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Dermatitis Reported In 2/3rd Population: Know How It Is Connected With Covid-19

Dermatitis Reported In 2/3rd Population: Know How It Is Connected With Covid-19

A new study has found that frequent hand washing has led to the onset of dermatitis in two-third of the population. Should you be worried?

Written by Arushi Bidhuri |Updated : May 7, 2021 5:11 PM IST

India, currently home to the second wave of Covid-19, is reporting lakhs of coronavirus cases every day. As the country continues to grapple with the unprecedented surge in the number of cases, getting vaccinated is one of the effective and important ways to mitigate the risk. But until you get vaccinated, you need to follow precautions, including washing your hands, wearing masks, and maintaining social distancing.

Ever since the pandemic emerged, health officials have emphasized handwashing as an effective way to prevent coronavirus infection. However, a recent study has found that more than two-thirds of people are developing dermatitis due to stringent hand washing and using alcohol-based rubs during the pandemic. According to the study led by Indian researchers, this could be the starting of a skin diseases epidemic.

High Frequency Of Hand Washing Increases The Risk Of Dermatitis

For the study, the researchers examined transepidermal water loss (TEWL) from 582 people, including 291 healthcare professionals (HCPs) and 291 healthy individuals from the general population. TEWL is an essential parameter for measuring skin barrier function. As per the findings, 92.6 per cent of the healthcare professionals and 68.7 per cent of the general population were affected by hand dermatitis. Stringent hand washing and use of alcohol-based hand rub also led to increased cases of dry skin in females and intensive care professionals.

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Monish Madhumita from the Father Medical College in Mangalore, Karnataka said, "This research truly demonstrates the impact of increased handwashing and uptake of alcohol-based rubs on the hand skin health of HCPs and the general public. Moreover, we now know that using TEWL to measure skin barrier function can help us compare the efficacy of various barrier protective measures and discover suitable modifications of hand hygiene practices and products to help prevent hand eczema."

Understanding Dermatitis

Dermatitis is a general term used for skin inflammation, usually will make your skin look dry, swollen and red. Some of the common causes of dermatitis include allergies, genetic factors, family history, internal skin disorders, or external contact irritation. Some common triggers of the condition include stress, hormonal changes, environmental changes, and irritating substances. There are different types of dermatitis that could affect a person.

Atopic Dermatitis: Also known as eczema, it could lead to rough patches of dry, itchy skin. It is a condition usually inherited, but some develop atopic dermatitis at infancy.

Contact Dermatitis: This condition occurs when you come in contact with a substance that causes an allergic reaction or irritation. It can develop into burns, rashes, blisters, and sting.

Dyshidrotic Dermatitis: Someone affected with this condition can develop itchy, dry skin and blisters that appear on the feet or hands.

Seborrheic Dermatitis: It causes scaly patches, red skin, and dandruff on the scalp. But it can also occur on the face and chest.

Nummular dermatitis: This type of dermatitis refers to oval sores on the skin, which usually occur after an injury.

There are other types of dermatitis, including ID eruption (occurs due to an intense inflammatory reaction), pompholyx (itchy lesions), and lichen simplex chronicus or LSC (associated chronic itching).