Eczema and dermatitis in the afloat population: an overview of the assessment and management of the common erythematous skin conditions encountered in adults deployed on afloat platforms.

Skin conditions constitute a large proportion of the workload of deployed medical staff. Dermatology is an area where pattern recognition is key, and making a diagnosis can sometimes be difficult for deployed medical staff, who may have limited experience of dermatology. This article provides a structure to assess patients presenting with skin rashes, as well as a summary of the key features and management of common types of dermatitis that may be encountered when deployed afloat: atopic eczema; irritant contact dermatitis; pompholyx; scabies and plaque psoriasis.