Background
Prolonged wear of facial protective equipment can lead to occupational dermatoses.
Objective
To identify important causes of occupational dermatoses from facial protective equipment.
Methods
A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was performed using PubMed and Embase databases. Articles were included if they reported occupational dermatoses caused by surgical/procedure masks and/or N95 respirators.
Results
344 articles were identified; 16 were suitable for inclusion in this review. Selected articles focused on facial occupational dermatoses in healthcare workers. Allergic contact dermatitis was reported to the elastic straps, glue, and formaldehyde released from the mask fabric. Irritant contact dermatitis was common on the cheeks and nasal bridge due to pressure and friction. Irritant dermatitis was associated with personal history of atopic dermatitis and prolonged mask wear (greater than 6 hours). Acneiform eruption was reported due to prolonged wear and occlusion. Contact urticaria was rare.
Limitations
Only publications listed in PubMed or Embase were included. Most publications were case reports and retrospective studies.
Conclusions
This systematic review from members of the American Contact Dermatitis Society highlights cases of occupational dermatitis to facial protective equipment including potential offending allergens. This work may help in the diagnosis and treatment of healthcare workers with facial occupational dermatitis.
IMPORTANCE Pyoderma gangrenosum and necrotizing Sweet syndrome are diagnostically challenging variants of neutrophilic dermatosis that can clinically mimic the cutaneous and systemic features of necrotizing fasciitis. Improved characterization of these rare variants is needed, as improper diagnosis may lead to inappropriate or delayed treatment and the potential for morbidity.OBJECTIVE To determine the characteristics of necrotizing neutrophilic dermatosis to improve diagnostic accuracy and distinguish from infection.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSA case series of patients with necrotizing neutrophilic dermatosis treated at 3 academic hospitals (
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