Formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers

Formaldehyde is used as a preservative. Formaldehyde can cause allergic reactions. Formaldehyde is either added directly to a product or it is added in the form of a vehicle that releases formaldehyde after it has been added to the product.

What is formaldehyde?

Formaldehyde is a preservative. It is used to reduce the growth of bacteria and other micro-organisms in products such as cosmetics and cleaning agents. In products that have a prolonged contact with the skin, for example cosmetics, the growth of bacteria can lead to serious inflammation of the skin. For this reason, many products contain preservatives.

Formaldehyde is a preservative that has been used for many years. It is also known as formalin, which is a water-like form of formaldehyde. When formaldehyde is used for preserving cosmetics it is nearly always in the form of a preservative that releases small amounts of formaldehyde into the product itself (see the list below). Both formaldehyde and the vehicle that releases formaldehyde can give allergic reactions.

What are the symptoms?

The symptom of formaldehyde allergy is eczema, i.e., redness, swelling, spots and bumps, and sometimes blisters that end in sores. Formaldehyde allergy is a frequent cause of eczema on the hands and face.

What are the causes?

Formaldehyde allergy comes from products used both in the home and the workplace. In the home, cosmetics, particularly moisturizing lotions, are the main cause of the allergy. In the workplace, formaldehyde is added to many things, for example, industrial oils, paint and paper.

The frequency

Formaldehyde allergy is diagnosed in about 2% of people with eczema who have had an allergy test. It occurs to the same extent in men and women. Its frequency among eczema patients has been more or less constant since the mid-1990s.

 

General information about preservatives allergy

Diagnosis and treatment

Allergy to preservatives is diagnosed by a dermatologist with the help of a patch test, also called a plaster test. The treatment is the same as for other forms of eczema, and it is important to avoid contact with products containing formaldehyde. All cosmetics must display a list of ingredients, which will show if the product contains formaldehyde. However, if the product does not contain formaldehyde itself but a vehicle that releases formaldehyde into the product, this vehicle might not appear in the list of ingredients.

Instead, the name of the formaldehyde vehicle will appear on the list of contents. If you are allergic to formaldehyde, you should also avoid formaldehyde vehicles. There are many different vehicles for formaldehyde. The vehicles permitted in cosmetics are listed below.

Vehicles of formaldehyde, which release formaldehyde into a product, are also added to products other than cosmetics, for example, industrial products. In the case of industrial products, a dermatologist can run a special test to find out if the product contains formaldehyde or a vehicle for formaldehyde.

The test is called a spot test. With this, the dermatologist can find out if there is any ‘hidden’ formaldehyde that may be the cause of the allergy. Knowing the cause makes the symptoms easier to treat.

Legislation

The ingredients in cosmetics are regulated through an EU Directive. Translated to Danish this is called the Cosmetics Declaration. Find out more about this on:

www.mst.dk
 

Cleaning agents are currently covered by a voluntary agreement, which is soon to be replaced by a formal declaration.

Scientific publications

Agner T et al. Formaldehyde allergy: a follow-up study. Am J Contact Dermatitis 10:12-17

Flyvholm AM et al. Threshold for occluded formaldehyde patch test in formaldehyde-sensitive patients. Relationship to repeated open application test with a product containing formaldehyde releaser.
Contact Dermatitis 1997:36:26-33

Wilkinson JD et al. Monotoring levels of preservative sensitivity in Europe. A 10-year overview (1991-2000).
Contact Dermatitis 2002:46:207-210

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