US EPA

8094152 

Journal Article 

Chloracne 

Crow, KD 

1982 

1 

Seminars in Dermatology
ISSN: 0278-145X 

1 

4 

305-314 

English 

Chloracne may be defined as an acneiform eruption due to poisoning by halogenated aromatic compounds having a specific molecular shape. Since bromination renders such a compound more acnegenic than chlorination, halogen acne may be a more specific term, but the word chloracne is now far too well established to be abandoned. Chloracne is always a symptom of systemic poisoning and not just a cutaneous affection. Such systemic absorption, however small, must always occur, for all chloracnegens are absorbed through the skin. Since chloracne appears to be the most sensitive indicator of poisoning in the human subject, in most cases the systemic levels of chloracnegens are insufficient to cause target organ damage either clinically or as assessed by laboratory investigation. There are two factors that probably make up this equation: the relationship between dose and route of absorption, and chloracne and systemic effects. Animals experiments demonstrate conclusively that the effects of an arbitrary amount of any chloracnegenic toxin are less severe as a single dose than if given in divided doses over a longer period. The effects of the route of absorption will be discussed.