Contact Dermatitis Associated with Hindu Religious Practices

Summary: Background: Various dermatoses can occur secondary to Hindu religious practices. Objectives: Contact dermatitis may occur secondary to devotional practices in various religions. This abstract summarizes contact dermatitis reactions including allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and chemical leukoderma occurring as a result of Hindu religious and cultural practices. Materials and Methods: A systematic review of PubMed was conducted from inception of database to June 13, 2022. Key terms were “contact dermatitis” or “devotional dermatosis” in association with “Hinduism.” Inclusion criteria were determined by presence of a Hindu religious practice and secondary dermatological reaction. Results: 18 of 30 unique articles identified met inclusion criteria. The most common religious practice associated with ACD overall was Henna tattoos, found in Hinduism. The most common implicated allergens were para-phenylenediamine and diaminobenzidines found in blackening ingredients of Henna. Other notable allergens included: Kumkum, a turmeric-based powder, as well as para-tertiary butylphenol in bindi forehead adhesives (Hinduism). Turmeric was seen to cause pigmented contact dermatitis, whereas bhindis (para tertiary butyphenol) were noted to cause chemical leukoderma. Conclusions: Increasing awareness of religious practices that cause ACD will help in providing culturally-sensitive dermatologic care.