Contact allergen alternatives: 1986.

Repeated episodes of allergic contact dermatitis burden patients with disability and expense, as well as considerable discomfort. In this paper we describe safe and practical alternatives for allergens present on the 1984-1985 "standard patch test tray" of the American Academy of Dermatology. In addition, we have provided information on alternatives for other important and common allergens encountered today. For each allergen, in addition to the molecular weight, we have given the Chemical Abstracts Number (CAS). This will be especially useful when the American Academy of Dermatology has in operation its computerized data bank, cross-linking chemicals with commercial products. In the near future, a physician will be able to obtain rapidly either the ingredients of a given product, or a list of commercial products containing a specific allergen, or both. This information will increase immensely the importance of searching for allergens by patch testing.