A case of contact dermatitis by socks-sticker

Abstract

A 16-year-old girl case of contact dermatitis due to using a commercially gummed sticker inside of the socks around bilateral lower limbs was reported. She visited our department of hospital on May 7th, 2002, because of complaining erythema with pigmentation and purpura around lower limbs accompanying with serous papules on the upper limbs and trunk for one week. She has no specific family history and no past history. Histopathological examination biopsied from the lower limb revealed mononuclear cell infiltration around the blood vessels in the upper dermis with exocytosis in the irregularly elongated epidermis. Patch test using the sticker showed positive reactions, whereas more detail patch test examination using each material was not able to be carried out. It is thought that scattered serous papules seen on the upper limbs and trunk occurred as id reaction or autosensitization. Blood examination revealed no abnormality except for leucocytosis (10,300/mm3), polycytemia (528 × 104/mm3), and hyperimmunoglobulin E (950 IU/ml). This sticker made by Hakugen Co, Ltd (Tokyo, Japan) was consisted of complex jellymer of polyacryl sodium chloride/triethanolamine (CH 2·CH·COONa)n, (CH2·CH· COON(C2H4OH)3)n (5-15%) and ethylalcohol (10-30%), glycerin (less than 15%) and flavor with small amount of water.