title: A study of Desert Dermatoses in the Thar Desert Region.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Desert dermatology describes the cutaneous changes and the diseases affecting those living in the desert. Diurnal variation in temperature is high and is characteristic of the deserts. The lack of water affects daily activities and impacts dermatological conditions. Adaptation to the desert is therefore important to survival. This original article focuses on dermatoses occurring in a population in the Thar desert of India, predominantly located in Rajasthan.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a descriptive study involving various dermatoses seen in patients residing in the Thar desert region over a duration of 3 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infections were the most common condition seen among this population and among them fungal infections were the most common. The high incidence of these infections would be accounted for by the poor hygienic conditions due to lack of bathing facilities due to scarcity of water and the consequent sweat retention and overgrowth of cutaneous infective organisms. Pigmentary disorders, photodermatoses, leishmaniasis and skin tumors were found to be more prevalent in this region. Desert sweat dermatitis was another specific condition found to have an increased incidence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The environment of the desert provides for a wide variety of dermatoses that can result in these regions with few of these dermatoses found in much higher incidence than in other regions. The concept of desert dermatology needs to be understood in more details to provide better care to those suffering from desert dermatoses and this article is a step forward in this regard.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Command Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors: Manas
authors: M
authors: Chatterjee
authors: Department of Dermatology, Command Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
authors: Biju
authors: B
authors: Vasudevan
keywords: Climate; desert dermatoses; environment; infections; water
references: Med J Armed Forces India. 2001 Jul;57(3):269-70
references: 27365617
references: Med J Armed Forces India. 1999 Oct;55(4):328-330
references: 28790602
references: Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 1999 Nov-Dec;65(6):258-60
references: 20921679
references: J Trop Med Hyg. 1987 Apr;90(2):51-9
references: 3550122
references: Vet Rec. 1984 Jul 7;115(1):15-6
references: 6431688
references: Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 1982 Jan-Feb;48(1):23-34
references: 28193986
references: Int J STD AIDS. 1998 Apr;9(4):231-3
references: 9598752
references: Int J Dermatol. 2000 Nov;39(11):872
references: 11123455
references: Clin Dermatol. 1998 Jan-Feb;16(1):109-11
references: 9472440
references: Int J Dermatol. 2003 Nov;42(11):887-92
references: 14636205
references: Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 1977 Sep-Oct;43(5):258-261
references: 28266422
references: Indian J Dermatol Venereol. 1962 Apr-Jun;28(2):62-67
references: 29244305
references: Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2003 Jan-Feb;69(1):16-8
references: 17642815
references: Int J Dermatol. 2012 Oct;51(10):1180-5
references: 22834561
references: Mycopathologia. 1986 Oct;96(1):45-51
references: 3796710