super dry hands? it may be dermatitis due to sanitizer

frequent hand washing and sanitizing has become a part of our day-to-day lives since the pandemic began last year. but while slathering some form of alcohol — usually isopropyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol — on your hands helps prevent the spread of covid-19, you may wonder what the implications are for the health of your skin.according to researchers at the father muller medical college in mangalore, india, stringent hand hygiene may have left two thirds of the public with hand dermatitis, a condition that causes redness, flaking and blistering. the dermatological impact of covid-19 was a major topic of discussion at this year’s eadv (european academy of dermatology and venereology) spring symposium.the researchers analyzed the amount of transepidermal water loss (tewl) — moisture loss — from the skin of 582 people and discovered that hand dermatitis was present among 92.6 per cent of healthcare professionals and 68.7 percent of the general population. this was despite only about three per cent of healthcare workers and 2.4 per cent of the population reporting prior hand dermatitis.“this research truly demonstrates the impact of increased hand washing and uptake of alcohol-based rubs on the hand skin health of hcps and the general public,” said dr monisha madhumita of father muller medical college. “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.”

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interestingly, both the participants from the general public in the study, as well as the healthcare professionals, admitted that skin irritation and dryness was a barrier to them practicing consistent hand hygiene throughout the day (as reported by 72.1 per cent of hcps, and 50.8 per cent of healthy volunteers).
hand dermatitis is one of the most common skin conditions that can range in severity from very mild cases to severe chronic forms. also referred to as eczema, inflamed or eczematous skin is often red, itchy and swollen sometimes with fluid-filled bumps that ooze and crust, according to the canadian dermatology association.there is no cure for hand dermatitis, but it can be treated by using topical steroids to stop the inflammation and avoiding contact with irritants. chronic hand dermatitis is estimated to affect 10 to 15 per cent of the population. the hygiene protocols of the covid-19 pandemic has clearly only exasperated the issue.“this research shows there is now a skin-disease epidemic within the covid-19 pandemic,” said marie-aleth richard, eadv board member and professor at the university hospital of la timone, marseille. “it is promising to see this problem being recognized, and i am excited to see how the dermatology community goes about finding potential solutions to this issue.”