Vaselinoderm L81.8

M. Oppenheim, 1916

The disease was first described by M. Oppenheim in 1916 during the war and was also produced experimentally. Hoffmann and Habermann later described it as "dermatitis vaselinica". Galewsky and Arning also described hyperkeratosis after "wartime vaseline".

Inflammatory or non-inflammatory verrucous plaques after application of (uncleaned) Vaseline with a high paraffin content.

Vaselinum planum: Dermatitis with dirty brown hyperpigmentation, follicular keratoses and lichenification caused by the application of uncleaned Vaseline. Vaselinum planum first occurs in the facial area, rarely on the back of the hands. Exposure to sunlight intensifies the reaction.

Vaselinum verrucosum: Verrucous forms of vaselinoderma appear as wart-like plaques covered with scales and crusts. An inflammatory component is absent here.

Children and adolescents are particularly affected.

1. Fisher AA (1977) Contact dermatitis in black patients. Cutis 20:303, 308-9, 316
2. Oppenheim M (1916) On a skin disease caused by impure vaseline as an ointment base. Vienna Clinical Wschr 41