RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The persistent, difficult-to-treat, allergic contact dermatitis from hexavalent chromium in European construction workers has diminished significantly since the legislative measurements that came into force in January 2005. However, sensitization to hexavalent chromium continues to be a problem. Barrier creams have been tried for various allergens with divergent results. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the protective capacity of barrier cream candidates against hexavalent chromium in a patch test situation. METHODS: An experimental study was performed to investigate the reductive properties of glutathione and iron sulfate on the patch test reactivity in chromium-allergic individuals when exposed to hexavalent chromium. In this study, we also investigated the protective properties of a commercially available barrier cream. CONCLUSIONS: A higher number of volunteers (16/18) showed reactions on the skin treated with the commercially available barrier cream, compared with the untreated skin (13/18) on test reading day 3/4 or day 7. The skin treated with petrolatum or Essex cream showed fewer and less prominent allergic reactions than the skin treated with the commercially available barrier cream.