Prevalence of Clothing-caused Contact Dermatitis among Japanese Female Adults

Abstract

Allergic and Irritant Contact dermatitis caused by skin exposure to synthetic textiles is well documented in the medical literature. We sought to determine the prevalence Clothing dermatitis in a population of Japanese female adults. Methods A survey was conducted with the use of an auto-administered questionnaire in which 114 female university students （mean 18.6 yrs, 18-21 yrs） from Otsuma Women's University, Tokyo, took part. Participation was voluntary and students had to fill out the questionnaire anonymously. Three of participants who have developed contact dermatitis at the time of this study underwent patch testing in order to determine whether the skin condition was related to clothing. Results Of the participants, 21.5% （20/93） have experienced clothing-related skin rash, while an even greater proportion, 82.5% （94/114）， said they have developed itch after wearing synthetic clothing （polyester, nylon）．Those who reported itch also mentioned having the same feeling after physical exercise and when wearing accessories made of nickel. Conclusion Considering the above results, sweat could be one of the triggers in the development of the contact dermatitis.