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Periumbilical Allergic Contact Dermatitis: Blue Jeans or Belt Buckles?
Author(s) -
Byer Tara T.,
Morrell Dean S.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
pediatric dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.542
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1525-1470
pISSN - 0736-8046
DOI - 10.1111/j.0736-8046.2004.21306.x
Subject(s) - dimethylglyoxime , nickel , medicine , contact dermatitis , patch test , allergic contact dermatitis , dermatology , umbilicus (mollusc) , surgery , metallurgy , allergy , immunology , materials science
Nickel is the most ubiquitous contact allergen among children and adolescents. Metal blue jeans buttons and belts have been noted to cause nickel dermatitis around the umbilicus. For these children, traditional teaching is strict avoidance of all pants with metal snaps/buttons, particularly blue jeans. In this study we tested 90 pairs of blue jeans and 47 belts for nickel using the dimethylglyoxime spot test. Only 10% of blue jeans tested positive, while 53% of belts tested positive. Furthermore, 10 pairs of nickel‐negative blue jeans remained negative after 10 washings. Overall we found no resistance to testing in clothing stores. From these results, we recommend that patients with allergic contact dermatitis secondary to nickel need not strictly avoid blue jeans and metal belt buckles. Rather, families should be encouraged to use the dimethylglyoxime spot test to test these items for nickel prior to purchase.