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Sweatless Summer: Life Without Cooling
13 Jul
Summary
- Ichthyosis patients cannot properly sweat to cool their bodies.
- Extreme heat poses a life-threatening risk of heatstroke.
- Daily life requires constant vigilance and skin care.
As Spain experiences increasingly intense summers, a small group of individuals with the rare genetic disorder ichthyosis face a life-threatening challenge. The condition severely impairs their ability to sweat, preventing natural body cooling and leading to a constant fear of heatstroke. Dermatologists estimate around 300 people in Spain live with ichthyosis, a lifelong disorder characterized by excessively dry, red, and scaly skin.
Daily life for these patients involves extensive care, often spending hours applying moisturizers to combat cracked skin and avoiding prolonged sun exposure. Alberto Gomez, a teacher in his thirties, lives with this fear, using a UV-blocking umbrella and exercising only in air-conditioned gyms. The visible symptoms can also lead to stigma, adding another layer of difficulty.
For families like Jaime Garcia's, whose son Alvaro also has ichthyosis, summer requires meticulous planning. Alvaro, now a teenager, needs constant management to prevent overheating, a stark reminder that for those with ichthyosis, surviving the heat is a year-round concern.
