Allergens responsible for allergic contact dermatitis among children: a systematic review and meta-analysis - Bonitsis - 2011 - Contact Dermatitis - Wiley Online Library
"The top five allergens tested by at least two studies included nickel sulfate, ammonium persulfate, gold sodium thiosulfate, thimerosal, and toluene-2,5-diamine (p-toluenediamine)."
The nickel is pretty easy to understand - belt buckles, jewelry, but the other ones sound so odd! Some possibles sources: ammonium persulfate in hair bleach, gold sodium thiosulfate in coins and jewelry, thimerosal in germicides and cosmetics, and p-toluenediamine in hair dyes. Eek!
Through the link above it seems you should be able to access the full article, though it is definitely written with practitioners in mind. If you want to check out a detailed listing of possible skin irritants, go to http://contactallergy.com/
My other favorite resource for choosing both people-friendly and earth-friendly products is the Environmental Working Group: http://www.ewg.org/
Very important point! The mainstay of treatment needs to be a combination of allergen avoidance when possible, and lots of skin-protecting emollients. Thanks!!
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