Mask-related dermatological problems during COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of Egyptian population.

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    • Abstract:
      Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, mask wearing was obligatory in many countries to decrease infection risk among individuals. However, long-term mask wearing was associated with the development of various adverse skin reactions. Objective: To assess possible dermatological complications due to mask wear during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic among a sample of the Egyptian population. Patients and methods: The present hospital-based cross-sectional study included 320 patients who had attended outpatient dermatology clinic of the university hospitals with any dermatological symptoms. Patients wore face surgical masks during the pandemic for at least 3 months during outdoor activity. All patients were subjected to detailed history taking about onset, duration of the skin condition, whether an initial attack or pre-existing condition, and complete dermatological examination to confirm the diagnosis and evaluate severity level. Results: This study showed that longā€term mask use caused new-onset skin diseases and increased dermatological facial diseases. The most common skin finding was Maskne (46.9%), followed by contact dermatitis, perioral dermatitis, and rosacea (14.1, 9.4, and 7.8%, respectively), while the remaining 21.9% were complaining of nonmask-related dermatoses. There was a significant positive correlation between mask-wearing duration and disease severity (P <0.001). Conclusion: Prolonged mask wearing could induce new-onset skin diseases and exacerbate chronic pre-existing conditions such as acne, contact dermatitis, perioral dermatitis, and rosacea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
    • Abstract:
      Copyright of Journal of the Egyptian Women's Dermatologic Society is the property of Wolters Kluwer India Pvt Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)