• Jiade Yu, Jennifer K Chen, Christen M Mowad, Margo Reeder, Sara Hylwa, Sarah Chisolm, Cory A Dunnick, Ari M Goldminz, Sharon E Jacob, Peggy A Wu, Jonathan Zippin, and Amber Reck Atwater.
• Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
• J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 2021 Feb 1; 84 (2): 486-494.

BackgroundProlonged wear of facial protective equipment can lead to occupational dermatoses.ObjectiveTo identify important causes of occupational dermatoses from facial protective equipment.MethodsA systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was performed using PubMed and Embase databases. Articles were included if they reported occupational dermatoses caused by surgical/procedure masks or N95 respirators, or both.ResultsWe identified 344 articles, and 16 were suitable for inclusion in this review. Selected articles focused on facial occupational dermatoses in health care workers. Allergic contact dermatitis to the elastic straps, glue, and formaldehyde released from the mask fabric was reported. Irritant contact dermatitis was common on the cheeks and nasal bridge due to pressure and friction. Irritant dermatitis was associated with personal history of atopic dermatitis and prolonged mask wear (>6 hours). Acneiform eruption was reported due to prolonged wear and occlusion. Contact urticaria was rare.LimitationsOnly publications listed in PubMed or Embase were included. Most publications were case reports and retrospective studies.ConclusionThis systematic review from members of the American Contact Dermatitis Society highlights cases of occupational dermatitis to facial protective equipment, including potential offending allergens. This work may help in the diagnosis and treatment of health care workers with facial occupational dermatitis.Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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