IUBio

Skydivers can breathe through their skin?

ag ag at execpc.com
Mon Jan 4 08:53:07 EST 1999


Hi,
    I'm hoping to find an answer as this appears to be a newgroup where
a doctor or two might lurk.  Is there any truth to people breathing
through their skin at some level.  I  thought I have heard that people
with severe respiratory problems may be enclosed in a pure oxygen
environment because of this quality of the skin organ (as well as for
head injury and skin burns, head injury being the reason for the post
here).  There is a folks tale that skydivers don't need to breathe while
diving as their skin absorbs all the oxygen it needs.  Although *all*
the oxygen needs being fulfilled seems a bit incredulous, is it still
true that the skin can breathe?  Haven't I heard of cases of "skin
suffocation", where someone using the wrong kind of paint to body paint,
or getting covered in an oil or something, suffocating and eventually
dieing within an hour or so because their skin couldn't "breathe"?
    I'm getting flamed for just wanting to investigate this in another
newsgroup :).
    Thanks




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