[Three cases of dry cleaning dermatitis].

Acute irritant dermatitis caused by contact with dry cleaned clothes (slacks, jacket, and skirt) was observed in three young females. Irritant sensations were noticed within an hour after wearing the clothes in all cases, but two patients thought that stocking were the cause. All patients continued wearing the clothes for various reasons. When they took off the clothes 3 to 9 hours later, erythema, edema, and bullae were noted on the posterior aspect of the thighs, the inner side of the right upper arm or the belt portion of the waist. Dry cleaning solvents used were not perchloroethylene, but were so-called new petrolatum solvents in all three cases. They were composed of paraffins in one case and paraffins plus naphtens in the other two cases. All solvents contained practically no aromatic substances. No spontaneous flare up was noted in any case. Therefore, dry cleaning solvents remaining in the clothes were thought to be the causative agent of this acute irritant contact dermatitis. This seems to be the first published report of dry cleaning dermatitis in Japan.