Photocontact allergy to PABA in sunscreens: the need for continued vigilance

Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) was formerly a widely used sunscreen ingredient and a leading cause of sunscreen photoallergy (1). Although still approved for use in the European Union, in recent years, it has almost disappeared from sunscreens due to concerns over its allergic and photoallergic potential (2). Photocontact allergy to PABA is therefore largely a phenomenon of the past, but the current case highlights the need for continued vigilance.