A chemical called methylisothiazolinone, used as a preservative in many baby wipes, soaps, and other household products, is responsible for many cases of contact dermatitis, which can cause eczema of the hands and other areas. The compound, often referred to as MI, was named the 2013 allergen of the year by the American Contact Dermatitis Society. See this interesting article from the New York Times.

This contact allergy can be detected through patch testing. If you have eczema affecting your hands or other areas and suspect a contact allergy, Allergy & Asthma Care of Fairfield County can perform patch testing for the common contact allergens. Please contact our office at 203-259-7070.

Dr. Irena Veksler of Allergy and Asthma Care of Fairfield County comments: “This contact allergen has been on our patch test panel for some time, but it has been an underappreciated cause of contact allergies and hand eczema. Hand eczema is often due to irritants and not allergens, but it is always important to rule out contact allergens as a cause.”