Welcome to our website
Are you in doubt about a diagnosis, the choice of an allergen or just curious?
Then ask your colleagues
…to guidelines, master classes, reference books, the journal Contact Dermatitis and participate in task forces influencing policies in Europe.
The European Society of Contact Dermatitis (ESCD) is the leading source of expertise, in the field of cutaneous allergy, environmental and occupational dermatitis.
Recommendations of the European
Society of Contact Dermatitis
many open access in:
Contact Dermatitis
Patch Testing 5th Edition
The full text of Anton de Groot’s well-known book Patch Testing (5th edition, 2022) is available to all members of the Society. A big thank you from The Executive Committee goes out to Dr de Groot for his generous donation of the book.
The Journal Contact Dermatitis is the official journal of the ESCD. It publishes scientific discoveries in the field of cutaneous allergy, environmental and occupational dermatitis, including chemical aspects, immunology, and drug reactions. Its impact factor is (2024): 4.6
(members have free access for individual non-commercial use)
The ESCD promotes interest in contact dermatitis and environmental & occupational skin diseases
🔬 New Insights into DRESS Management 🩺
A retrospective study from Henri Mondor Hospital (Créteil, France) challenges the traditional contraindication of drug provocation testing (DPT) in DRESS.
📌 Key Takeaways:
DPT was safely performed in 52% of DRESS patients.
89% of tested drugs were ultimately authorized, including many initially contraindicated.
All reactions were mild, with no DRESS relapses.
DPTs helped avoid unnecessary contraindications.
🧠 Clinical Implication:
With expert multidisciplinary oversight, DPT can be a valuable tool in the allergological work-up of DRESS—especially when multiple drugs are suspected and treatment options are limited.
📖 Read the full study in Contact Dermatitis:
Assier et al. (2025) – doi.org/10.1111/cod.70003
#Dermatology #dress #drugallergy #drugprovocationtest #contactdermatitis #scars #clinicalimmunology #patchtesting ... See MoreSee Less
📢 Abstract Submission is NOW OPEN for #escd2026 in Copenhagen
We are preparing an ambitious and forward-looking scientific program, and we warmly invite researchers, clinicians, and professionals from across the globe to be part of it.
Whether you are working at the bench or in the clinic, your insights and experience are vital. We encourage abstract submissions across all disciplines touching on contact dermatitis and skin immunology.
🎥 Thank you, Veronika Mraz and Jacob Sons for encouraging everybody to submit their abstract and participate in ESCD2026
📝 Submit your abstract here: escd2026.org/abstracts/
#escd2026 #contactdermatitis
#skinimmunology #BasicScience #DermatologyCongress #GlobalHealth #occupationaldermatology #handeczema #environmentaldermatology #CallForAbstracts #copenhagen2026 #escd #skinallergy #immunodermatology
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkEBZ07DfZ0
LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center (SIC)
Department of Immunology and Microbiology (ISIM), University of Copenhagen
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, UCPH
European Society of Contact Dermatitis ... See MoreSee Less
🚨 New research alert! 🚨
A study in Contact Dermatitis reveals that newer Guardian 3 and 4 glucose sensors contain multiple skin sensitizers—including 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate, isocyanates, colophonium derivatives, and acrylates—that can trigger allergic contact dermatitis in people with diabetes.
📊 In a group of patients tested, over 40% reacted to colophonium, while others showed sensitivities to isobornyl acrylate, isocyanates, and even newly identified allergens.
⚠️ While these sensors help manage diabetes, they can pose hidden skin risks. More transparency from manufacturers and continued research are urgently needed.
👉 Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/cod.70010
#DiabetesCare #MedicalDevices #allergiccontactdermatitis #skinhealth ... See MoreSee Less
1,6‐Hexanediol Diacrylate, Isocyanates and Other Skin Sensitizers Are Emerging Contact Allergens in Guardian Glucose Sensors
doi.org
Allergic contact dermatitis from diabetes devices remains a significant concern. Guardian G3/4 sensors contain acrylates, colophonium, isocyanates, tert-butylphenols and many other skin sensitizers. ....🧪 Paediatric Patch Testing Practices Across Europe – New Survey
A recent ESCD Working Party survey led by Olivier Aerts highlights the variability in how children are patch tested for allergic contact dermatitis across Europe.
📊 Key findings:
No strict lower age limit – even infants may be tested when necessary
Significant differences in allergen series used, occlusion times, and reading schedules
General consensus on core procedures, but important areas of debate remain
👉 These results will guide the development of a paediatric European Baseline Series (pEBS) and future guidelines, helping to harmonise practices and improve care for children.
