External Causes of Dermatitis

Occupational dermatoses in farmers growing okra (Hibiscus esculentus L.)

“…Its pods are used chiefly as boiled or steamed fresh vegetables and also as dried pods and dried powdered seeds. There are few reports that this plant affects the exposed skin (4)(5)(6)(7). Recently, the present authors reported skin lesions from okra in workers engaged in okra cultivation both outdoors and under glass (8,9).…”

Unilateral contact dermatitis of the chest

“…Metal pens and cigarette lighters may be causative. Case reports dating back to 1918 have described localized "match-box dermatitis" to sesquisulfide on matchboxes kept in shirt and trouser pockets [2,5]. Plastic banknotes have even been implicated in cases of allergic contact dermatitis on the left nipple and left thigh, coinciding anatomically with the patients' pockets [3].…”

Allergic contact dermatitis from fepradinol: report of 4 cases and review of the literature

“…Of 19,000 cosmetic formulations on file at the Food and Drug Administration in 1978, 147 products contained witch hazel as extract, distillate or as such (1). Contact dermatitis caused by witch hazel (hamamelis) is reported in the older literature (3)(4)(5). Though recommendations for patch testing have been given (6,7), no allergic reactions to witch hazel have to my knowledge been reported until recently (2).…”

“…The 'witch' in witch hazel is an old English word (also spelt 'wych') for a tree with pliant branches, rather than the word for a woman practising witchcraft. The type of contact reactions to witch hazel reported in the older literature is not clear, as patch tests were not performed or not reported (3)(4)(5). However, in a recent study by Bruynzeel eta!.…”