Climate change is leaving its mark on human skin. An international study presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress 2026 analysed data from 136 countries, and 42.6 per cent of them reported changes in the incidence or severity of skin disease linked to climate change, Kolkata's Sangbad Pratidin reports.
Of the 58 countries that reported climate-related changes, 81 per cent saw more heat rash and 75.9 per cent saw more inflammatory skin conditions. Skin is the body's first barrier against the outside world, so it is directly exposed to temperature, humidity, sunlight and pollution.
Higher heat and humidity can increase sweating and irritation, the report says, while extreme heat and air pollution worsen inflammation, and changing temperature and rainfall patterns spread infections carried by mosquitoes, ticks and other vectors.
The burden is uneven: 55.6 per cent of low-income countries and 52.5 per cent of lower-middle-income countries reported climate-related changes in skin disease, against 43.8 per cent of upper-middle-income and 28.3 per cent of high-income countries. Researchers say skin health should be treated as a primary effect of climate, with more training for doctors and public awareness. The article advises avoiding sun, dust and smoke as far as possible when outdoors.
Source: Sangbad Pratidin
Comments
(0)