Skin disorders associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: A review

Abstract

Introduction In December 2019, a new coronavirus has emerged out of China, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, causing a disease known as COVID-19, which steadily has progressed into a pandemic. This coronavirus affects many organs, including the skin, whose manifestations are a consequence of the disease itself, as well as the preventative measures taken to avoid the infection. This paper reviews the cutaneous manifestations which currently have been encountered during this pandemic. Methods A search was conducted on PubMed, and all relevant articles were included. Results The results show the occurrence of many cutaneous findings, ranging from those related to the infection itself and to various dermatitides related to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) utilized by healthcare workers while attending to infected patients. Discussion Recognizing these findings is important for the accurate diagnosis of those infected with COVID-19 as well as the prompt treatment of the side effects caused by PPE that might further impair the effectiveness of healthcare workers.