[The expanding role of occupational and non-occupational allergy to paraphenylenediamine].

Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is a strongly sensitizing aromatic amine, which is used in hair, furs and leather dying. It is also included in temporary henna tattoos. Using those tattoos and hair dying has recently become fashionable not only among grown-up women but also among grown-up men, teenagers and children. Temporary tattoo often causes primary allergy, and followed by hair dying can be the reason for severe skin and respiratory allergic symptoms, including anaphylactic symptoms. Furthermore PPD induces cross reactions with other oxidative dye components (ex. p-toluenediamine, p-aminodiphenylamine, 2,4-diaminoanisole, o-aminophenol, 1,4-benzenediamine, p-aminoaniline), black and white photographic developers, clothing dyes, technical rubber antioxidants (N-izopropylo-N-fenylo-p-fenylenodiaminq), epoxy resin hardeners, sulphonamides, and local anesthetic drugs (caines). The increased prevalence of allergy to paraphenylenediamine results from the fashion for temporary tattoos and hair dying.