Study Examines the Effectiveness of Skin Barriers that Protect Clinicians from Skin Irritation Due to Prolonged Mask Use

New Brunswick, NJ— Clinicians suffering skin damage and breakdown caused by extended mask use throughout the pandemic, now commonly referred to as “maskne,” prompted the largest study to date of various skin barriers and examined seal integrity with quantitative fit testing (QNFT).

Many clinicians are wearing and reusing their own personal protective equipment (PPE), like the N95 and 3M half-face mask respirators, across multiple shifts due to PPE shortages. As a result, clinicians are experiencing skin irritation, inflammation, breakdown, and ulcerations due to protracted use of N95s.

Under the guidance of Daniel S. Morrison, MD, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the student led study, published in the May edition of the Journal of Hospital Infection, examined whether the placement of a silicone scar sheet (ScarAway®), Cavilon™, or Tegaderm™ affects 3M™ half-face mask respirator barrier integrity when compared to no barrier using QNFT. 3M half-mask respirators were chosen because they were already being used by clinicians, are reusable, and are readily available. Nine clinicians were enrolled, including physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and technicians.

All volunteers served as their own control as they were tested using their own 3M half-face mask respirator, with and without each skin barrier. Participants were also instructed to apply the supplied dressing on their nasal bridge. No further instruction was given to the participant regarding the placement of the dressing. The study aimed to see the effects of the dressings as they would be commonly placed and used with masks in clinical use.

Results showed that Cavilon did not compromise the seal like the silicone scar sheet or Tegaderm.

“These results will inform future research and hospital policies about the safest barriers to prevent skin breakdown without compromising on the safety of our providers and patients in this pandemic,” said Dr. Morrison.

Investigators recommend that clinicians be appropriately fit tested in a quantitative manner and encourage specialists in the field of dermatology, infectious disease, and occupational safety, to collaborate further to ensure healthcare workers feel safe and comfortable when treating COVID-19 patients and other airborne diseases in the coming months and in future pandemics.

 

About Rutgers Health

Rutgers Health is the most comprehensive academic health care provider in New Jersey, offering a breadth of accessible clinical care throughout the State supported by the latest in medical research and education. Rutgers Health connects health care providers across disciplines, including doctors, nurses, dentists, physician assistants, pharmacists, social workers, and behavioral health and addiction professionals with a single focus: helping people and populations get well and stay well by delivering consistent, coordinated, value-based health care. For more information, visit RutgersHealth.org.

About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital New Brunswick Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) New Brunswick (www.rwjbh.org/newbrunswick), an RWJBarnabas Health Facility, is a 600-bed academic medical center that serves as the principal teaching hospital of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the flagship Cancer Hospital of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. Its Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, stroke care, neuroscience, orthopedics, bariatric surgery and women’s and children’s care including The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (www.bmsch.org). A Level 1 Trauma Center and the first designated Pediatric Trauma Center in the state, RWJUH’s New Brunswick campus serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness.