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Physical Causes – Heat, Cold, and Other Atmospheric Factors

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Kanerva's Occupational Dermatology

Abstract

Heat induces skin damage not only directly in terms of thermal or electrical burns, but also via infrared radiation or prolonged direct exposure to moderate heat (erythema ab igne).

Sweat retention in different layers of the eccrine sweat glands may cause miliaria.

Cold has considerable systemic effects and can cause frostbite or, if only moderate, perniosis (chilblains).

Prolonged wetness of the feet and lower legs, especially if combined with low temperature, can cause “immersion foot” as a nonfreezing cold injury.

Both low outdoor and (subsequent) low indoor air humidity may cause skin irritation and favors irritation by other agents, e.g., wet work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University of Erlangen/Nürnberg, Waldstr. 4-6, 91054, Erlangen, Germany

    Dr. Prof. Wolfgang Uter M.D.

  2. Section of Dermatology, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 aA, FIN-00250, Helsinki, Finland

    Dr. Prof. Lasse Kanerva M.D., Ph.D

Authors
  1. Dr. Prof. Wolfgang Uter M.D.
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  2. Dr. Prof. Lasse Kanerva M.D., Ph.D
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wolfgang Uter M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology and Allergology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Thomas Rustemeyer

  2. Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany

    Peter Elsner

  3. Department of Dermatology, Environmental Medicine and Health Theory, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany

    Swen-Malte John

  4. Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Howard I. Maibach

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Uter, W., Kanerva, L. (2012). Physical Causes – Heat, Cold, and Other Atmospheric Factors. In: Rustemeyer, T., Elsner, P., John, SM., Maibach, H.I. (eds) Kanerva's Occupational Dermatology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02035-3_33

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02035-3_33

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-02034-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-02035-3

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