engleski

Skin Diseases Due to Occupations in Alcoholics

Alcohol abuse is associated with many health problems, especially skin changes. As a small, water and lipid soluble molecule, alcohol reaches all tissues of the body and affects most vital functions. Cutaneous diseases are now emerging as useful markers of alcoholism detectable at an early and possibly reversible stage of the disease, thus being of utmost importance to specialists of occupational medicine, dermatologists and general practitioners. The most common skin manifestations in alcoholics in various occupations are presented as: ethylic face (facies aethylica), spider nevi (nevus araneus), petechiae and ecchymoses, palmar erythema, flushing, caput medusae, urticarial and anaphylactoid reactions, porphyria cutanea tarda, cutaneous stigmata of cirrhosis, psoriasis, pruritus, acne vulgaris, seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea, nummular eczematous dermatitis, nail and hair changes. The main question is whether the relationship between alcohol intakes is causative or simply a phenomenon associated with the chronic course of the diseases and its relation with social conditions, outcast feeling and low self-confidence. Alcohol consumption has adverse effects on all immune system components, thus rendering alcoholics susceptible to infections. Workers in construction in Croatia are the most frequent alcohol consumers. Comprehensive allergologic testing should be done to differentiate the type of alcohol intolerance, to assess the severity of disease, and to exclude other potential causes (e.g., other alcohol drink ingredients, food, food additives). Comprehensive research and numerous studies have demonstrated that the effects of alcohol are implicated in many skin diseases. Therefore, physicians should take alcohol abuse as the possible causative factor for skin diseases in consideration in their daily practice. Dermatologists should appraise the effect of alcohol and drug abuse on the etiology of their patients' skin diseases and compliance with treatments. Also, dermatologic tests should be part of medical examination in patients suspected to take excessive amounts of alcohol.

skin deseases; occupations; alcoholics

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