Dermatology

Our skin is the largest and most visible organ in our body. It has many functions, including protection from pathogens (bacteria and other invaders), insulation, temperature regulation (sweat), sensation, and vitamin D and B synthesis. Without our skin we would not be able to function as we do. The condition of our skin tells a lot about our health and habits. Drinking plenty of water, eating healthy foods, and exercising regularly are the best ways to ensure healthy skin.

Acne

Acne is a disease that affects the skin's oil glands. The small holes in the skin (pores) connect to oil glands under the skin. These glands make an oily substance called sebum. The pores connect to the glands by a canal called a follicle. Inside the follicles, oil carries dead skin cells to the surface of the skin. A thin hair also grows through the follicle and out to the skin. When the follicle of a skin gland clogs up, a pimple grows. Most pimples are found on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. Acne is not a serious condition. An estimated 80 percent of all people between the ages of 11 and 30 have acne outbreaks at some point.

Actinic Keratosis

Actinic keratosis is a premalignant condition of thick, scaly, or crusty patches of skin. It is more common in fair-skinned people, especially those who are frequently exposed to the sun, as it is usually accompanied by solar damage. Since some of these pre-cancers progress to squamous cell carcinoma, they should be treated.

Alopecia

Alopecia areata is a disease that affects the hair follicles, which are part of the skin from which hairs grow. In most cases, hair falls out in small, round patches about the size of a quarter. Many people with the disease get only a few bare patches. Some people may lose more hair. Rarely, the disease causes total loss of hair on the head or complete loss of hair on the head, face, and body. Anyone can have alopecia areata. It often begins in childhood. There is a slightly increased risk of having the disease if you have a close family member with the disease.

Burns

Burns result from exposure to heat, caustics, electricity and some radiations. It is marked by varying degrees of skin destruction and hyperemia often with the formation of watery blisters and in severe cases by charring of the tissues. Burns are classified according to the extent and degree of the injury

Cosmetics

Cosmetics are a substance intended to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness or altering the appearance without affecting the body’s structure or functions.

Dermatomyositis

Dermatomyositis is a connective tissue disorder characterized by the inflammation of muscles and skin. Skin abnormalities associated with dermatomyositis often include a distinctive reddish-purple rash (heliotrope rash) on the upper eyelids and across the cheeks and bridge of the nose.

Dermatosis

Dermatosis is a generic term describing any of the diseases of the skin. It may, or may not, be characterized by the presence of inflammation.

Eczema

Eczema is a form of dermatitis and the term is broadly applied to persistent and recurring skin rashes characterized by redness, edema (swelling with fluid), itching and dryness and possible crusting, flaking, blistering, cracking, oozing or bleeding. This sometimes leads to skin discoloration, but scarring is rare. Treatments include topical creams and ointments.

Head Lice

Head lice are described as small parasitic insects that can cause an itching red rash to the skin of the waist, shoulders, armpits, neck and pubic area. They are commonly spread from person-to-person via close contact.

Hirsutism

Hirsutism is the excessive and increased hair growth in women in locations where the occurrence of terminal hair normally is minimal or absent. Hirsutism is a symptom rather than a disease and may be a sign of a more serious medical indication, especially if it develops well after puberty.

Hyper Pigmentation

Hyper pigmentation is a common, usually harmless condition in which patches of skin become darker in color than the normal surrounding skin. This darkening occurs when an excess of melanin, the brown pigment that produces normal skin color, forms deposits in the skin. Hyper pigmentation can affect the skin color of people of any race.

Hyperhidrosis

Primary hyperhidrosis is the condition characterized by abnormally increased perspiration, in excess of that required for regulation of body temperature. Primary hyperhidrosis must be distinguished from secondary hyperhidrosis, which can start at any point in life. For some, it can seem to come on unexpectedly. The latter form may be due to a disorder of the thyroid or pituitary gland, diabetes mellitus, tumors, gout, menopause, certain drugs or mercury poisoning. Such secondary forms may have more serious consequences than just hyperhidrosis, making medical consultation advisable.

