Allergic lipstick cheilitis due to ester gum and ricinoleic acid

Abstract

Case ReportA 24-year-old woman, with hay fever and dry lips for many years, developed pruritic papules, swelling and pigmentation on and around her lips after applying lipstick.She had been using several different brands.Patch tests with 2 lipsticks were positive.Further testing with the ingredients of 1 of these, and related chemicals, showed positive reactions to ester gum, gum rosin and pentaerythritol-disproportionated rosin ester, but no reactions to disproportionated rosin, abietic acid or balsam of Peru.In addition, she showed a positive reaction to ricinoleic acid, but no reaction to castor oil (Table 1).