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Hello everyone, first I am new to the scubaboard. I have recently been diving in Truk lagoon and developed the skin bends. They resolved with 100%o2 and i feel great. Of course my diving was halted and i was forced to return to the states early aborting my trip to Palau. Not sure what caused this and of course am concerned. I have tried to locate a diving MD in my area thru DAN but they seem to all have moved away. Feel my frustration! What is the usual follow up after an episode like this? How long before diving again? So many questions. Just want to be safe.
There are numerous reports on cutaneous DCS ("skin bends") to the Divers Alert Network.
The primary signs of cutaneous DCS include a rash or mottled skin with bruise like "marbled" appearance typically dark red in colouring and rash is usually not raised. It can be accompanied by symptoms such as tenderness & swelling and occassionally itching sensations without other symptoms or signs.
Cutaneous DCS manifestations often resolve spontaneously — sometimes within hours or days. DAN reports that many cases respond well to surface-level oxygen first aid. However, they also report that a number of divers with suspected skin bends may also experience visual disturbances, weakness, confusion or other neurological symptoms that require recompression treatments, thus a medical evaluation and appropriate treatment of divers with suspected skin bends is always recommended.
For more information see the following sources from DAN written by John Lee via URL addresses:
There are two types of skin DCS: type I skin bends, which is pretty nonspecific and may look like hives, and cutis marmorata or skin marbling, which is generally considered a more severe manifestation because it can be accompanied by neurological symptoms. It's best to seek further treatment even if DCS symptoms resolve on surface O2 because they can reoccur, sometimes worse than they were initially.
As far as returning to diving, the typical recommendation is two weeks after treatment for minor DCS, and a month for more severe DCS or AGE that resolves completely with treatment. The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) maintains a current list of board-certified diving medical examiners on their website: Diving Medical Examiners - Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society
As far as cause, it's difficult to tell without knowing your dive profile.
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