The Early Changes in Mouse Skin Following Topical Application of a Range of Middle Distillate Oil Products

The study from 1993 investigated the skin changes in mice caused by topical application of various middle distillate oil products, including white spirit, kerosines, gas oils, and light cycle oil (LCO). The oils were applied three times a week for up to 6 weeks, and skin changes were examined histopathologically. The results showed that the severity of skin changes, such as epidermal necrosis and folliculitis, depended on the physicochemical properties of the oils and their penetration through the skin or hair follicles. White spirit caused significant epidermal necrosis, while kerosines and gas oils led to changes around hair follicles and later epidermal degeneration. LCO caused more severe responses than gas oils. The study concluded that the observed skin changes could potentially lead to skin tumors by a non-genotoxic mechanism in a long-term study and emphasized the need for methods to avoid excessive skin irritation for reliable predictions of human hazard. The number of mice used in the study was not specified.