Skin Conditions

Also called: Cutaneous disorders, Dermatologic disorders

Your skin is your body's largest organ. It covers and protects your body. Your skin

Holds body fluids in, preventing dehydration
Keeps harmful microbes out, preventing infections
Helps you feel things like heat, cold, and pain
Keeps your body temperature even
Makes vitamin D when the sun shines on it

Anything that irritates, clogs, or inflames your skin can cause symptoms such as redness, swelling, burning, and itching. Allergies, irritants, your genetic makeup, and certain diseases and immune system problems can cause rashes, hives, and other skin conditions. Many skin problems, such as acne, also affect your appearance.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Symptoms of Skin Conditions

The following features are indicative of Skin Conditions:

facial redness
flushing
bulbous nose
burning
stinging
irritation in eyes
watery eyes
bloodshot eyes
acne like skin sores
telangiectasia
red patches on skin
small scaling spots
dry skin
cracked skin
itching
burning
soreness
thickened nails
pitted or ridged nails
swollen joints
stiff joints
genital sores in males
severe dandruff
wrinkles
sagging skin
pigmented spots
change in an existing mole
pigmented or unusual-looking growth on the skin

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Common Causes of Skin Conditions

The following are the most common causes of Skin Conditions:

genetic factors
hot drinks
spicy foods
alcohol use
temperature extremes
sunburn
vitamin D deficiency
stress
skin injury
dry skin
exposure to ultraviolet radiation

Other Causes of Skin Conditions

The following are the less common causes of Skin Conditions:

sunlight exposure
cosmetics
blood pressure medications
AIDS
autoimmune disorders
chemotherapy
smoking

Risk Factors for Skin Conditions

The following factors may increase the likelihood of Skin Conditions:

women
fair skin
smoking
age over 30
family history
viral and bacterial infections
stress
obesity
smoking
history of sunburn
excessive ultraviolet light exposure
living closer to the equator or at a higher elevation
having many moles or unusual moles
history of melanoma
weakened immune system
skin injury
less able to sense touch, pressure, vibration, heat and cold

Prevention of Skin Conditions

Yes, it may be possible to prevent Skin Conditions. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:

keeping the skin clean
avoiding too hard skin scrubbing
regular daily baths
preventing sunburn if at all possible
using a good quality sunscreen when outdoors
wearing protective clothing and a hat when needed
avoiding sun during the middle of the day
avoiding tanning lamps and beds

Occurrence of Skin Conditions

Number of Cases

The following are the number of Skin Conditions cases seen each year worldwide:

Very common > 10 Million cases

Common Age Group

Skin Conditions can occur at any age.

Common Gender

Skin Conditions can occur in any gender.

Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Skin Conditions

The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Skin Conditions:

Lab tests: To check signs and symptoms similar to those of rosacea
Skin biopsy: To determine the exact type of psoriasis and to rule out other disorders
Physical exam: To examine skin, scalp and nails
Skin examination: Skin exam from head-to-toe
Sentinel node biopsy: To determine whether the melanoma has spread to nearby lymph nodes

Doctor for Diagnosis of Skin Conditions

Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of Skin Conditions:

Dermatologist
Oncologist

Complications of Skin Conditions if untreated

Yes, Skin Conditions causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Skin Conditions is left untreated:

enlargement of sebaceous glands
rhinophyma
lower self-esteem
psoriatic arthritis
conjunctivitis
blepharitis
uveitis
obesity
type 2 diabetes
hypertension
cardiovascular diseases
metabolic syndrome
celiac disease
sclerosis
Crohn's disease
parkinson's disease
kidney disease
emotional problems

Procedures for Treatment of Skin Conditions

The following procedures are used to treat Skin Conditions:

Laser therapy: To reduce the redness of enlarged blood vessels
Dermabrasion: To treat visible blood vessels and changes due to rhinophyma
Intense pulsed light therapy: To treat visible blood vessels and changes due to rhinophyma
Electrosurgery: To treat visible blood vessels and changes due to rhinophyma
UVB phototherapy: To improve mild to moderate psoriasis symptoms
Narrow band UVB phototherapy: To improve mild to moderate psoriasis symptoms
Goeckerman therapy: To improve mild to moderate psoriasis symptoms
Psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) therapy: To treat more-severe cases of psoriasis
Excimer laser therapy: To improve mild to moderate psoriasis symptoms
Surgery: To remove the affected lymph nodes
Chemotherapy: To destroy cancer cells
Radiation therapy: To kill the cancer cells
Biological therapy: To help the body fight cancer

Self-care for Skin Conditions

The following self-care actions or lifestyle changes may help in the treatment or management of Skin Conditions:

Protect face from sunlight: Apply sunscreen daily to reduce signs and symptoms or to prevent flare-ups
Treat skin gently: To reduce signs and symptoms or to prevent flare-ups
Apply makeup: Help to reduce the appearance of skin redness
Take daily bath: Helps remove scales and calm inflamed skin
Use moisturizer: Helps preventing water from evaporating from skin
Expose skin to small amounts of sunlight: Helps improving psoriasis
Avoid drinking alcohol: Helps increasing the effectiveness of some psoriasis treatments
Take good nutrition and adequate fluids: Hydrating skin decreases the risk of skin injury
Wear protective clothing: Provides more protection against the rays
Avoid tanning lamps and beds: Decreases the risk of skin cancer

Alternative Medicine for Treatment of Skin Conditions

The following alternate medicine and therapies are known to help in the treatment or management of Skin Conditions:

Do facial massage: Gentle daily facial massage may help reduce swelling and inflammation
Use colloidal silver: Helps reducing facial swelling and inflammation
Apply emu oil: Helps reducing facial swelling and inflammation
Use laurelwood: Helps reducing facial swelling and inflammation
Use oregano oil: Helps reducing facial swelling and inflammation
Use aloe vera: Helps reducing redness, scaling, itching and inflammation
Intake fish oil supplements: Helps reducing inflammation associated with psoriasis
Use oregon grape: Helps reducing inflammation and ease psoriasis symptoms
Intake vitamins and supplements: Reduces the effects of melanoma

Patient Support for Treatment of Skin Conditions

The following actions may help Skin Conditions patients:

Counselor: Talking to a counselor about feelings and emotions can be helpful
Support groups: Connecting with others facing the same types of problems can be comforting
Education: Helps recognizing, acknowledging and supporting efforts in dealing with the disease
Support groups: Provides sharing experience and struggles and meeting people who face similar challenges
Talk to your closed ones: Relieves the stress

Time for Treatment of Skin Conditions

While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Skin Conditions to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision: