An important difference between "exposed" and "photodistributed" underscores the importance of identifying common reactions.

This article presents the case of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who was referred to dermatology for what was suspected to be a photosensitivity reaction to hydroxychloroquine, a common culprit in photodrug reactions. Despite the patient's insistence to the contrary, the cause of her eruption was an airborne allergic contact dermatitis to chemicals she was exposed to during her longtime hobby of soap-making. This case serves as an important illustration of the anatomical differences between eruptions occurring in exposed and photodistributed areas. This article also discusses the causes of dermatitis that may mimic photodrug reactions.