Hyderabad: Healthcare Professionals reports PPEs cause skin issues, excessive sweating

Hyderabad: Corona warriors at Gandhi Hospital are facing a peculiar problem. Alongside risks they are exposed to in treating infected patients all the time, the frontline healthcare staff are suffering side effects of wearing PPEs (personal protection equipment) that are non porous and airtight.

Skin-related problems like lesions, rashes, redness, itching etc as well as excessive sweating are being reported by the healthcare professionals who are wearing PPEs covering head to toe for long hours every day.

And hot temperatures in summer are not helping the matters either. PPEs consist of layers of masks, gloves, hooded caps, face shields, goggles, gowns, shoe covers and towels and wearing them for long hours on duty can be uncomfortable and exhausting, too.

Wearing this heavy and layered equipment for hours is new to almost all healthcare staff at Gandhi Hospital, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, fourth class staff such as ward boys, sanitation workers etc.

Not just here, doctors and healthcare professionals across the world who are now engrossed in combating Covid-19 and saving lives of lakhs of affected people of all ages are facing skin issues because of wearing these PPEs.

A study done in China also showed that 40 per cent of over 4,000 respondents who worked on Covid-19 duties in last few months faced skin-related issues because of wearing PPEs for more than 7 hours.

Dr Katakam Bhumesh Kumar, an experienced dermatologist, suggested that the frontline healthcare staff apply moisturising cream without fail before entering duty.

Also, they should drink plenty of water at home besides taking more of vegetable and fruits intake in their food and avoiding junk food.