Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first recognized in December 2019 and was later declared as a pandemic by WHO. Healthcare personnel (HCP) in affected areas were exposed to prolonged use of masks for prevention of infection. This study aims to characterize adverse reactions related to masks among the HCP in China. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 583 Chinese HCPs in February 2020, by using a self-administered online questionnaire that was created using a crowdsourcing platform (equivalent to Amazon Mechanical Turk), which recruited 407 participants, ie, yielded a response of 69.8%. Three participants were excluded owing to improper mask types. A total of 404 participants constituted our final sample. Participants were requested to document skin, eye and respiratory tract symptoms and suspected etiologic factors related to the use of masks. Underlying inflammatory facial dermatoses (IFD) and allergic disorders were queried. Ethical

Background: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, cases of adverse skin reactions related to masks have been observed. Objective:To analyze the short-term effects of N95 respirators and medical masks, respectively, on skin physiological properties and to report adverse skin reactions caused by the equipment.Methods: This study used a randomized crossover design with repeated measurements. Twenty healthy Chinese volunteers were recruited. Skin parameters were measured on areas covered by the respective mask and on uncovered skin 2 and 4 hours after donning, 0.5 and 1 hour after doffing, including skin hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), erythema, pH and sebum secretion.Adverse reactions were clinically assessed, and perceived discomfort and incompliance measured.Results: Skin hydration, TEWL and pH increased significantly after donning. Erythema values increased from baseline. Sebum secretion increased both on the covered and uncovered skin with equipment-wearing. There was no significant difference between the physiological values between the two types of equipment. More adverse reactions were reported following N95 mask use that following use of medical mask, and a higher score of discomfort and incompliance.Conclusions: This study demonstrates that skin biophysical characters changes owing to mask and respirator wearing. N95 respirators were associated with more skin reactions than medical masks.

Background Cross-infection among residents in communities is one of the most critical reasons for the rapid spread of the COVID-19 epidemic. The COVID-19 epidemic has been well controlled within Chinese communities, which has made important contributions to the country’s fight against it. Methods In this study, a qualitative case study design, with mixed methods applied to data collection and analysis, was employed to explore epidemic prevention measures taken by a Chinese community, namely Mulin, during the pandemic. Results The Mulin community established an integrated plan for epidemic prevention, including the prevention of the invasion of COVID-19, the prevention of cross-infection within the community, gaining the residents’ trust and support, and providing the residents with convenient services. Conclusion In the present work, the Mulin community was taken as a typical case study, and qualitative methods were employed to comprehensively summarize the practice and experience of the community’s epidemic prevention. Mulin’s practices could shed light on how communities in other countries, especially developing countries with large populations, can prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Sensitive skin is a prevalent syndrome, characterized by discomfort in response to mild stimuli, which impacts on quality of life. Pruritus is one of the major symptoms of sensitive skin. However, the pathomechanism of sensitive skin is insufficiently understood. As an experimental model for pruritus, the cowhage skin prick test might provide insight into the understanding of sensitive skin. This study aimed to specify the characteristics of cowhage-induced pruritus in sensitive skin. Female volunteers, 20 with sensitive skin and 20 controls, were recruited. Self-report questionnaires were distributed and the responses evaluated; moreover, alongside assessments by dermatologists, skin physiology assessments, lactic acid sting test, capsaicin test and cowhage skin challenge were performed. Pruritus in sensitive skin was perceived as more intense and longer-lasting than in normal skin, with different qualities of accompanying sensations. Cowhage skin challenge results showed moderate consistency with clinical assessments. The results suggest that cowhage skin challenge could be a new tool for the assessment of sensitive skin.

Background: Hyperpigmentary disorder is one of the commonest skin concerns in dermatology clinics. The availability of noninvasive instruments provided a convenient, objective, and reproducible methodology for the evaluation of pigmentation and skin color. The aim of this study is to compare CSKIN and VISIA in measuring facial hyperpigmentation, as well as to assess the correlation between the instrumental analyzing and clinical evaluation. Methods: Eighty Chinese patients were enrolled. Images were taken and analyzed by VISIA from Canfield and CSKIN from Yanyun Technology, and the facial hyperpigmentation was graded by three dermatologists. Results: Feature counts within the facial pigmented areas analyzed by VISIA showed positive correlations with brown pixels (r = 0.331, p < 0.05) and brown percent (r = 0.395, p < 0.0001) measured by CSKIN. The parameters measured by CSKIN and VISIA were significantly correlated with visual scores graded by the dermatologists, with VISIA presenting a moderate correlation (r = 0.509, p < 0.001) and CSKIN a slightly stronger correlation with the visual scores (r = 0.653, p < 0.001). Conclusion: CSKIN could serve as an alternative in the assessment and follow-up of skin disease featuring with facial hyperpigmentation.

Background:The diagnosis of sensitive skin remains nonuniform, and the underlying mechanism is unclear. Previous studies were inconsistent in the current perception threshold (CPT) measurement for sensitive skin; thus, the neural sensitivity of sensitive skin needs to be clarified.Objectives: This study aimed to compare the CPT measurement and the cowhage test for sensitive skin and to investigate the correlation between CPT values and cowhageitch scores.Methods: Participants with and without sensitive skin (n = 30, 30) were included. The cowhage test and CPT measurement with its related sensations were performed. Results:No difference was found in CPT between the sensitive and nonsensitive groups at either the site of the face or the forearm (5, 250, or 2000 Hz). Once the CPT was reached, sensations (itch, stinging, and throbbing) were significantly different between the two groups. Cowhage provoked more intense itch with a longer duration in the face (visual analog scale [VAS] score 1.90 ± 1.47 vs. 0.52 ± 0.90, p < 0.001; duration 3.80 ± 3.31 vs. 0.87 ± 1.43 min, p < 0.001) and forearm (VAS 2.53 ± 2.60 vs. 0.72 ± 1.06, p < 0.001; duration 3.37 ± 3.46 vs. 1.33 ± 2.14 min, p < 0.01) of the sensitive group compared with the nonsensitive group. Cowhage-induced itch and CPT-related itch (5 Hz) showed moderate correlations in both the face (r = 0.441, p < 0.001) and forearm (r = 0.491 p < 0.001) and weak correlations in the forearm (r = 0.323 at 250 Hz, p = 0.012; r = 0.376 at 2000 Hz, p = 0.003). Conclusions:Cowhage test showed better performance in assessing the neural sensitivity of sensitive skin in comparison with the CPT measurement. Evaluation of CPT-related sensations may add valuable information to sensitive skin assessment.