Increases in the air pollution caused by more frequent and intense wildfires may be adversely contributing to skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, according to a press release from the AAD. In a new study presented at the 2023 AAD Annual Meeting, researchers discovered that increases in dermatology visits from patients with eczema coincided with new wildfires, whereas increases in visits from those with psoriasis tended to occur 5 to 9 weeks following the emergence of a new wildfire. They also found that during the wildfires, more patients with eczema took medications to reduce flares; pediatric and adult patients with eczema increased their visits to dermatologists; adult patients with psoriasis increased their visits, while pediatric patients with psoriasis did not; and more patients without either condition sought care for itchy skin. The researchers recommended that during wildfires, individuals should try to remain indoors to avoid high levels of air pollutants and can purchase air purifiers to potentially minimize the effects of exposure. “[A]s wildfires increase, we might see an influx in the number of [patients] seeking care for pollution-related skin conditions,” concluded Maria Wei, MD, PhD, FAAD, Professor of Dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine.
May 24, 2023