A Case of Flexural Psoriasis after Wearing a Diving Suit - Para-phenylenediamine-induced Psoriasis -

Shin, Deok Yong; Goo, Dae Won

Abstract

It has been postulated that environmental factors, such as mechanical and sun injury, psychological stress, drugs, and infection, may play an important part in the development of psoriasis. The clinical picture and course in certain psoriatic patients, particularly in the palmo-plantar psoriasis and inverse or flexural psoriasis, may suggest involvement of an underlying trigger in the form of an irritant or a contact allergen. We report a case of flexural psoriasis in a 15-year-old man who had whitish scaly patches on the erythematous base on the inner aspects of the thighs and the buttocks including the inguinal areas and the perianal areas. The skin lesions had developed two days after wearing a diving suit overnight. The histopathological features were typical for psoriasis. The positive material by Korean standard patch test was p-phenylenediamine, i.e the ingredients of a diving suit. Therefore, our case strongly suggests involvement of an underlying trigger in the form of a contact allergen.