Background: The use of disinfectants is crucial to preventing the spread of nosocomial infections in health care workers. As many as 25 applications of hand disinfectants is a realistic default value during a working day. However, alcohol-based hand disinfectants may weaken skin barrier function and induce dryness and eczema, which decrease their acceptance.
Objective: To evaluate the effect of ethanol-containing disinfectants with 5% urea on skin barrier function and on sensitivity to an irritant soap (sodium lauryl sulfate [SLS]).
Methods: Twenty healthy volunteers treated one of their forearms twice daily for 17 days with an ethanol-containing gel with 5% urea. Two types of gels with urea were tested. Treatment was randomized to left or right forearm, and the contralateral forearm served as untreated control. Transepidermal water loss, skin capacitance (dryness), and sensitivity to SLS were evaluated.
Results: Twice-daily application of the urea-containing ethanol gels lowered transepidermal water loss, prevented dryness, and reduced sensitivity to SLS compared with the untreated control skin.
Conclusions: Improved barrier function using this ethanol gel with urea may have relevance in daily disinfectant procedures.