Peeling,thickening and acne of skin after diving

[drk5036]

Hi!

It's no remedy but I thought I'd share.
I am an instructor and have just got back to Indonesia after nearly 2 years out.
By the time I left Indonesia last time I had acne all over my chest and back. Singular spots that seemed quite deep and often popped with blood and fluid (sorry to be graphic). The areas do not itch.
While being away from diving/SE Asia/specific diet -whichever is causing it - they cleared up completely within a few months.
After only 7 days back I have noticed that at least 10 faint red spots on my chest have already started to come out and a handful on my back already have white heads! I'm DREADING another full outbreak.

- Whilst in Indo last time, I changed the material of the rash vest I wore underneath my wetsuit 3 times (Polyamide/Elastine, Neoprene and Nylon/Elastine). This makes me doubt it's the material I'm wearing.
- Since I have been diving this time I have not been in the pool so we can strike that off the list.
- I am aware my diet changes massively while I am here. The main increases in foods I do not usually intake are: rice; noodles; chilli; soy products (tempeh/tofu/soy sauce); certain oils (Palm?) and food ingredients (MSG?); I guess more deep fried products than usual too.. I am not ingesting as much dairy; avocado; brown bread; cereals..
- I have not yet had a clothes wash so I doubt it is washing powder or other cosmetic products.
- Sun exposure and suncream usage is no different to when I am in the summer elsewhere in the world.

If anyone has any input into the situation it would be massively appreciated!
Can you be allergic to Nitrogen intake?? Bacteria in the water..? Pores susceptible to pressure?!

The first thing I'm going to try is to avoid all obviously deepfried foods like tempeh/chicken/tofu and foods heavy with oil like sambals/oily curries etc... Hopefully I don't have to get rid of Indonesian food all together!

Maybe this is a case for a dermatologist as opposed the Scuba Board but I thought I'd mention as it seems like a very similar situation to you DDSDiveJunkie!

Really strange. I did 5 days in Komodo in May, and had a serious outbreak of acne all over the back of my head, shoulders and chest. I haven’t had this before in any other place I’ve dived besides Indonesia. Could it be the food? Or something in the water?

 

[almostDIR]

Never been in those places but if others have similar skin issues in the tropical diving spots is there any change the malaria medication or other regular med could contribute to it?
If it's something in the water the last resort would be to dive with drysuit, that would at least help if nothing else would

 

[chillyinCanada]

I've had my finger tips peel and my feet a bit too. My feet peeling is from being wet for so long along with walking on sand and/or rough boat decks. My finger tips peel because of the friction from pulling on my wetsuit combined with being wet, the bathtub effect. They don't also thicken though can look a bit thickened if only observed before completely dried.

I have had a horrid reaction on my upper back 3 times but only in Roatan. I've never found out what caused it. Great huge bumps almost like boils with weird little spikes sticking out of them that looked like fluid that had gelled. Itchy and painful as can be, only soothed with cold compresses. After the first time I took Benadryl tablets, didn't seem overly helpful but sure made me sleepy. The third time, I arrived prepared, I thought with serious prescription antihistamines, cortisone cream, mosquito netting, etc. Still happened and I haven't returned to Roatan since.