Dermatitis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Dermatitis, including details on contact-, seborrheic-, atopic-, allergic-dermatitis, treatment.

Lymphomatoid contact dermatitis induced by gold earrings.

Conde-Taboada A, Rosón E, Fernández-Redondo V, García-Doval I, De La Torre C, Cruces M

Dermatology Department, Complexo Hospitalario de Pontevedra, Pontevedra, Spain. albertoct@mixmail.com

Metallic gold has long been regarded as a relatively safe material when in contact with the skin and mucosal membranes, with only sporadic reports of allergic contact dermatitis or stomatitis. This is probably due to its stability and low tendency to ionization. Lymphomatoid reactions have been described in cutaneous responses to several products. We report a patient who developed bilateral nodules on the earlobes at the sites of piercing earrings. Histologically, these lesions presented a lymphomatoid appearance, with a T-cell diffuse infiltrate. The patch test demonstrated a strong reaction to 1% gold sodium thiosulfate.

Published 13 February 2007 in Contact Dermatitis, 56(3): 179-81.
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