The preventive effect of hydrocolloid dressing to prevent facial pressure and facial marks during use of medical protective equipment in COVID-19 pandemic

There seems to be no end in sight to the coronavirus crisis in Spain yet, and each day more people are becoming infected and are losing their lives due to the epidemic outbreak caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Spain currently has the second-highest number of cases in the world after the United States.

All healthcare professionals should employ additional protective measures (masks, goggles, and special protective screens) to treat COVID-19 patients. The use of this equipment for long time periods can cause skin pressure discomfort and injuries, making it essential to take all available measures to protect the skin areas that may be affected and prevent this type of injury ( Fig. 1 ). This is compounded by the fact that due to the high number of patients seen in hospitals, healthcare workers must work with these protection measures continuously in place for upwards of 4–5 hours on a daily basis, especially in the case of nursing staff.

Fig. 1
A distinctive red line can be seen on this nurse’s forehead from where her protective equipment pressed down on her face, and an erythematous zone in the nasal dorsum.

Hydrocolloid is semi-permeable material that is present as a layer within a film or foam pad which adheres to the skin, usually used for wound healing. A hydrocolloid dressing (Comfeel®Plus; Coloplast) is used for this purpose.

After the hydrocolloid dressing has been trimmed the adhesive dressing is then placed over the skin of the nasal dorsum, cheeks and forehead, covering the area where the mask and protective glasses will rest ( Figs. 2 and 3 ).

Aug 5, 2020 | Posted by in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery | Comments Off on The preventive effect of hydrocolloid dressing to prevent facial pressure and facial marks during use of medical protective equipment in COVID-19 pandemic

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