Allergic Contact Dermatitis to Acrylates: A Study Among Manicurists and Clients

Abstract

Summary The study aimеd to investigate the association between the professional environment and hypersensitivity reactions to various contact allergens, features of the clinical course, and types of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in 34 manicurists and ten service users. The analysis was based on the data on length of professional experience, localisation of rashes, clinical diagnoses and allergens, and the cause of positive reactions in epicutaneous testing. Pathological skin changes most often affected the upper limbs (hands, palms, fingers). As a diagnosis, the frequency of ACD was the highest – 79.4%, followed by that of dyshidrotic eczema (DE) – 17.6%, which also determines the highest percentage of dermatitis on the upper limbs (97%). Of the patients, 47.1% had a history of the disease for up to one year. For manicurists, the results of patch tests with the specialised MH-1000 series showed the highest frequency of positive reactions to 2-Hydroxyethyl methacrylate (2-HEMA) and 2-Hydroxypropyl methacrylate (2-HPMA) – 88.88% each, Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) – 83.33% and 2-Hydroxyethyl acrylate (2-HEA) – 61.11%. After combining data for manicurists and clients, correlation analysis found a significant effect on the development of ACD to 2-HPMA (p=0.003) and EGDMA (p=0.005), as well as for hand dermatitis to 2-HEMA (p=0.05) and 2-HEA (p=0.044).