Skin Disorders in Athletes: Professional and Recreational Sports

The document from 2018 provides a comprehensive overview of skin disorders affecting athletes due to mechanical trauma, infections, environmental exposures, and contact dermatitis. It highlights the increased susceptibility of athletes to these conditions because of factors like occlusive clothing, excessive sweating, and communal facilities. Specific disorders such as abrasions, lacerations, acne, alopecia, and various infections are discussed, with a focus on the importance of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The document also addresses the prevalence of anabolic-androgenic steroid use among athletes and its association with skin conditions like acne and alopecia. Infections are a significant concern, with a reported rate of 2.27 infections per 100,000 high school athletes, primarily bacterial and fungal. The document emphasizes the need for detailed medical history and examination to differentiate sports-related skin pathologies from other conditions and provides guidelines for the return to play post-infection. It concludes that effective management of these skin disorders is vital for the performance and well-being of athletes.