Occupational skin diseases remain among the most common work-related health issues in Europe, particularly in professions that require frequent hand washing or disinfection. Protective creams and gels are meant to preserve the skin barrier. However, it has been unclear how these products interact with disinfectants, and whether they might affect hygiene standards.

Magdalena, PhD student in Peter Dungel’s SHIELD group, addressed this issue by testing eight commonly used hand protection formulations (link to the study). The results revealed that alcohol-based gels support the skin barrier and show inherent antimicrobial effects without reducing the efficacy of subsequent disinfection. In contrast, all other products, including lipid-based creams, trapped bacteria underneath a protective film, which allows potential transfers to other surfaces. These findings have implications for workplaces where hygiene is critical, from healthcare and laboratories to food production.

We warmly congratulate Magdalena on this national-level recognition of her outstanding research and look forward to seeing what she will contribute to the field next.