BackgroundDue to the COVID-19 outbreak, hygiene regulations have been intensified and hand sanitatio n has gained special attention. ObjectiveTo investigate the onset of hand eczema during the COVID-19 pandemic in health care workers (HCWs) directly involved in intensive care of COVID-19 patients and HCWs without direct contact. Hereby, we aim at increasing awareness with regard to occupational hand eczema and preventive measures that can be undertaken. MethodsA survey was distributed amongst 114 HCWs at a single surgical site and at a COVID-19 intensive care unit of the university hospital LMU Munich, Germany. Participants were questioned with regard to the daily frequency of hand hygiene prior to and during the pandemic.Participants self-reported onset of hand eczema and associated symptoms. ResultsOur study revealed a significant increase of hand washing, disinfection and use of hand cream across all participants (P-value<.001), regardless of having direct contact with COVID-19 patients. A high prevalence of symptoms associated with acute hand dermatitis was found in 90.4% across all HCWs, whereas hand eczema itself was underreported (14.9%). ConclusionThe increase of hand sanitation during the COVID-19 pandemic impairs the skin of the hands across all HCWs, independent of direct intensive care of affected patients.

This study confirms the presence of distinct subcutaneous fat compartments and provides evidence for an individual behavior when soft-tissue fillers are applied: inferior displacement of the superficial nasolabial, middle cheek, and jowl compartments, in contrast to an increase in volume without displacement (i.e., an increase in projection) of the medial cheek, lateral cheek, and both superficial temporal compartments.

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Background: Injection of soft-tissue fillers into the facial fat compartments is frequently performed to ameliorate the signs of facial aging. This study was designed to investigate the functional anatomy of the deep facial fat compartments and to provide information on the effects of injected material in relation to age and gender differences. Methods: Forty fresh frozen cephalic specimens of 17 male and 23 female Caucasian body donors (mean age, 76.9 ± 13.1 years; mean body mass index, 23.6 ± 5.3 kg/m2) were investigated. Computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging procedures were carried out using colored contrast-enhanced materials with rheologic properties similar to commercially available soft-tissue fillers. Anatomical dissections were performed to guide conclusions. Results: No statistically significant influences of age or gender were detected in the investigated sample. Increased amounts of injected contrast agent did not correlate with inferior displacement of the material in any of the investigated compartments: deep pyriform, deep medial cheek, deep lateral cheek, deep nasolabial (located within the premaxillary space), and the medial and lateral sub–orbicularis oculi fat. Conclusions: Increasing volume in the deep midfacial fat compartments did not cause inferior displacement of the injected material. This underscores the role of deep soft-tissue filler injections (i.e., in contact with the bone) in providing support for overlying structures and resulting in anterior projection.