[Reactions to fragrances and textiles].

Allergic reactions to fragrances are caused by perfumes and perfume-containing items of our environment. The most important allergen is cinnamic aldehyde. By means of the mixed perfume test recommended by the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group (ICDRG), however, we are not able to detect more than half of the patients suffering from perfume allergy. Thus we suggest to make use of two new test series comprising most of the relevant fragrance components. Allergic reactions to textiles are mostly due to textile dyes. Special regard must be given to the disperse dyes of the azo group in nylon stockings and tights. The three most important allergens are disperse yellow 3, disperse orange 3, and disperse red 1. According to our experiments, the sensitizing potency of these dyes is comparatively low. In contrast, two recently introduced azo dyes (disperse blue 106 and 124), which are mainly used in blouses and trousers, proved to be strong sensitizers.