Lichen Planus-like Eruptions Caused by a Color-Film Developer

Contact dermatitis following exposure to a chemical agent in color-film processing has been seen in eleven patients. In nine of the eleven cases, the skin eruptions clinically resembled lichen planus and in two cases the eruptions were erythematous and eczematous. Lichenoid eruptions from bacterial agents, spirochetes, fungi, and drugs have been described.1Among the latter, penicillin, para-aminosalicylic acid, and the barbiturates are cited.2The development of such lesions following skin contact with allergens is unusual. Many of the color-forming developing agents have allergenic properties.3Lichenoid eruptions from exposures top-phenylenediamines among workers in a color photography processing plant were first described by Buckley,4although the allergen was not identified. All of the present series of cases were traceable to exposure to a single colordeveloping agent, CD2 (2-amino, 5-diethylaminotoluene monohydrochloride). CD2 was first used in the film processing plant in October, 1953, and the first patient