- Abstract -

Contact dermatitis (CD) is an inflammatory skin disease occurring after skin contact with different allergens. Only 80% of these reactions are irritant, the rest are allergic. Inflammatory skin lesions ranged from average (mild erythema) to severe (cracks, erythemato-squamous lesions and lichenification), depending on the irritant, the body part affected and the individual reactivity. Allergic contact dermatitis may occur at any age, but there was a higher incidence in middle-aged people. Nickel, chromium and mercury are the most allergic metals and are found in various metal alloys, caps, jewelry, watches, eyeglasses frames and contact lens solutions, mobile phones, toys. Cobalt also fits in the list of potentially allergenic metals for CD.

Nickel (Ni) is the most frequent cause of contact allergy among the female population. This makes it interesting to examine thresholds for elicitation under different conditions.

Type IV sensitization to nickel sulfate is common in the general population. Nickel can be found in different metals leading to occupational exposition in industrial professions. Symptoms such as itching, redness and local heat should lead the patient direct to the dermatologist who will determine the cause of suffering and will assess the therapeutic conduct after the determination of the incriminated agent. There is no effective treatment for allergy to nickel. Avoiding substances responsible for contact dermatitis remains the only effective measure for the preventive treatment.

Key words: nickel sulfate, dermatitis, patch testing, fillagrins, and sensitization.