UAE pharmacies are stocking moisturising creams along with hand sanitisers
Dubai: Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic started, Jamila H, 36, a senior marketing professional has been struggling with skin rashes and allergies as frequent hand wash and use of sanitisers have caused a flare up of a host of skin problems.
Her hands are raw, dehydrated, with split dry skin on her palms and fingers that makes it difficult for her in a professional situation. She told Gulf News: “Ever since the pandemic started, I have been faithfully following the hand sanitising and washing protocol along with face mask and social distancing. I have a sensitive skin and my problem has gotten worse with each passing day.”
Outbreak of rash and allergy
Jamila has been using an extra dollop of moisturiser but has not been able to manage the severe outbreak of rash and allergy. “It has become a routine for me every night to apply creams and moisturisers before bed to ease the itching and pain on my hands. With my kind of skin, which has frequent breakouts, I have always been careful to keep away from chemicals, detergents, washing liquids but there is no escape from hand sanitisers and in the last few months despite all precautions I have been suffering a lot with allergies on the skin of my palm and fingers. When outside I have had to depend on the use of sanitisers, which I avoid if I am home or at the workplace. I always opt for hand washing. I hesitate to show my hands to people, especially my right hand. I cannot use nail polish too and am dreading the winters as with the use of strong alcohol based sanitisers my skin will develop more rashes and bleeds,” said Jamila, who used generous doses of Vaseline and wears gloves when working with her hands.
Who is at risk?
According to Dr Majd Alzoughbi, Specialist Dermatology at the Aesthetica Clinic, Jumeirah, there has been a steady rise of patients coming in with complaints of rashes, itching, scaly skin, and dryness of hands ever the COVID-19 pandemic began. “While patients of chronic atopic dermatitis which has a genetic component to it, have been complaining of flare-ups what we see in our clinics is non-eczema patients complaining of rashes, sores, allergies and bleeding owing to the frequent use of hand sanitisers,” she said.
Dr Alzoughbi said the new patients she had were diabetics and patients with sensitive skins. “Such patients have a natural lack of urea and ceramides which trap moisture in the skin. ‘While sanitisers are high on alcohol for the disinfecting effect, it is advised to select sanitisers which do not have strong chemicals like phthalates that are used for artificial fragrance that is harmful. It is advisable to use hand sanitisers only where soap and water is not available and to use a good hypoallergenic cream containing urea and ceramides immediately after use of sanitisers to trap moisture below the skin surface to avoid dehydration,” she advised.