Dermatological reactions secondary to the use of personal protective equipment

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professionals use personal protective equipment (PPE) on a constant basis and for extended periods, leading to adverse dermatological reactions, a situation little known and studied despite its relevance.

Objective

To determine the risk factors associated with the development of adverse dermatological reactions in health workers using PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Material and methods

An observational, cross-sectional, analytical study conducted through an online survey that evaluated the association between dermatological reactions and the use of PPE through a descriptive and inferential statistical analysis.

Results

There was a sample of 171 healthcare professionals. It was reported a high prevalence of adverse reactions (59%) and the most affected sites were the facial region and hands. The use of PPE > 6 hours, a history of dermatological disease, female gender, use of plastic overalls and the use of a respirator were documented as risk factors.

Conclusions

Being an infectious disease, COVID-19 forces healthcare professionals to use accessories as a form of personal protection, implying potential health risks; for this, effective preventive strategies and treatment are required.