Archive for the ‘Skin Conditions’ Category
Hair loss may occur in patches (alopecia areata), complete hair loss on the head (alopecia totalis) or even hair loss throughout the entire body (alopecia universalis). The latter is rare but hair loss on the head is a common complaint that affects large portions of the population, especially men, after the 30s. While hair loss can occur at a younger age, it is not common and should be investigated for other systemic causes.
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Psoriasis vulgaris is an inflammatory skin disease due to autoimmune causes. The body’s immune cells attack healthy skin cells of the body causing disordered skin growth. This results in the characteristic skin symptoms of thick, silvery skin, red patches and usually severe itching.
Acne vulgaris is a common skin condition affecting both teenagers and adults and is usually due to hormonal causes linked to puberty. Pimples most often occurs on the face, particularly the cheeks and forehead, chest, back and shoulders. Secondary bacterial infections of a pimple causes large pustular eruptions commonly referred to as a ‘zit’.
Nappy rash is a common problem affecting many newborns and toddlers and the dermatitis can be both painful and itchy. The redness and inflammation associated with nappy rash may worry most mothers but nappy rash treatment is goes beyond just applying ointments and creams to ease baby’s suffering. In babies with other skin conditions, like eczema, a nappy rash can be compound the skin dermatitis and treatment should be focused more on prevention rather than treatment alone.
A persistent itching sensation within the ear canal is often a sign of inflammation or infection within the ear canal. Excessive cleaning, especially with an ear bud (cue tip) removes the natural wax from the ear canal. This wax is often thought to be dirt but is actually the body’s natural mechanism for lubricating the ear canal and preventing insects or microorganisms from entering the ear canal or causing an infection.
Melasma is the darkening of the skin due to increased deposits of the pigment, melanin. This hyperpigmentation may occur for a number of reasons but is usually not associated with skin inflammation (dermatitis). Most cases of pigmentation that is present for more than 3 months will not resolve even with treatment and the focus of treatment should be directed at preventing further darkening of the skin or retarding the spread of the hyperpigmentation.
Dandruff is a common condition caused by a combination of factors that affect the skin of the head (scalp). Most commonly, chronic dandruff is due to dry skin on the scalp complicated by a fungal infection (tinea capitis or head fungus). Before treating dandruff, it is important to exclude other skin diseases like eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis or contact dermatitis (often associated with hair dyes, styling gel, hair softeners, hair relaxers and shampoos). These skin diseases may often present similar to dandruff but require specialist dermatological treatment.
Mary T., 6 years old, had been brought in by her mother complaining of recurrent itchy skin rashes at her elbows and knees. Mary’s case history revealed that she had suffered with infantile eczema at the age of 6 months and this persisted till 2½ years of age when a mild case of hay fever (allergic rhinitis) began. Repeated prescriptions of corticosteroid creams, emollients and anti-histamines had offered some relief for her early episode of eczema but it had seemed to have resolved spontaneously at the time.