As women are more likely to wear makeup and accessories, they are easily exposed to antigens leaking out of makeup and accessories in summer heat. (image: Aaron Gustafson / flickr)
SEOUL, Jul. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — Koreans are especially susceptible to allergic contact dermatitis in July and August, according to a report from the National Health Insurance Corporation published on July 5.
The corporation conducted a study on patients diagnosed with such dermatitis from 2009 to 2013, and concluded that most of the cases were detected in July and August.
On average, 684,825 and 710,233 were diagnosed with the disease in the month of July and August respectively.
The number of individuals diagnosed with dermatitis increased by 5.2 percent annually from 3,911,866 in 2009 to 4,791,502 in 2013.
Women were 1.5 times more likely to be affected by the disease, as 11,374 females out of 100,000 in Korea were diagnosed with allergic contact dermatitis in 2013, whereas 7,816 Korean males were diagnosed.
As women are more likely to wear makeup and accessories, they are easily exposed to antigens leaking out of makeup and accessories in summer heat.
Allergic contact dermatitis is very prone to recur if patients can’t identify which products are causing the disease. Without the identification, patients can continuously be exposed to antigens.
Jo Nam-Jun, a professor of Dermatology at Ilsan Hospital, said that patients diagnosed with the disease have to identify substances responsible for allergic reactions firsthand. Jo added that substances responsible for cross-reaction should also be identified.
By Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
