Defatting (medical)

Defatting (medical)
Prolonged defatting of the skin can lead to dermatitis. Here the hands and wrists of a worker display chronic dermatitis resulting from long term exposure to kerosene.
Specialty	Dermatology

Defatting is the chemical dissolving of dermal lipids, from the skin, on contact with defatting agents. This can result in water loss from the affected area and cause the whitening and drying of the skin which may result in cracking, secondary infection and chemical irritant contact dermatitis.^[1]

Cause

Defatting is caused by the exposure of human skin to a chemical substance, including alcohols, detergents, chemical solvents and motor oil. Aliphatic compounds (commonly found in kerosene) cause defatting action, with lower-boiling point aliphatics having the greatest defatting action and therefore the most potential to cause dermatitis. Aromatic compounds, such as styrene, also have a defatting capacity.^[1]

Prevention

Defatting can be prevented by wearing appropriate protective clothing such as