Greasy lubricants are best for protecting the skin from friction and tear injuries caused by hours of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), according to researchers. Frontline healthcare workers and others who wear PPE for extended periods have been experiencing painful effects including skin tears, blistering, ulcers, and hives. Workers have been advised to apply lubricants every half hour, but that is impractical during shift work and can increase the risk of infection for health care personnel. In a study published in PLoS One, scientists at Imperial College London found the best lubricants to use are those that do not absorb into the skin, creating a long-lasting layer of protection between skin and masks. In particular, they said, non-absorptive creams like coconut oil-cocoa butter beeswax mixtures and powders like talcum powder are most likely to provide PPE wearers with long-lasting skin protection. Study co-author Marc Masen said in a news release that commercial skin creams are often designed to absorb into the skin, but "a greasy residue is precisely what's needed to protect skin from PPE friction." Source
