Facial Personal Protective Equipment: Materials, Resterilization Methods, and Management of Occupation-Related Dermatoses.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus infectious disease 2019 pandemic has resulted in health care workers donning personal protective equipment (PPE) for extended periods. OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study were to review facial PPE (surgical masks and N95 respirators) ingredients, to identify facial PPE resterilization techniques, and to recommend strategies for prevention and management of facial PPE-related dermatoses. METHODS: Twenty-one facial PPE (11 N95 respirators, 10 surgical masks) were reviewed. Resterilization techniques were identified. Personal protective equipment-induced occupational dermatoses and management strategies were explored. RESULTS: Polypropylene is the most common chemical identified in facial PPE. Most masks contain aluminum at the nosepiece. Two surgical masks released nickel. Facial PPE dermatoses include irritant contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, acne, and contact urticaria. Strategies for prevention and management of facial PPE occupational dermatoses are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: There are increasing reports of occupational dermatoses associated with facial PPE. This review discusses the components of facial PPE, mask resterilization methods, and strategies for prevention and management of facial PPE dermatoses.

Hand hygiene during COVID-19: Recommendations from the American Contact Dermatitis Society.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased hand hygiene and hand cleansing awareness. To prevent virus transmission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends frequent hand washing with soap and water. Hand hygiene products are available in a variety of forms, and while each of these formulations may be effective against COVID-19, they may also alter skin barrier integrity and function. As health care workers and the general population focus on stringent hand hygiene, the American Contact Dermatitis Society anticipates an increase in both irritant contact and allergic contact hand dermatitis. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers with moisturizers have the least sensitizing and irritancy potential when compared to soaps and synthetic detergents. This article provides an overview of the most frequently used hand hygiene products and their associations with contact dermatitis as well as recommendations from the American Contact Dermatitis Society on how to treat and prevent further dermatitis.

The rise and evolution of COVID-19.

Coronaviridae (CoV) is a large family of zoonotic viruses linked to a range of diseases from the common cold to severe acute and Middle East respiratory syndrome CoV epidemics. In 2019, a novel virus emerged from Wuhan, China, and resulted in a marked worldwide outbreak of respiratory illness. Prevention and containment became the prioritized intervention against COVID-19, coupled with a continued search for hallmarks of the disease that would allow early detection and provide insight into management and triage. Cutaneous findings associated with COVID-19 include diffuse maculopapular rashes, livedo reticularis, and acro-ischemic "COVID toes." These skin findings occurred anywhere from days before respiratory symptom onset to weeks after recovery, and predominantly in child and adolescent populations. The role of dermatologists can be expanded during this COVID-19 pandemic to help identify disease through cutaneous presentations.

Art of prevention: Life in the time of coronavirus.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has continued to progress since its discovery in December 2019. A cluster of patients with atypical pneumonia identified in Wuhan, China, served as the epicenter of this recent epidemic. This family of viruses is responsible for the common cold along with the infamous severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic in 2002 and Middle East respiratory syndrome in 2012. The Southern China Wholesale Market reportedly has connections to the original 27 cases in Wuhan, China. The worldwide confirmed case total has eclipsed 1,450,000, with more than 83,000 deaths. Patient presentation ranges from mild respiratory illness to acute respiratory distress syndrome and subsequent death. Early epidemiologic studies of viral spread support the hypothesis that COVID-19 can remain latent with an extended and infectious incubation period. The U.S. government has issued level 3 precautions for most international travel, along with prohibiting entry to foreign nationals traveling from China, Iran, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and the European Schengen area (e.g., France, Italy, Germany). Prevention remains the mainstay in treating and defeating the COVID-19 epidemic. Anyone infected or suspected of being infected should self-quarantine at home or admit themselves to a specified hospital with infrastructure to handle the situation. The combination of prevention and containment provides the best opportunity to stall the spread of COVID-19.