Dermatology Online Journal

Systemic contact dermatitis is a dermatitis that may occur in previously sensitized individuals (usually through the skin or mucosa) when they are re-exposed to the allergen systemically (oral, rectal, inhaled, intravesical, intravenous...). Although many drugs have been implicated as a cause of systemic contact dermatitis, local anesthetics derived from caines have been rarely reported. We present a case of systemic contact dermatitis after performing a digital rectal examination with a urological lubricant containing amethocaine.