4.3.3 Damages of disinfectant to skin and correspo...
Similar to the damages caused by excessive cleaning，frequent exposure to disinfectants will destroy the normal structure of the skin barrier，and change the pH of the sebum membrane，making the skin presented with dryness，redness，itch，and even molting.Longterm exposure to some compositions in the disinfectants（e.g.，ethanol）can render the skin dry and rough，loss of elasticity，excessive oil secretion，and changes in the immune microenvironment on the skin surface，which can lead to eczema，allergic dermatitis，etc.In addition，the irritant components in the disinfectant may cause adverse reactions such as contact dermatitis.
1.Allergic reaction
It is usually seen in people with special physical condition who are allergic to the disinfectant ingredient.The common manifestation is allergic contact dermatitis which often appears at the contact site，and the range of which is roughly the same with that of the contact area.Mild symptoms are presented with redness，swelling，itch and other symptoms appearing on the local skin.While in severe cases，papules，blisters，and even erosion and ulceration may occur，posing great risk of secondary infections.Treatment principles：①Stop using suspicious disinfectants at once and replace with other non-allergenic products.②If the rash is light，it can be mitigated on its own within 3-5 days without special treatment after discontinuing contact with allergen.③If the rash is severe and itching is obvious，the second-generation antihistamine can be administrated orally plus topical application of moderate to strong glucocorticoids such as mometasone furoate and halometasone cream.Oral glucocorticoids are needed only when systematic symptoms show.④When there is a secondary infection，antibiotics should be used topically or systematically.
2.Damage and irritation of skin barrier(https://www.daowen.com)
As fat-soluble disinfectant dissolves the sebum film on the skin surface，repeated use of such disinfectant can easily lead to the destruction of the skin barrier function and the appearance of cracked skin.If fat-soluble disinfectant continues to be used，it will penetrate into the skin and cause irritation，manifested with itch，erythema，papules，blisters，chap，etc.on the contact skin area.Treatment principles：strengthen the use of emollients；other measures are consistent with the treatment of allergic contact dermatitis.
Of note，with the long-term and large-scale use of skin care and disinfection products with antibacterial effects，the common pathogenic bacteria in the skin flora and the colonizing conditioned pathogen are increasing their resistance to the disinfectant ingredient，as well as the drug resistance spectrum，which reduces the effect of skin disinfection.