Chemical substances that cause an allergic response following skin contact are called skin sensitisers. Since industrialisation, there has been a significant increase in the prevalence of allergic diseases. One likely cause for this could be that we are exposed to many more chemicals than before.

For example, it is estimated that up to 5 million people in Europe are already sensitised to chemicals present in finished textile and leather articles, and that up to 180 000 new sensitisation cases occur each year.

Allergic reactions to a specific allergen – the substance causing the allergy – range from relatively minor, such as itching and redness of the skin, to more severe, such as massive swelling, skin lesions and scabs and scales during flare-up – depending on how potent the allergen is.
 

Want to learn more? Visit the website of the European Chemicals Agency