Gallate Contact Dermatitis: Product Update and Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Cosmetic Science
• Toxicology

Background:

• Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) from cosmetics can arise from less common allergens.
• Gallates (propyl, octyl, dodecyl) are widely used antioxidant preservatives in cosmetics and foods.
• Standard patch testing may not routinely include these gallate preservatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of gallates in allergic contact dermatitis.
• To identify cosmetic and food products containing gallate preservatives.
• To assess the prevalence and clinical presentation of gallate allergy.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review up to April 2016 for reported gallate allergy cases.
• Searched food and cosmetic product databases for gallate-containing items.
• Analyzed case reports for clinical manifestations and affected body parts.

Main Results:

• Seventy-four cases of gallate-induced contact allergy were reported in the literature.
• Propyl gallate was identified as the most frequent gallate allergen.
• Facial and/or hand dermatitis were the most common clinical presentations.

Conclusions:

• Gallates, particularly propyl gallate, are significant contact allergens in cosmetic products.
• The presence of gallates in various consumer products warrants attention for ACD.
• Standard dermatological evaluations may need to incorporate gallate testing for suspected cases.