Occupational dermatoses among front-line health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Graphical abstract

Occupational Dermatoses Related to Personal Protective Equipment Used During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“… 34 , 36 A survey of 390 HCWs, reported that 61.7% had worsening of their skin since the start of COVID-19 pandemic with acne being the most frequently reported. 32 HCWs had more symptoms compared to non-HCWs due to the increased duration of facial PPE worn and the use of N95 respirators. 25 Another study in non-HCWs showed cloth masks led to fewer acne flares compared to surgical masks.…”

“… 1 Rosacea Cheeks Doxycycline 40mg for 12 weeks Treatments provided clinical benefit Han C. et al 31 2020 China Non-HCWs 5 Acne Cheeks and nose Good response to Adapalene gel 0.1%, +/- face peel with 20% α-hydroxy acid Hu K. et al 22 2020 China HCWs 1 Acne Face Ferguson FJ. et al 16 2020 United Kingdom HCWs 16 Seborrheic Dermatitis Face 26 Acne 5 Rosacea Metin N. et al 24 2020 Turkey HCWs 82 Seborrheic Dermatitis Face and scalp 131 Acne/folliculitis Face Singh M. et al 17 2020 India HCWs 5 Acne Face Techasatian L., et al 25 2020 Thailand Both 333 Acne Face Trepanowski N. et al 32 2020 USA HCWs 11 Seborrheic Dermatitis Face 79 Acne 31 Rosacea Veraldi S. and Angileri L. 27 2020 Italy Both 20 Seborrheic Dermatitis Face …”

“… 9 , 12 , 38 Since March 2020, there has been an increase in reported cases of occupational dermatoses related to facial PPE. 32 The type of mask, composition of mask, duration of wear, and underlying skin conditions are all potential factors in the development of occupational dermatoses to facial PPE.…”

“… 34 In one survey of HCWs, 61.7% experienced worsening of their pre-existing skin condition due to wearing facial PPE and 90.5% of HCWs had reported developing new skin problems related due to PPE. 32 One study showed that cloth facemasks resulted in less adverse skin reactions compared to surgical masks and N95 respirators. 21 …”

ARTICLE: Compromised Skin Barrier and Sensitive Skin in Diverse Populations

“…Protective measures against COVID-19 include frequent hand washing and use of personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, shields, eye wear) leading to a high prevalence of occupational dermatoses among healthcare workers and in the general population. 23 Frequent handwashing has been reported to cause xerosis, irritant contact dermatitis, and even allergic contact dermatitis, as a result of frequent exposure to water, soaps, detergents that strip the skin of lipids, and use of hand sanitizers with high alcohol content. 24 Recommendations to alleviate xerosis and hand dermatitis include liberal application of moisturizers and ointments after handwashing and especially those that contain humectants such as urea, occlusive emollients, such as petrolatum, lanolin, and vegetable oils, or physiological lipids such as ceramides that replenish the depleted skin lipids and prevent dehydration.…”