Occupational facial dermatoses related to mask use in healthcare professionals

Background: Mask use can lead to facial dermatoses due to factors, such as hyperhydration, seborrhea, high humidity caused by sweating, and the occlusive effect of the mask.

Aim: We investigated mask-related facial dermatoses in healthcare personnel who, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, had to wear a mask for long hours.

Methods: In this study, healthcare professionals working at Medipol Mega University Hospital since the beginning of the pandemic were screened for facial dermatoses between December 2020 and February 2021 with a dermatological examination and interview.

Results: Of the 101 healthcare professionals, 51 (50.5%) were doctors and 50 (49.5%) nurses, and 36 (35.6%) were male and 65 (64.4%) were female. All the participants had been actively working at the hospital for 35-46 weeks since the beginning of the pandemic and wearing N95 or surgical masks for an average of 6-13 h a day. During the dermatological examination, the most common facial dermatosis was acne, which was observed in 55.4% (n = 56) of the cases. Of the 56 acne cases, 41.1% (n = 23) had acne in their history, while 58.9% (n = 33) had new-onset acne. Being female, using a N95 surgical mask compared to surgical mask, and the daily average duration of mask use were determined as risk factors for acne development due to mask use.

Conclusions: The use of masks, more frequently N95, caused both an increase in existing acne and the development of new acne.