Frequency of allergic reactions to methyldibromoglutaronitrile (1,2-dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane) in The Netherlands.

The recent negative publicity about the widely used preservative methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone has made many cosmetic manufacturers look for safety alternatives. Several cases of contact allergy to methyldibromoglutaronitrile in euxyl k 400 have been described. Of 107 cosmetic products including shampoos, shower gels, bath foams, body milks and creams, analyzed for the presence of methyldibromoglutaronitrile, 14 that is 13% proved to contain the preservative. Of 1142 patients tested, 6 had a positive reaction to methyldibromoglutaronitrile.