Skin irritation becoming side effect of COVID-19 pandemic – WHNT News 19

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) People are wearing masks and washing their hands more often due to the coronavirus pandemic, and while thats a good thing, its leading to skin irritation.

Dr. Greg Bourgeois with Dermatologists of Birmingham said hes starting to see more hand eczema rashes and breakouts on the hands as a result of the increased hand-washing and hand sanitizer use right now. But its easy to treat, he says, if you use the right kind of moisturizer.

I always recommend something thick, he said. There are even good moisturizers that are found over the counter specifically for the hands that have kind of that right thickness. Theyre really thick but theyre not too thick. So follow up washing the hands by using a hand moisturizer a few times during the day, and youll find that that will help a lot.

Masks, meanwhile, are leading to skin damage on the face. Bourgeois said its especially common among healthcare professionals who have to wear masks all day. But you can buy a product called a no-sting barrier film that can help.

Its something that you can actually spray on the areas that youre tending to get that skin damage, whether its the cheeks or the nose, he said. You can use it before you put on the mask or if you are starting to notice a little redness develop or even a mild breakout, you can actually use it after.

He also recommends gentle moisturizer that can help with skin damage on the face.

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Skin irritation becoming side effect of COVID-19 pandemic - WHNT News 19