In an article by Sanjiv Grover, the diverse interactions of dermatology and the aerospace environment are explored. While skin diseases are not extremely significant in the aeromedical population, they have a large effect on morbidity. During WW II, skin disease accounted for 75% of all outpatient visits, and skin disease resulted in 25% of all lost man-days aboard a US Navy aircraft carrier. Skin disease comprises 11% of all medical referrals with fungal infections being the most common disorder. Half of involved skin disease could permanently affect an aviator's ability to continue flying.
Some of the differences in the climate of flight that contribute to dermatological stresses include a lower barometric pressure, a high partial pressure of inspired oxygen, a lower humidity, and prolonged cramped sitting. Potential skin irritants include dielecric fluids, sealants, kerosene, and jet fuel. Chronic exposure of light through cockpit windows has been blamed for the development of actinic dermatitis. At the altitude of a commercial airliner the exposure to cosmic radiation is 100 times greater than at sea level, possibly explaining the three times higher rate of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers and prostate cancers in pilots.
Although many skin conditions are treatable, the conditions can impact the employability of aircrew in several ways. Many skin diseases recur frequently, they may require medication that interferes with wearing the cockpit equipment, or medications that interfere with flying ability such as mildly sedating medications. The future of aviation requires us to explore the health effects of aviation, including from a dermatological perspective.
(Hofstetter blog post #2)
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