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Background: Comfort gloves are used in the management of hand dermatoses., Objectives: To compare the acceptance and tolerability of comfort gloves made of different materials in patients with hand dermatoses and their effects on skin lesions., Methods: In a prospective multicenter study, 284 patients with hand dermatoses were invited to wear either a cotton glove (COT) or a semipermeable Sympatex glove underneath a cotton glove (SYM/COT) for two subsequent phases of 19 consecutive nights each. A total of 88 controls were asked not to wear any comfort gloves overnight. The severity of skin lesions over time was examined. Questionnaires were used to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and acceptance and tolerability of the gloves., Results: The hand dermatoses improved in all groups. No substantial intergroup differences regarding severity and HRQoL were observed. SYM/COT received better ratings regarding climate conditions and tactility while COT showed superiority in fit, wearing comfort, and practicality., Conclusions: We confirmed that SYM/COT and COT are well tolerated and accepted suggesting that SYM/COT is a good alternative for COT as comfort gloves in patients with hand dermatoses. Individual requirements, needs, and preferences may direct the material choice., (© 2024 The Author(s). Contact Dermatitis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: A programme based on health education has been developed to prevent foot dermatoses (FD) in patients with work-related skin diseases (WRSD)., Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the programme in a prospective cohort study (OCCUPES)., Methods: Six and 12 months after completing the programme, follow-up questionnaires were sent to 231 patients with WRSD and FD. Assessments included occupational footwear and foot care, self-reported disease course, and health-related quality of life., Results: Response to follow-ups was >70%. Wearing functional socks and changing footwear and socks during one work shift increased (all p < 0.001). Complaints about occupational footwear decreased, including sweating and exposure to moisture/wetness. More than 60% reported improved FD while quality of life significantly increased. After 12 months, all foot symptoms were less frequent, including itch (p = 0.009), pain when walking (p = 0.005), pain in rest (p = 0.015) and smell (p = 0.001). The programme received very good ratings by the participants., Conclusions: The intervention was effective in improving occupational footwear, foot care and preventive behaviour. It resulted in a reduced burden of FD and should be implemented in the general care of patients with WRSD., (© 2023 The Authors. Contact Dermatitis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)