Spontaneous pneumothorax associated with exogenous lipoid pneumonia: A preventable health hazard

Abstract

Excessive usage of creams and other oil-based material to face, scalp and hair may be a source for causing exogenous lipoid pneumonia (EPL), and potentially hazardous health consequences to patients. Since it is often unrecognized, awareness of this condition by clinicians, timely advise to patients with corrective measures, simple withdrawal and cessation of excessive application of these agents by patients, may result in amelioration of their symptoms and prevent potentially serious complications. To emphasize on this important and preventable health hazard, we report a case of EPL associated with spontaneous pneumothorax, rarely mentioned in the literature, that was caused by application of Vaseline to scalp, hair and face and coco-butter to face and withdrawal of these agents led to resolution of the condition. To our knowledge, this probably is the first reported case of pneumothorax associated with EPL.