Recreational Allergic Contact Dermatitis to "Epoxy UV" Resins: A New Source of Exposure to Hidden (Meth)acrylates

Several cases of contact allergy to epoxy resins used in creative hobbies have been reported in recent years but not to "epoxy UV" resins.

To determine which components present in "epoxy UV" resins were responsible for allergic contact dermatitis in three patients who used them to make jewellery as a creative hobby and to describe the clinical and chemical analytical work-up.

The three patients with eczematous skin eruptions from "epoxy UV" resin were patch tested with a baseline series and epoxy series and/or additional (meth)acrylates, and in some cases with different benzophenones (patch tests and photo-patch tests). Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) of three of the resins used was performed in order to determine their composition.

All patients were shown to be sensitised to (meth)acrylates but not epoxy. Proton NMR could identify 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (2-HEMA) and an ethoxylated bisphenol A-based diacrylate oligomer in the three tested resins. For two resins, di(ethylene glycol) diacrylate and poly(propylene glycol) diacrylate were also detected. The resin of one patient could not be analysed because of a technical problem.

Incorrectly labelled "epoxy UV" resins used in recreational activities are a new hidden source of sensitization to (meth)acrylates, not to epoxy compounds tested.