What Researchers Did
Dermatologists reviewed the published literature on skin conditions related to recreational scuba diving, including wounds, infections, decompression sickness skin signs, UV damage, and the role of HBOT in treatment.
What They Found
Decompression sickness can cause visible skin symptoms including mottling and rashes, which may signal more serious internal decompression injury. HBOT is the primary treatment for decompression sickness. Marine water infections and UV exposure from diving are also significant skin risks that require specific management.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canada has a significant scuba diving community, particularly in coastal provinces and Great Lakes regions. Dermatologists and emergency physicians seeing divers with unusual skin symptoms should be aware that these may indicate decompression sickness requiring urgent HBOT referral.
Canadian Relevance
Decompression sickness is an OHIP-covered indication for HBOT in Ontario. This review reinforces the importance of recognizing the cutaneous signs of decompression injury early.
Study Limitations
This is a narrative review without a formal systematic methodology, so it may not capture all relevant literature on this topic.