The Dermatology of Recreational Scuba Diving: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Scuba diving is a popular watersport in the United States, with over 9 million certified divers. This activity uses specialized equipment that enables swimmers to explore deeper into the ocean for a more extended period than free diving. This popularity has led to the development of diving medicine, a multidisciplinary field that includes dermatologic management. An extensive literature review was conducted on PubMed and Google Scholar, using key search terms related to diving and dermatology to compile relevant peer-reviewed articles. This review examines the dermatological impacts of recreational and commercial diving. We explore hyperbaric oxygen therapy, its effects on the skin, and its potential benefits in wound healing. Furthermore, we present how environmental factors such as ultraviolet (UV) exposure and marine water toxins may increase skin cancer risk. We also discuss the risk of direct injury and envenomation from marine organisms and the risk of bacterial wound infections from different pathogens in marine water. We also reviewed the cutaneous manifestations of decompression sickness. As more people engage in recreational and commercial diving for extended periods, further research on potential dermatological implications is needed. Dermatologists could provide counseling on the use of sun-protective clothing and sunscreen to minimize cancer risk from UV exposure, on self-cleaning wounds to minimize infection risk from marine pathogens and identifying cutaneous infections, signs of decompression sickness, and methods of treating and preventing marine envenomation and bites.