Environmental skin injuries in children

Recently, interest in the potential impact of the environment on our general health has heightened. Particular focus has been directed toward environmental skin injuries because the integument, the only organ of the body that is constantly exposed to the surrounding environment, directly demonstrates the damaging effects of the environment and thereby allows for direct visual recognition by both physicians and laypersons. The characteristic cutaneous features, physiologic responses, therapeutic approaches to promote healing, and preventive measures that may be taken to avoid future environmental injury are discussed. The scope of environmental injuries to the skin is extremely vast; therefore, the focus of this review is limited to cutaneous injuries that may result as a consequence of ultraviolet irradiation, marine life, and electrical forces.