Prevalence of potent skin sensitizers in oxidative hair dye products in Korea

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to elucidate the prevalence of potent skin sensitizers in oxidative hair dye products manufactured by Korean domestic companies.

Methods: A database on hair dye products made by domestic companies and selling in the Korean market in 2013 was used to obtain information on company name, brand name, quantity of production, and ingredients. The prevalence of substances categorized as potent skin sensitizers was calculated using the hair dye ingredient database, and the pattern of concomitant presence of hair dye ingredients was analyzed using network analysis software.

Results: A total of 19 potent skin sensitizers were identified from a database that included 99 hair dye products manufactured by Korean domestic companies. Among 19 potent skin sensitizers, the four most frequent were resorcinol, m-aminophenol, p-phenylenediamine (PPD), and p-aminophenol; these four skin-sensitizing ingredients were found in more than 50% of the products studied. Network analysis showed that resorcinol, m-aminophenol, and PPD existed together in many hair dye products. In 99 products examined, the average product contained 4.4 potent sensitizers, and 82% of the products contained four or more skin sensitizers.

Conclusion: The present results demonstrate that oxidative hair dye products made by Korean domestic manufacturers contain various numbers and types of potent skin sensitizers. Furthermore, these results suggest that some hair dye products should be used with caution to prevent adverse effects on the skin, including allergic contact dermatitis.

• Contact dermatitis
• cosmetic ingredient
• market survey
• network analysis

Declaration of interest

The authors report no declarations of interest.

This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (No. 2011-0023637).