Lipoatrophy

Lipoatrophy is the term describing the localized loss of fat tissue. This may occur as a result of subcutanous injections of insulin in the treatment of diabetes, or from subcutanous injections of Copaxone used for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. In the latter case, an injection may produce a small dent at the injection site.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is the inflammation of the skin that is probably caused by an autoimmune response against the body’s own skin cells. The build up of skin cells results in thick, dry, scaly patches which are usually red and may be itchy. Psoriasis is an inherited disorder and therefore not contagious. The condition can be exacerbated by injuries and irritations that might stimulate an immune response (such as burns, sunburns, cuts, etc.), as well as certain medications and infections. Psoriasis affects 2 to 2.6 percent of the United States population, or between 5.8 and 7.5 million people according to the NIH.

Rosacea

Rosacea is a skin disease that causes redness and pimples on the nose, cheeks, chin and forehead in young-to-middle-aged adults. The redness may come and go. People sometimes call rosacea "adult acne" because it can cause outbreaks that look like acne. It can also cause burning and soreness in the eyes and eyelids. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 14 million people in the United States have rosacea.

Scabies

Scabies is a contagious dermatitis of humans caused by the microscopic mite Sarcoptes scabei. It is common all over the world, and it affects people of all races and social classes. Scabies spreads quickly in crowded conditions where there is frequent skin-to-skin contact between people. Hospitals, child-care centers and nursing homes are examples. Scabies can easily infect sex partners and other household members.

Scar

Scars are areas of fibrous tissue that replace normal skin (or other tissue) after injury. A scar results from the biologic process of wound repair in the skin and other tissues of the body. Scarring is a natural part of the healing process. With the exception of very minor lesions, every wound (e.g. after accident, disease, or surgery) results in some degree of scarring.

Seborrheic Dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis is inflammation of the skin that causes flaky, white to yellowish scales to form in oily areas of the body, especially inside the inner ear, eyebrows, eyelids, nose, lips, skin folds or scalp. This can occur with or without reddened skin. When this condition strikes infants it is labeled as cradle cap.

Skin Aging

As people age, the skin becomes thinner, less elastic and less able to heal itself. If time was spent in the sun in earlier years, sun spots and hyperpigmentation begin to show up on the face, hands and other exposed areas of the body. Wrinkles also become noticeable on the body, most noticeably on the face and neck. Skin treatments focus on reversing the effects of aging on the skin, to help maintain its youthful appearance by increasing elasticity and reducing wrinkles and age spots.

Skin Itching

An itch is a sensation felt on the skin that causes a person to scratch that area and is often uncomfortable, causing distress. Scratching can sometimes break the skin and result in an infection. Itching can be due to many causes ranging from dry skin to medications to cancer. A major chemical causing itching is histamine, a molecule released by mast cells in the skin. Common causes for itching include skin conditions (such as eczema or atopic dermatitis), mosquito bites, allergic reactions, Hodgkin’s disease, jaundice and certain medications.

Sunburn

A sunburn is a burn to living tissue such as skin produced by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, commonly from the sun's rays. Exposure of the skin to lesser amounts of UV will often produce a suntan. Usual mild symptoms in humans are red or reddish skin that is hot to the touch, general fatigue and mild dizziness. An excess of UV-radiation can be life-threatening.

Warts

A horny projection on the skin usually of the extremities produced by proliferation of the skin papillae and caused by a papillomavirus.

Wounds

During the course of daily activities, people often inadvertently injure themselves, resulting in bleeding and scarring. The healing process largely occurs on its own with the help of white blood cells and clotting factors in the blood, but sometimes, if the wound is large enough, external help is needed to ensure proper closure of the wound. Topical creams are sometimes used to aid in maintaining moisture as well as cleanliness in the skin during the healing process.