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The JCMS Dermatology Podcast with Dr Kirk BarberAuthor: Canadian Dermatology Association
Engaging dermatology conversations with authors of the articles in the Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, hosted by Editor-in-Chief Dr. Kirk Barber. JCMS is the peer-reviewed journal of the Canadian Dermatology Association. Language: en-ca Genres: Education, Health & Fitness, Medicine Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Editor's Choice III - Ep 107: Under Pressure — Diving, Skin Bends and Extreme Exploration with Jill Heinerth
Wednesday, 23 September, 2026
"We used to think that cutis marmorata was an unserious bend. What we understand now is that it is often connected to very serious incidents of decompression sickness.”In this special Editor’s Choice edition of the JCMS Podcast, Dr. Kirk Barber ventures beneath the surface with renowned Canadian cave diver and underwater explorer Jill Heinerth.Jill takes us inside the spectacular and unforgiving world of cave diving, where meticulous preparation and strict safety protocols can mean the difference between life and death. She and Kirk explore the parallels between technical diving and medicine, including how the checklist discipline used by divers has helped improve safety in operating rooms.The conversation also examines the effects of diving on the skin. Jill explains how decompression sickness can present as cutis marmorata, or “skin bends”—a mottled, bruise-like rash that may appear alongside serious neurological symptoms. She discusses why symptoms can develop gradually after a dive, how an apparently routine recreational dive can result in decompression illness, and why physicians should ask patients with unusual rashes about recent diving and air travel.They also discuss wetsuits, dry suits, latex reactions, cold-water exposure, infection risks and the significant amount of ultraviolet exposure experienced by divers and others who spend their lives on and around the water.About Jill HeinerthJill Heinerth is one of the world’s most accomplished cave divers and underwater explorers. Over a career spanning more than three decades and thousands of dives, she has explored submerged caves, flooded mines and polar waters around the world. She was the first person to dive inside Antarctic iceberg caves and was part of the team that created the first three-dimensional map of an underwater cave system.Jill is the Royal Canadian Geographical Society’s first Explorer-in-Residence and an Honorary Vice-President of the Society. She is a recipient of Canada’s Polar Medal, the Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration and the Explorers Club’s William Beebe Award, and has been inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame. She is also an author, photographer, filmmaker and climate advocate. Her most recent documentary is Diving into the Darkness, looking back at her remarkable career. Her books include the memoir Into the Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver and the children’s book Chester the Manatee and the Very, Very, Terribly Bad Itch.Many thanks to Sun Pharma Canada for their support of the 2026 JCMS Editor's Choice season.Dr. Barber and his guests receive no financial reimbursement for the production of this podcast.For more great CDA podcasts, check out Dermalogues, our residents podcast hosted by Dr. Kerri Purdy.To learn more about the work of the Canadian Dermatology Association, visit dermatology.ca.The JCMS Dermatology Podcast is produced by David McGuffin and Graham McGuffin of ExploreProductions.caMusic by Lee Rosevere.
