Hand eczema symptoms, exposures and skin care in orthodontics

Occupational hand eczema is a common inflammatory skin condition among healthcare professionals. Orthodontists are frequently exposed to a variety of irritating and allergenic substances, and therefore they belong to a predisposed group to develop hand eczema. However, current data on the prevalence and predisposing factors among orthodontists to provide adequate prophylaxis are lacking. An anonymous online survey was conducted in Germany between January and February 2023 and distributed to 2402 orthodontists. The questionnaire addressed general information on current skin status, as well as occupational skin exposure and skin care. A total of 209 orthodontists responded to the survey. Seventy-four percent reported experiencing hand eczema-specific symptoms within the last 12 months, with 24