Sunscreen sensitization: a 5-year study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of sunscreen contact allergy and/or contact photoallergy in 370 patients with suspected photodermatitis. Patch and photopatch tests were performed using the French Society of Photodermatology (SFPD) standard series. A total of 57 cases of contact allergy and/or photocontact allergy to sunscreens were diagnosed (15.4%). Amongst these, 27 reactions were related to oxybenzone and 14 to isopropyl dibenzoylmethane. These results, obtained from January 1990 to December 1994, confirm that, given the high frequency of photosensitization cases, a large part of the battery of photopatch tests should be dedicated to sunblocks.