD, while cultivating a community of support for those impacted by this disease.

With early diagnosis, education, and intervention, we HOPE for a future where allergic contact dermatitis can be controlled by remission or prevention.

Please visit the Dermatitis Academy to learn more about allergic contact dermatitis, allergens, and patch testing and to download the Contact Dermatitis Awareness Ribbon.

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Only MCI/MI caused remarkable changes… skin cells affected

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“only MCI/MI reduced NMF levels significantly… only MCI/MI caused remarkable changes at the microscopic level” to corneocytes (resident skin cells)…The altered corneocyte morphology suggests that skin barrier damage plays a role in the pathogenesis of MCI/MI contact allergy.”

IMPORTANT WORK!

Koppes SA1,2, Ljubojević Hadžavdić S3, Jakasa I4, Franceschi N5, Riethmüller C6, Jurakić Tončic R3, Marinovic B3, Raj N7, Rawlings AV7, Voegeli R8, Lane ME7, Haftek M9, Frings-Dresen MH1, Rustemeyer T2, Kezic S1.  Effect of allergens and irritants on levels of natural moisturizing factor and corneocyte morphology.  Contact Dermatitis. 2017 Mar 14. doi: 10.1111/cod.12770.

“Abstract
BACKGROUND:
The irritant sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is known to cause a decrease in the stratum corneum level of natural moisturizing factor (NMF), which in itself is associated with changes in corneocyte surface topography.
OBJECTIVE:
To explore this phenomenon in allergic contact dermatitis.

METHODS:
Patch testing was performed on patients with previously positive patch test reactions to potassium dichromate (Cr), nickel sulfate (Ni), methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI)/methylisothiazolinone (MI), or p-phenylenediamine. Moreover, a control (pet.) patch and an irritant (SLS) patch were applied. After 3 days, the stratum corneum from tested sites was collected, and NMF levels and corneocyte morphology, expressed as the amount of circular nanosize objects, quantified according to the Dermal Texture Index (DTI), were determined.

RESULTS:
Among allergens, only MCI/MI reduced NMF levels significantly, as did SLS. Furthermore, only MCI/MI caused remarkable changes at the microscopic level; the corneocytes were hexagonal-shaped with pronounced cell borders and a smoother surface. The DTI was increased after SLS exposure but not after allergen exposure.

CONCLUSIONS:
MCI/MI significantly decreased NMF levels, similarly to SLS. The altered corneocyte morphology suggests that skin barrier damage plays a role in the pathogenesis of MCI/MI contact allergy.  DTI seems to differentiate reactions to SLS from those to the allergens tested, as SLS was the only agent that caused a DTI increase.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28295421
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Test your Uroshiol Savvy

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Test your knowledge of common items containing the allergen Uroshiol

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FDA data on the TRUE Test

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This article updated in Nov 2015 on the Thin-layer Rapid Use Epicutaneous (T.R.U.E.) test discusses Indications and Usage, Dosage and Administration, and Contraindications, Timing of the Reads, Interpretation Instructions — use in specific populations (pregnancy, nursing, pediatric) — detailed allergen composition and the ten clinical studies were conducted in North America and Europe evaluating sensitivity and specificity, and/or agreement with a reference allergen…

 

To read full article: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Allergenics/UCM294327.pdf