The effect of COVID-19 on development of hair and nail disorders: a Turkish multicenter, controlled study.

BACKGROUND: A broad spectrum of skin diseases, including hair and nails, can be directly or indirectly triggered by COVID-19. It is aimed to examine the type and frequency of hair and nail disorders after COVID-19 infection. METHODS: This is a multicenter study conducted on consecutive 2171 post-COVID-19 patients. Patients who developed hair and nail disorders and did not develop hair and nail disorders were recruited as subject and control groups. The type and frequency of hair and nail disorders were examined. RESULTS: The rate of the previous admission in hospital due to COVID-19 was statistically significantly more common in patients who developed hair loss after getting infected with COVID-19 (P < 0.001). Telogen effluvium (85%) was the most common hair loss type followed by worsening of androgenetic alopecia (7%) after COVID-19 infection. The mean stress scores during and after getting infected with COVID-19 were 6.88 ± 2.77 and 3.64 ± 3.04, respectively, in the hair loss group and were 5.77 ± 3.18 and 2.81 ± 2.84, respectively, in the control group (P < 0.001, P < 0.001). The frequency of recurrent COVID-19 was statistically significantly higher in men with severe androgenetic alopecia (Grades 4-7 HNS) (P = 0.012; Odds ratio: 2.931 [1.222-7.027]). The most common nail disorders were leukonychia, onycholysis, Beau's lines, onychomadesis, and onychoschisis, respectively. The symptoms of COVID-19 were statistically significantly more common in patients having nail disorders after getting infected with COVID-19 when compared to the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The development of both nail and hair disorders after COVID-19 seems to be related to a history of severe COVID-19.

New-onset or Exacerbated Occupational Hand Eczema among Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Growing Health Problem.

Hand hygiene is one of the cornerstones in ensuring effective infection control during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of new-onset occupational HE during the COVID-19 outbreak in healthcare workers (HCWs) and the clinical course, clinical features, and risk factors of occupational hand eczema (HE). A total of 159 volunteer HCWs (female: n=112; male: n=47, mean age=35.55±7.03 years) working in a pandemic hospital were included. Participants were questioned in terms of daily hand hygiene, use of gloves, and signs and symptoms associated with HE before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. HCWs were divided into two groups classified as non-COVID and COVID, according to the unit they worked in. In our study, 55 participants reported new-onset signs and/or symptoms associated with HE during the COVID-19 pandemic. 59 participants described an increase in signs and/or symptoms associated with HE. The presence of newly-formed or increased signs and/or symptoms associated with HE was found to be 71.7%. A significant increase in dryness, itching, pain/burning, erythema, and scaling was observed (P<0.05). No difference was found between the COVID and non-COVID groups in terms of newly formed and/or increased signs and symptoms (P>0.05). The study included a limited number of participants, and the participants self-reported the signs and symptoms associated with HE. During the COVID-19 period, there has been a significant increase in the signs and symptoms of occupational HE as a result of increased hand hygiene practices in HCWs.