Military Personnel and Skin Ailments

For years warfare and combat have gone hand-in-hand with troop skin diseases. A recent study shows that the common skin ailments military personnel suffer from is: dermatitis, benign moles, hives and cancerous skin lesions. The vast majority of these problems are induced by poor hygiene, sub-tropical environments, exposure to the sun and even chemicals and weaponry. "In tropical and subtropical climates, skin diseases have accounted for more than half of the days lost by frontline units. Skin diseases during wartime are exacerbated by sun exposure, temperature and humidity extremes, native diseases, insects, crowded living conditions, difficulty maintaining personal hygiene and chafing and sweating caused by body armor, helmets and other protective gear." Thankfully, most these skin diseases do not cause fatality or serious problems, though they become nuisances and problematic during combat and warfare. Now that more people are aware of the possible complications with military personnel, hopefully preventative measures and education will be deployed.