Table 2.

Agents associated with irritant follicular contact dermatitis

Agent	Comment	Ref.
Beetle toxin	Pederin toxin released as a defensive mechanism from the rove (staphylinid) beetle in hot tropical and moderate climate regions typically limited to uncovered body areas	[22,23]
Bis-hydroxyethyl-tallow amine	Antistatic agent used to impregnate plastic tote boxes; outbreak of the hand or arms of 48.3% (14 of 29) of employees of the incoming inspections department of a microelectronic plant. The chemical provoked both follicular and nonfollicular irritant dermatitis; it was also a potential skin sensitizer	[24]
Coal-tar products	Hand dermatitis presenting with follicular papules and pustules at the site of exposure to coal-tar oils, creosote, pitch	[25]
Croton oil	Occupational source for irritant pustular and follicular irritant contact hand dermatitis	[25]
Debromoaplysiatoxin	Occurs after swimming in water contaminated by sea algae (Lyngbya majuscule Gomont); the alga cause a seaweed dermatitis in persons swimming off the coastin Oahu, Hawaii. Topical application of the toxin produces an irritant pustular folliculitis	[26]
Fluorine	Antirust solution containing 20% ammonium bifluoride diluted in water; acute irritant contact dermatitis in an atopic child. Rusted buckles of the right shoe cleaned with solution; 12 h later, the 19-mo-old boy developed an erythematous pustular dermatitis on the areas of the treated buckles	[27]
Greases	Occupational source for irritant pustular and follicular irritant contact hand dermatitis	[25]
Naphthalones	Occupational source for irritant pustular and follicular irritant contact hand dermatitis	[25]
Petroleum	Hand dermatitis presenting with follicular papules and pustules at the site of exposure to petroleum derivatives: crude oil and fractions, cutting oils; lesions develop at the contact site to oil-soaked and tar-soaked clothes	[25]
Propylene glycol	It is used as a solvent, a plasticizer, a component of household products, a food additive and an ingredient in cosmetics and pharmaceutical preparations. 45138 patients patch tested; only 1044 (2.4%) patients with actual allergic contact dermatitis and 43 (0.10%) patients with non-allergic follicular reactions	[28]
Tri-phenyl-tin-fluoride	It is a bioactive organo-tin compound used as agricultural fungicides, general biocides, bactericides, herbicides, insecticides and antifoulant in boat paints (ship bottom coatings); it is moderately toxic to the skin. The patient’s forearm accidentally contacted an empty drum that was still contaminated with the chemical; within 2 d he developed multiple follicular keratosis-like red papules evenly distributed over the affected area	[11]
Tocopheryl linoleate	Vitamin E derivative added to base formulation of a cosmetic line in Switzerland; 905 patients with papular and follicular dermatitis. In a few patients, the skin reaction appeared after a few applications on discontinuous days or more rarely after a single application suggesting an irritation reaction	[4,5]