Caustic reaction caused by cement.

A case is reported of a patient who developed full thickness chemical burns of the skin after a prolonged contact while working with wet cement. The history, course of disease, and therapy are described. Cement is an alkaline substance (pH >12) leading to colliquative necrosis. Tissue damage is due to the exothermic reaction of calcium oxide and water forming calcium hydroxide. Patch test was performed to test sensitization to chromium, chromate and cobalt, the usual cement ingredients. In our opinion, such lesions may not be rare because cement is widely used in construction, but are rarely described or under-recognized.