Effect of healthcare personnel handwash products on skin moisturization

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Alcohol-based hand-rub products are effective in helping healthcare personnel to reduce resident skin flora. Unfortunately, the frequent occupational use of alcohols is known to cause detrimental changes to the skin. In this study, a standard method for measuring skin moisturization was used to compare the moisturization capability of several formulations containing hand-health components. METHODS: Fifteen female subjects were subjected to a 6-day “wash out” period using a nonmoisturizing cleansing bar on their lower legs. Subjects washed twice a day and were asked to refrain from using moisturizing products and asked not to shave their legs within 72 hours of the test day. A NOVA DPM 9003 (NOVA Technology Corporation, Portsmouth, NH) was used to quantify skin hydration. Based upon a NOVA reading of less than 110, 12 of the subjects were selected for testing. Subjects were placed in a controlled environment (<50% RH; 70 ± 3°F) for 30 minutes before undergoing measurements. At baseline, subjects had three test sites (4 × 4 cm) demarcated on the outer aspect of one lower leg and four sites on the contralateral leg. Twenty (20) mL of each treatment was applied as a thin layer to the test sites. The treatments consisted of the following: A) BioSoft™ hand sanitizer with Neu-Thera™ emollients; B) Purell™ hand sanitizer; C) Endure™ 320 hand sanitizer; D) 59% ethyl alcohol; and E) untreated. NOVA readings were taken at 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours after treatment application and drying. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer Multiple Comparisons Test based upon percent changes from baseline to 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours, respectively. RESULTS: The average percent changes in NOVA readings compared to baseline at t = 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours, respectively, for each treatment were as follows: A (7.1, 12.0, 23.9, 20.1, 31.9); B (−0.3, 6.0, 3.8, 0.4, 2.2); C (4.2, 10.7, 11.7, 7.5, 9.8); D (−0.3, −1.2, 1.1, 1.6, 2.3); E (−0.8, −1.4, −1.2, −0.8, −1.3). The site with treatment A was found to have a statistically significant improvement in skin moisturization (p < 0.001) over the untreated and B-, C-, and D-treated sites at the 4-hour time period. CONCLUSIONS: The NOVA DPM 9003 is an effective instrument for determining and comparing the skin moisturization of alcohol-based handwashes. The use of skin conditioning components in these handwashes can increase the moisturization level of dry skin.