Background: Allergic contact dermatitis from nickel is very common in the United States. A barrier coating to be used on personal items such as snaps or watches would be of great use in preventing the consequences of nickel allergy.
Objective: To evaluate various barrier coatings and their ability to yield a negative dimethylglyoxime (DMG) test result.
Methods: Four different barrier coatings were assessed prior to soaking in saline, after soaking in saline for 2 days, and after soaking in saline for 7 days.
Results: Depending on the number of coatings and the time soaked in saline, the different barriers showed different efficacies in yielding a negative DMG test result.
Conclusions: Nickel Guard and Beauty Secrets Hardener were most effective in yielding a negative DMG test result. Beauty Secrets Hardener was the more cost-effective choice.