Desert dermatoses (Thar desert, India)

Abstract

Desert dermatology describes the cutaneous changes and the diseases affecting those living in the desert. Diurnal variation in temperature is high and is characteristic of the deserts. The lack of water affects daily activities and impacts dermatological conditions. Adaptation to the desert is, therefore, important to survival. Infections are the most common conditions seen among this population, and among them, fungal infections are the most common. The high incidence of these infections would be accounted for by the poor hygienic conditions due to lack of bathing facilities due to scarcity of water and the consequent sweat retention and overgrowth of cutaneous infective organisms. Pigmentary disorders, photodermatoses, leishmaniasis, and skin tumors are found to be more prevalent in this region. Desert sweat dermatitis was another specific condition found to have an increased incidence. The environment of the desert provides for a wide variety of dermatoses that can result in these regions with few of these dermatoses found in much higher incidence than in other regions.

Atypical presentation of sweat dermatitis with review of literature

“…In another study[4] involving 327 patients from same geographical region, the authors reported this scaly dermatosis over areas of skin covered with clothing. Interestingly in all study participants, they found an irritant reaction to patient's own sweat when patch test was performed.…”

“…Till date various triggering factors have been thought to play a role in causation of sweat dermatitis; most of them emphasize the role of profuse sweating, friction, prolonged exposure of sweat-soaked clothing or undergarment with skin, type of clothing material (tight, porous, synthetic non sweat absorbent), release of unrinsed detergent from clothing,[4] pooling and retention of sweat. Recently Chatterjee and Vasudevan[6] have proposed role of sweat solutes and clothing material in causation of this peculiar dermatitis.…”