Hottub Rash (= Dermatitis Of Jacuzzi)

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[edit] Hottub Rash (= Dermatitis Of Jacuzzi)

Some people use hot tubs frequently. The hot tub chemicals will lead to dry skin, which in turn causes skin irritation with itching. Chronic scratching leads to the development of excema, which aggravates the itch. Males are particularly prone to this as their skin has less moisture of the skin than the skin of females (possibly due to hormonal differences). If the hot tub chemicals were out of balance, there can be further complications from pathogens in the hot tub that can infect the itchy skin lesions and make the chronic dermatitis even more difficult to treat.

Treatment:

Usually this condition warrants a referral to a skin specialist (dermatologist). Corticosteroid injection into some of the most itchy skin lesions and /or topical application in combination with lubricants applied to the skin will control the rash within a period of 30 days. However, the patient has to be in close contact with the physician to assess progress of the treatment. During a period of two months the patient needs to refrain from the use of hot tubs, hot baths and hot showers. Use cool water only. Some soaps are not suitable as they could be irritating the skin and this should be discussed with the physician. In case of superinfection this will have to be treated with a combination of an oral antibiotic for bacterial superinfection and/or an antifungal for fungal superinfection (Ref. 7).

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References:

1. Habif: Clinical Dermatology, 3rd ed.,1996, Mosby-Year Book, Inc.

2. The Merck Manual, 7^th edition, by M. H. Beers et al., Whitehouse Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 117.

3. Cotran: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease, 6th ed.,1999, W. B. Saunders Company

4. Noble: Textbook of Primary Care Medicine, 3rd ed., 2001, Mosby, Inc.

5. Rakel: Conn's Current Therapy 2001, 53rd ed., 2001, W. B. Saunders Company

6. Goroll: Primary Care Medicine, 4th ed., 2000, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

7. Richard J. Lewis, M.D. at the 42nd Annual St. Paul's Hosp. CME Conf., Nov.1996, Vancouver/BC

8. Jerry Shapiro, Prof. Dermatol., UBC, at 45th Annual St. Paul's Hosp. CME Conf., Nov.1999, Vancouver/BC

9. D Seager Int J Cosmet Surg Vol 6, No. 1, 1998: 27-31.

10. Townsend: Sabiston Textbook of Surgery, 16th ed.,2000, W. B. Saunders Company

11. Ferri: Ferri's Clinical Advisor: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment, 2004 ed., Copyright © 2004 Mosby, Inc.

12. Rakel: Conn's Current Therapy 2004, 56th ed., Copyright © 2004 Elsevier