Poster presented during the EADV in Paris 2018 With Philippe Charlier, we reviewed the possible occupational disorders that Santa Claus would suffer from Visitez le site de la Société Francaise des Sciences Humaines sur la Peau (SFSHP) https://sfshp.wordpress.com

1. The occupational skin diseases of Santa Claus: a review P1482
Nicolas Kluger1, Philippe Charlier2,3,4
1Department of skin and allergic diseases, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland, 2Section of Medical Anthropology (UVSQ, Dante Laboratory, EA4498), UFR of Health Sciences, Montigny-Le-Bretonneux, France, 3CASH & IPES, Nanterre, France, 4Museum of Quai
Branly, Paris, France.
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
In the context of his work, the skin of Santa Claus may present specific features
related to his specific work and way of life in Finnish Lapland.
We think that it is important that SC consults at least once a year a dermatologist
to discuss skin cancer prevention and get proper advices regarding skin care.
SKIN CONDITIONS
REFERENCES
• The health of Santa Claus and occupational risks associated with
his work have been discussed only on very few occasions in the
medical literature [1,2].
• We believe that due to his unique line of work, Santa Claus is
exposed to peculiar cutaneous occupational hazards related to his
activities
• According to current depiction, SC is a white male from Northern
Europe ascent, living in Finnish Lapland in Korvatunturi. Unknown
age. He presents a phototype II or IIIA, and canitia. He is in
overweight and often depicted as being a possible smoker. 1. Straube S, Fan X. The occupational health of Santa Claus. J Occup Med Toxicol. 2015;10:44
2. Grills NJ, Halyday B. Santa Claus: a public health pariah? BMJ. 2009;339:b5261
3. Gudmundsdottir EM, Hrafnkelsson J, Rafnsson V. Incidence of cancer among licenced commercial pilots flying North Atlantic routes. Environ
Health. 2017;16(1):86.
4. Kluger N. Reindeer herding related skin diseases. Images en Dermatologie 2013; 6(2):10-11
Possible skin conditions affecting Santa Claus
Santa Claus’s background
• Sensitive skin, dry skin
• Rosacea
• Skin aging: aging, sun, tobacco
• Actinic keratoses, premalignant lesions
Work-related stress
• Seborrheic dermatitis
Exposure to cold and extreme low temperature
• Chiblains
• Frostbite
• Cold panniculitis
• Raynaud phenomenon
Exposure to heat and extreme low temperature
• Increased sweating/hyperhidrosis
• Sun burn
• Sun stroke
Exposure to cosmic radiations
• Basal cell carcinoma, melanoma
Exposure to soot
• Scrotum (Chimney sweep’s) carcinoma
Clothing
• Intense sweating and sweating related diseases (folliculitis,
intertrigo, Grover’s disease…)
• Intertrigo of the folds
• Toe nail dystophies (boots)
Contact with children
• Infections (impetigo, viral infections)
Contact with reindeers [revoir mon article dans Image en dermato]
• Reindeer bites
• Poxvirus infection
• Allergy
Contact with elves
• Elves to men transmitted diseases (?)
• Due to his skin complexion and life above the arctic circle, SC may
suffer from facial dry skin, sensitive skin, rosacea and features of
skin aging (helioderma, actinic keratoses)
• SC is certainly exposed to high amount of stress especially in
December. Besides in winter time in Lapland, day light exposure is
extremely small. Those combined factors may lead SC to disclose
therefore seborrheic dermatitis
• Extreme temperatures, whether they are cold under northern
latitudes as well as while flying at high altitude or high when close
to the equator, may expose to frostbite, sun burns/strokes and
intense sweating
• SC work outfit (red coat with white fur collar and cuffs, white-fur-
cuffed red trousers, red hat with white fur, black leather belt and
boots) is well-suited for northern countries but most likely
responsible for an increased sweating and maceration when in
southern areas
• Exposure to cosmic radiations exposes SC to an increased risk of
skin cancers as showed in air flight pilots
• SC is involved in reindeers herding and may be exposed to various
complications as any herders: reindeer bite, infection such poxvirus,
contact allergy to reindeer epithelium among all [4]
• Of course, SC is contact with children and even though he may have
an immunity against viral infections, non immunizing virus infection
and impetigo are possible (unknown vaccination status)
• We are not aware of any disease that can be transmitted from elves
to men