📄 Read the full article: doi.org/10.1111/cod.14824
#PaediatricDermatology #contactdermatitis #patchtesting #escd #AllergyResearch ... See MoreSee Less
📢 Save the Date: ESCD Congress 2026
🗓️ 24–27 June 2026 | 📍 Copenhagen, Denmark
🔗 More details: escd2026.org/
💡 ESCD Research Grants – Apply Now!
Deadline: 30 September 2025
Any ESCD member may apply for funding (up to €15,000 per project, for 1–2 years).
Two grants are available to support projects that advance knowledge in:
Cutaneous allergy
Contact dermatitis
Occupational dermatoses
Environmental dermatoses
📝 Applications (max. 4 pages) should include:
Title
Background
Objectives/Hypothesis
Methods
Work plan & timetable
Collaborating countries/partners
Impact & benefit
Budget
Short CV & relevant publications of PI (Principal Investigator)
📬 Submit applications to the ESCD Secretary (secretary@escd.org) by 30 September 2025.
Results must be reported within 6 months after project completion, and grantees are encouraged to present findings at ESCD congresses and in Contact Dermatitis.
#ESCD2026 #Dermatology #ContactDermatitis #ResearchGrants #CutaneousAllergy #OccupationalDermatology ... See MoreSee Less
ESCD 2026
escd2026.org
Join the ESCD 2026 Congress in Copenhagen to explore the latest in contact dermatitis research, innovation, and clinical practice.✨ Piercings & nickel allergy: what’s the risk?
A new systematic review and meta-analysis by Benedikte von Spreckelsen and colleagues pulls together global data on how piercings influence the development of nickel contact allergy.
🔍 Key insights:
Piercings remain a major risk factor for nickel sensitisation.
The risk is especially high in women and in countries with weaker nickel regulation.
Even with EU nickel directives, vigilance is needed—non-compliant jewelry is still on the market.
💡 Takeaway: Nickel contact allergy is preventable. Stricter regulation and safe piercing practices could help reduce one of the most common contact allergies worldwide.
📄 Read more: doi.org/10.1111/cod.14837
#NickelAllergy #Piercings #DermatologyResearch #ContactAllergy #SkinHealth #PublicHealth ... See MoreSee Less
🥬 When lettuce triggers more than a rash…
A new case report by Lara Obermeyer describes a florist with chronic hand dermatitis from contact allergy to plants in the Compositae (Asteraceae) family—and a history of anaphylaxis after eating lettuce and radicchio.
🔍 Key findings:
Patch testing confirmed allergic contact dermatitis to sesquiterpene lactones in Compositae plants.
Rub tests with fresh lettuce triggered immediate wheals, supporting an IgE-mediated reaction.
No specific IgE to common food/pollen allergens was found—suggesting sensitisation to an unknown plant protein.
💡 Takeaway: Occupational skin allergies in florists may pave the way for immediate food allergies—even to plants they don’t handle daily.
📄 Read more: doi.org/10.1111/cod.70008
#OccupationalDermatology #ContactAllergy #Anaphylaxis #FloristLife #SkinHealth #DermatologyResearch ... See MoreSee Less
😷 When your mask protects you… but your skin pays the price
During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers in Japan developed allergic contact dermatitis from the rubber straps of a widely used DS2-standard mask.
A new study by Shigeruko Iijima and colleagues traced the culprit to 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT)—a rubber accelerator present at high levels in the straps.
🔬 What they found:
8 of 12 workers tested positive for MBT allergy
Symptoms often appeared months after mask use began
The main affected area? The back of the neck where straps touched the skin
Switching to MBT-free masks stopped new reactions
💡 Takeaway: Even protective equipment can hide unexpected allergens. Chemical analysis + patch testing are key to identifying and preventing occupational skin allergies.
📄 Read more: doi.org/10.1111/cod.70007
#occupationaldermatology #contactallergy #maskdermatitis #skinhealth #DermatologyResearch #healthcareworkers ... See MoreSee Less
💡Publication alert!
🥸 Ever thought about the role of phospholipids and lipid peroxidation in allergic contact dermatitis?
😃 Work by Moore et al. has shown that terpene hydroperoxides derived from linalool, geraniol, and limonene can induce phospholipid peroxidation in the cell membrane, with the highest levels of peroxidation being caused by the most potent contact sensitizer.
👉 Read more about it here: ... See MoreSee Less
Terpene Hydroperoxides as Lipid Peroxidation Inducers: Biomimetic and HaCaT Cell Studies in Allergic Contact Dermatitis
doi.org
Fragrance terpene hydroperoxides from limonene, linalool, and geraniol induced the formation of lipid peroxidation products when incubated with PLPC liposomes or in vitro with HaCaT keratinocytes. Li...