Contact urticaria due to polyethylene glycol.

Contact dermatitis developed in a patient from the use of Tinactin and Lotrimin solutions. Initially, the usual 'delayed' type of allergic contact dermatitis was suspected. However, covered patch tests gave negative results after forty-eight hours. 'Open' testing revealed an 'immediate' urticarial reaction to polyethylene glycol, which is used as a solvent in both antifungal agents. It should be emphasized that after a patient scratches or irritates an urticarial contact dermatitis, the resulting eruption closely resembles contact dermatitis of the usual delayed variety. Apparently, this is the first written report of such an 'immediate' reaction to polyethylene glycol. Although the modern, elegant antifungal agents with their complex vehicles are quite effective, one sometimes becomes nostalgic for the old-fashioned, inelegant but effective Whitfield's ointment (salicylic acid and benzoic acid) with its simple, nonsensitizing petrolatum base.