Atlanta Journal Constitution: Here is why your face mask could be making you itchy
UC physician presents case study at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Yashu Dhamija, MD, presented a case study of a patient treated for contact dermatitis after a facial mask with elastics required him to seek hospital treatment. Dhamija, a first-year fellow at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, discussed his findings during this year’s virtual American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Scientific meeting. Atlanta Journal Constitution reported the findings and so did other media.
Emergency room physicians initially prescribed prednisone but when his rash continued the patient was told to use cotton-based, dye-free masks without elastic. Facial masks are a must to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Dhamija said home-made elastic free mask are an option that should be considered in individuals with allergies to elastics and rubber.
Read more about Dhamija's findings.
Other media discuss his research.
Featured image of homemade mask courtesy of Unsplash.
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Stay up on all UC's COVID-19 stories, or take a UC virtual visit and begin picturing yourself at an institution that inspires incredible stories.
Related Stories
Putting preschool into perspective
July 20, 2026
Preschool and childcare can be difficult to navigate for parents, as Spectrum News 1 Ohio recently reported. Waitlists are long, and factors like cost, location and transportation can limit options. According to a recent study published by The Annie E. Casey Foundation, only 41% of 3- to 4-year-olds in Ohio were enrolled in preschool between 2020 and 2024 — a 4% decrease from pre-pandemic numbers. For University of Cincinnati early childhood education faculty member Chad Nunamaker, that statistic has caveats.
Ticks that survive pesticides can withstand colder winters
July 17, 2026
Ticks that survive less-than-lethal doses of pesticide are able to withstand dangerous cold, which could help them expand their range farther north, according to researchers at the University of Cincinnati and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Why does it feel like so many Cincinnati restaurants close?
July 17, 2026
WLWT and the Cincinnati Enquirer cited UC research in reports on recent restaurant closures in the city.