Hairdressers' skin exposure to hair dyes during different hair dyeing tasks.

Background: The high risk of occupational skin disease among hairdressers, caused by skin exposure to irritants and sensitizers, such as hair dye substances, is of great concern.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to assess how the various tasks involved in hair dyeing contribute to hairdressers' exposure to hair dye, in order to enable the formulation of well-founded recommendations on working routines that will reduce exposure and prevent occupational disease.

Methods: Skin exposure to hair dye was measured for 20 hairdressers applying highlights and all-over hair colour with the hand rinsing technique.

Scoring of Hand Eczema: Good Reliability of Hand Eczema Extent Score (HEES).

There is good agreement between dermatological staff and patients using the Hand Eczema Extent Score (HEES). The aim of this study was to assess inter- and intra-observer reliability of the HEES in dermatologists and intra-observer reliability of the HEES in patients with hand eczema. Six dermatologists assessed 18 patients twice.

Water Exposure on the Hands in Adolescents: A Report from the BAMSE Cohort.

Water exposure on the skin of the hands has previously been studied in adults. The aim of this study was to investigate self-reported water exposure in adolescents in the BAMSE cohort in Stockholm, Sweden. A questionnaire including a question on daily water exposure on the hands was answered by 3,091 adolescents at age 16 years.

Water exposure--challenging differences between occupations.

Background: Few studies have compared water exposure between different occupations in the general population.

Objectives: To investigate and compare the extent of occupational water exposure, with a focus on service, healthcare and production occupations previously classified as involving a high risk for hand eczema.

Methods: In two public health surveys (2006 and 2010), a validated question regarding occupational water exposure was answered by 18 342 and 15,736 gainfully employed individuals, respectively.

Disability Pensions due to Skin Diseases: A Cohort Study in Swedish Construction Workers.

Disability pensions due to skin diseases in Swedish male construction workers were studied by linking data from pension registers and an occupational health service. Incidence rates of disability pensions for cement workers, painters and plumbers were compared with 2 control groups. A total of 623 disability pensions were granted during 4 decades of follow-up.

Hand eczema and atopic dermatitis in adolescents: a prospective cohort study from the BAMSE project.

Background: There is a well-known association between atopic dermatitis (AD) and hand eczema but less is known about how age at onset, persistence and severity of AD influence the risk of developing hand eczema.

Objectives: To examine the role of AD in the occurrence of hand eczema in adolescence. In addition, associations between asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis, sensitization to common airborne and food allergens, and hand eczema were studied.

The influence of hydrogen peroxide on the permeability of protective gloves to resorcinol in hairdressing.

Background: Hairdressers are exposed to hair dye chemicals, for example resorcinol and hydrogen peroxide. Adequate skin protection is an important preventive measure against occupational skin disease.

Objectives: To examine whether hydrogen peroxide may cause deterioration of protective gloves.

Prevalence and incidence of hand eczema in adolescence: report from BAMSE--a population-based birth cohort.

Background: BAMSE is a Swedish population-based birth cohort.

Objectives: To estimate prevalence proportions and the incidence rate of hand eczema in Swedish adolescents, and to compare information given by adolescents and parents. Further aims were to study sex distribution, age at onset and extension of hand eczema.

Exposure of hairdressers to ortho- and meta-toluidine in hair dyes.

Background: Carcinogenic aromatic amines derived from hair dyes have recently received new attention. One of these is ortho (o)-toluidine, which is classified as carcinogenic to humans.

Objectives: To clarify exposure of hairdressers to potentially carcinogenic aromatic amines, including o-toluidine.

Hand eczema and use of snus (moist snuff) - a population-based study.

A possible association between use of snus (Swedish moist snuff) and hand eczema was studied. 27,466 individuals responded to questions regarding hand eczema, tobacco use and other life style factors in a Swedish Public Health Survey in 2006, response rate 58%. Of these persons, 12.

Hand eczema and health-related quality of life; a comparison of EQ-5D and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) in relation to the Hand Eczema Extent Score (HEES).

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is associated with the extent and severity of hand eczema. We still lack a consensus about which HRQoL instrument to use as the standard, and how to measure the extent and severity of hand eczema.

Objectives: To compare the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) with EQ-5D (a standardized instrument for use as a measure of health outcome), and to evaluate how the Hand Eczema Extent Score (HEES) relates to these instruments.

Is skin exposure to water mainly occupational or nonoccupational? A population-based study.

Background: Skin exposure to water is considered to contribute to hand eczema. Knowledge about total water exposure during a day is scanty.

Objectives: To investigate self-reported water exposure at work as well as throughout the day.

Primary prevention of latex allergy in healthcare-spectrum of strategies including the European glove standardization.

IgE-mediated allergy to natural rubber latex was first noted from rubber gloves in 1979. The initial reports in dermatological journals described contact urticarial reactions; later, severe generalized allergic reactions and asthma were documented. A considerable proportion of the people involved in medical and dental care were found to be sensitized to latex.

Validation of self-testing as a method to estimate the prevalence of nickel allergy.

The aim of this study was to investigate the validity of self-patch testing for nickel allergy, in order to determine a cost-effective method for surveillance of the prevalence of nickel allergy. Population-based study including patch testing is the most reliable method to study the prevalence of allergy, but it is expensive and has logistical problems. A total of 191 dermatology patients referred to patch testing were provided with a self-test package with written instructions.

The effect of a corticosteroid cream and a barrier-strengthening moisturizer in hand eczema. A double-blind, randomized, prospective, parallel group clinical trial.

Background: Hand eczema is a common and persistent disease with a relapsing course. Clinical data suggest that once daily treatment with corticosteroids is just as effective as twice daily treatment.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare once and twice daily applications of a strong corticosteroid cream in addition to maintenance therapy with a moisturizer in patients with a recent relapse of hand eczema.

Life-style factors and hand eczema.

Background: Previous knowledge of the impact of certain life-style factors on hand eczema is scanty.

Objectives: To investigate a possible association between hand eczema and life-style factors such as obesity, physical exercise, stress, smoking and alcohol consumption.

Methods: In a cross-sectional public health survey in Stockholm, Sweden, 27,994 (58%) randomly chosen individuals aged 18-64 years completed a postal questionnaire regarding physical and mental health, social relations, economic status and work.

Scoring of hand eczema: good agreement between patients and dermatological staff.

Background: Assessment of hand eczema in a clinical study has been achieved using a scoring system which documents extent of eczema on different areas of the hand.

Objectives: To investigate whether the same scoring system could be used by patients to communicate current status of hand eczema.

Methods: In a study of 62 patients (36 women and 26 men, age range 19-75 years), the patient's own assessment was compared with the assessment by a dermatologist and a dermatological nurse.

Treatment with a barrier-strengthening moisturizer prevents relapse of hand-eczema. An open, randomized, prospective, parallel group study.

Hand eczema influences the quality of life. Management strategies include the use of moisturizers. In the present study the time to relapse of eczema during treatment with a barrier-strengthening moisturizer (5% urea) was compared with no treatment (no medical or non-medicated preparations) in 53 randomized patients with successfully treated hand eczema.

Tobacco smoking and hand eczema: a population-based study.

Background: Tobacco smoking has been proposed to promote hand eczema.

Objectives: To examine the association between tobacco smoking and hand eczema and to investigate a possible dose-response relation.

Methods: A national environmental health survey was performed in 2007.

Validity of self-reported nickel allergy.

Background: To estimate the prevalence of nickel allergy, self-reports are sometimes used in epidemiological studies. Self-reports are practical and may facilitate estimation of prevalence provided that the questions are validated.

Objectives: To investigate the validity of self-reported nickel allergy.