Personal protective equipment-related dermatoses in COVID-19 frontline health workers. A lesson learned from 1-year single center in the UAE

Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020, frontline health care workers wear personal protective equipment (PPE, surgical masks, N95 or similar respirators, gloves, goggles, face shields, and gowns). Alcohol-based sanitizers and wipes were recommended. Such measures lead to disruption of the natural skin habitat and skin barrier and various cutaneous reactions. The aim was to assess the prevalence and characteristics of PPE-related dermatoses among health care workers in Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), a COVID-19 facility, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. We conducted a voluntary, cross-sectional anonymous survey among first-line health care workers addressing types of PPE used, dermatoses classified as PPE related, and factors that influence them. Facial, nasal, and hand dermatoses were the most prevalent with 40.2%, 19.9%, and 14.1%, respectively. The changes are primarily attributed to surgical masks, N-95 masks, and gloves. The shift duration is a contributing factor correlating with the severity of skin damage. Results of this study encouraged decision makers to recognize PPE-related dermatoses as a continuously growing burden, reorganized the shift duration and PPE exposure, animated the personal to apply preventive measures, and promoted the well-being of medical professionals in new waves of the pandemic.