Screening allergens for acrylate dermatitis associated with artificial nails

Background: Acrylates are increasingly observed to be a cause of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), especially in the cosmetic industry. Patients suspected of acrylate allergy are generally tested to 33 acrylates, and acrylate-allergic patients commonly react positively to many of these allergens. Objective: The objective of the study was to develop a short list of screening acrylates to diagnose acrylate allergy in patients wearing artificial nails. Methods: Twenty-three patients with ACD to acrylates were studied and their patch test reaction rates to 33 acrylates analyzed to identify the acrylates that were most frequently positive. Results: Based on the frequency with which each acrylate was positive in a group of 11 patients wearing artificial nails and the known use of specific acrylates in the nail industry, ethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxy ethyl acrylate, etylene glycol dimethacrylate, ethyl α cyanoacrylate, and triethylene glycol diacrylate were identified as screening acrylates. Conclusion: The pattern of acrylate cross-reactivity among the most frequently positive acrylates suggests that a functional group that is a "carboxy ethyl side group" may be requisite for ACD to acrylates.