Short-term skin reactions following use of N95 respirators and medical masks.
Contact Dermatitis
; 83(2): 115-121, 2020 Aug.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32406064
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, cases of adverse skin reactions related to the wearing of masks have been observed.OBJECTIVES:
To analyze the short-term effects of N95 respirators and medical masks, respectively, on skin physiological properties and to report adverse skin reactions caused by the protective equipment.METHODS:
This study used a randomized crossover design with repeated measurements. Twenty healthy Chinese volunteers were recruited. Skin parameters were measured on areas covered by the respective masks and on uncovered skin 2 and 4 hours after donning, and 0.5 and 1 hour after removing the masks, including skin hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), erythema, pH, and sebum secretion. Adverse reactions were clinically assessed, and perceived discomfort and non-compliance measured.RESULTS:
Skin hydration, TEWL, and pH increased significantly with wearing the protective equipment. Erythema values increased from baseline. Sebum secretion increased both on the covered and uncovered skin with equipment-wearing. There was no significant difference in physiological values between the two types of equipment. More adverse reactions were reported following a N95 mask use than the use of a medical mask, with a higher score of discomfort and non-compliance.CONCLUSIONS:
This study demonstrates that skin biophysical characters change as a result of wearing a mask or respirator. N95 respirators were associated with more skin reactions than medical masks.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Dor
/
Pneumonia Viral
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Prurido
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Dispositivos de Proteção Respiratória
/
Pele
/
Infecções por Coronavirus
/
Eritema
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Dermatoses Faciais
/
Pandemias
/
Máscaras
Tipo de estudo:
Clinical_trials
Limite:
Adult
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Contact Dermatitis
Ano de publicação:
2020
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
China