[Climate change and skin].

Abstract

Climate change, pollution, extreme weather events, and ecosystem disruption cause a wide range of consequences for the skin and dermatologic diseases, affecting epidemiology, disease behaviour, and therapeutic response. Some inflammatory dermatoses are worsened by ultraviolet radiation, such as cutaneous lupus and Darier disease. In addition, UV radiation is responsible for most skin cancers. Humidity favours skin infections, particularly fungal infections. Pollution exacerbates atopic dermatitis. Rising temperatures increase sweating, an aggravating factor for fungal infections, Darier disease, and hidradenitis suppurativa. Even some drug-related cutaneous adverse effects are modulated by weather conditions. Several aspects of the dermatological activity contribute to pollution and climate changes, by, for instance, packaging, metabolites and conservatives, UV filters and waste generated by dermatological surgery.