Topical rh-aFGF: An effective therapeutic agent for facemask wearing-induced pressure sores.

Protecting healthcare workers is crucial during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and facemask wearing is considered an effective measure to prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, long-time use of a facemask can cause pressure sores on the ears and nose bridge and increase the risk of infection. The topical recombinant human acidic fibroblast growth factor (rh-aFGF) was used to cure pressure sores for healthcare workers at Zhongfaxincheng campus of Tongji Hospital. The results from a small sample size survey conducted in Zhongfaxincheng campuses of Tongji Hospital showed that treatment with topical rh-aFGF could significantly inhibit the progression of pressure sores and accelerate the wound healing with no apparent ill-effects. Therefore, we propose that topical rh-aFGF is an effective therapeutic agent for facemask wearing-induced pressure sores and worth of popularizing and applying. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.