Allergic contact cheilitis in the United Kingdom: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND To date, only a few cohorts of patients with allergic cheilitis have been described, most of them from Australia and Asia. OBJECTIVE To establish the prevalence of cheilitis in a UK specialist contact dermatitis clinic and to identify the most common allergens. METHOD We analyzed our patch-test database in a tertiary referral center in the United Kingdom, retrospectively. All patients presenting with cheilitis over a 19-year period (1982 to 2001) were included. RESULTS Data were available from a total of 146 patients. A positive allergic patch-test reaction was thought to be relevant in 15% of the patients (n = 22) and to be of possible relevance in 6.8% (n = 10). Of the 22 patients with relevant allergic results, 95% (n = 21) were women. The most common allergens included fragrance mix (mainly cinnamaldehyde, oak moss, and isoeugenol) in 41% of patients, shellac in 18%, colophony in 18%, and Myroxylon pereirae in 14%. For half of the patients, the allergen was believed to stem from lipsticks or lip products. Eighteen percent of patients with allergic cheilitis reacted to only their own products. CONCLUSIONS Patients should be tested to extended lipstick/cosmetic vehicle series in addition to standard series. As a significant percentage of patients react to their own products only, a thorough clinical history and testing to patients' own products are important.