Contact urticaria syndrome caused by direct hair dyes in a hairdresser.

A 57-year-old woman, formerly employed as a hairdresser but still practising in her spare time, presented to us with eczema of the hands and feet in November 2012. Previous patch testing had shown contact allergies to pphenylenediamine (PPD), nickel, chromium, cobalt, and colophonium, all of which are relevant for intolerance to hair dyes, jewellery, and shoes. In her history, she mentioned a history of severe itching on the hands and in the ears, accompanied by a ‘bad taste’ in the mouth, immediately following the application of Colorplix® beige nacré (L’Asco, Brussels, Belgium) to a client’s scalp.