What are skin diseases?
Skin diseases are type of diseases observed on the body’s surfaces including skin, hair, nails and associated glands. Skin diseases can affect all layers of the skin and infections, tumours or inflammation can cause the skin diseases (Nature, 2022). Skin diseases include various conditions affecting the skin.
How do skin diseases occur?
The following factors can cause the skin diseases:
- Allergic reactions,
- Autoimmune reactions,
- Bacterial infections,
- Fungal infections,
- Parasites,
- Skin cancers,
- Viral infections,
Dermatologist
Dermatologists are the specialist doctors who treat skin diseases. However, other specialist doctors may also be needed to treat some skin diseases, such as skin cancer.
Different types of skin disease and their treatment
Acne (Acne vulgaris)
The blocked hair follicles and oil (sebaceous) glands of the skin cause acne which is often triggered by hormonal changes. The examples of acne are pimples on the face, blackheads, cysts, and nodules as well.
Treatment of acne
Acne treatment is important, otherwise it can turn into permanent scars and dark facial spots. Without prescription, customer can buy Adapalene topical (Differin) cream over-the-counter. For severe cases, there are some other doctor-prescribed medicines also.
Alopecia Areata
It is a disease that attacks our hair follicles (they make hair) causing hair loss in small, round patches.
Athlete’s Foot (Tinea Pedis)
It is a fungal disease. Our feet are prone to fungal infections causing extreme itching, redness, and cracked skin on the feet and in between the toes. Dermatophytes fungi are responsible for this disease.
Treatment
Some over-the-counter topical antifungal treatments are readily available in creams and sprays, such as: Lotrimin AF (clotrimazole), Lamisil AT (terbinafine) and Micatin (miconazole). Consult with your doctor before starting treatment.
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of skin cancer. It grows in the upper basal cells of the skin but rarely spreads and is curable. If people spend a plenty of time in the sun, they may develop skin cancer on their hand, head, ears, nose, and neck. There are some oral medications used for more advanced BCC.
Different Treatment options are applied depending on location and severity:
- Surgery,
- Skin medicines for smaller areas,
- Radiation for larger ones.
Several cream type medications are applied on skin:
- Imiquimod (Aldara cream),
- Zyclara cream
- Fluorouracil (Carac cream)
Prevention of BCC
- Avoid long periods of sun exposure,
- Use sunscreen,
- Wear protective clothing,
- Visit your dermatologist annually for a full body skin check,
- If you notice something unusual, don’t wait to see your doctor.
- Learn to perform skin self-checks, too.
Boils and carbuncles – infections of hair follicles or oil glands that develop as a sore lump over a few days, eventually filling with pus. A carbuncle is a painful concentration of boils linked to each other beneath the skin.
Cold sores and herpes – these skin diseases are caused by the herpes simplex virus. These wart-like sores can appear on the mouth (cold sores) or genitals (herpes).
Chickenpox – It is a common infectious disease in children. It causes red itchy spots on skin.
Cellulitis – Bacteria cause this infection disease when they enter a break in the skin.
Contact Dermatitis
It is a common skin disease that occurs when we touch something that evolves into a skin reaction. It is a type of eczema, and may come from jewelry, plants (poison ivy, sumac, oak), latex gloves, and irritants like bleach or soaps.
Preventing contact dermatitis
- Avoid the object that may cause skin problems.
Treatment
- Antihistamines, oral or topical steroids, and colloidal oatmeal baths can aid to control symptoms,
- Consult your doctor if you have contact dermatitis. The doctor may suggest patch testing.
Diaper Rash
It is a common problem in child. The red bumps and rash in the diaper area, the buttocks, genitals, and skin folds may appear when the children are left too long with a wet or soiled diaper. Urine and stool can break down skin, and chemicals in a disposable diaper can dissolve out and irritate the skin. Candida (yeast) or bacteria can lead the area of rash to worse condition.
Prevention
- Change diapers in time to keep the area dry,
- Expose the baby’s bottom to fresh air sometimes.
Treatment
Use an ointment like Desitin (zinc oxide topical) that can have a protective barrier on the baby’s bottom. If it can not cure the rash within 2 to 3 days, consult with your doctor.
Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)
This type of skin disease causes much itchiness. Scratching leads to redness, swelling, cracking, weeping clear fluid, crusting, and scaling. Although the reason for this disease is not yet clearly known, but researchers believe it may involve genetics, the environment, and/or the immune system.
Treatment
Topical steroids are often used to lessen symptoms.
- Dupixent can be used with or without topical corticosteroids.
- Eucrisa (crisaborole) from Pfizer, is a topical ointment first approved in Dec. 2016.
Epidermolysis Bullosa
In this group of diseases, painful blisters are formed on the skin and these blisters can cause problems after infection.
Hives (urticaria)
It is a raised, itchy rash. Allergies, and also insect bites, nettle stings, etc. can cause this disease. Medication, food, and bug bites or stings can cause hives.
Prevention
Avoid the trigger causing Hives.
Treatment
- Use OTC antihistamines like loratadine (Claritin) or fexofenadine (Allegra) to control itching.
- Omalizumab (Xolair injection) was approved in 2014 to treat chronic urticaria in those with no response to antihistamines.
- Quzyttir (cetirizine injection) was approved by the FDA in October 2019 to treat acute urticaria (hives) in adults and children 6 months of age and older, but not recommended in children less than 6 years of age with impaired kidney or liver function.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)
Hidradenitis suppurativa (also known as acne inversa) is a chronic, noncontagious, inflammatory condition characterized by pimple-like bumps or boils and tunnels or tracts on and under the skin.
Ichthyosis
What is ichthyosis? It is a disorder that causes dry, thickened skin that may look similar to fish scales.
Impetigo – highly infectious and itchy, it tends to manifest as red sores. It is more commonly seen in children and babies than adults.
Mites – tiny arachnids related to ticks. There are several types that feed on humans, including scabies.
Psoriasis – characterised by flaky, red patches of skin, this chronic condition is thought to be caused by the immune system attacking skin cells.
Pachyonychia Congenita
It is a rare disorder causing thick nails and painful calluses on the bottoms of the feet and other symptoms.
Pemphigus
It is a disease where the immune system attacks healthy cells in the top layer of skin, resulting in blisters.
Raynaud’s Phenomenon
It is a disease that affects blood vessels. It causes your body to not send enough blood to the hands and feet for a period of time.
Ringworm, including athlete’s foot. It is not a worm. It looks like a red, scaly patch that itches. Its appearance looks like a ring or bump.
Rosacea
Rosacea is a chronic swelling of the face, with redness, prominent blood vessels, and pimples. Rosacea is most common in women over 30, but men can be affected too. Problems with the immune system, vein problems and/or environmental issues can cause the condition.
Treatments
Depending upon the symptoms, there are several effective treatments.
- Antibiotics, such as metronidazole cream or oral doxycycline can be used. In May 2020, the FDA approved Zilxi (metronidazole) topical foam for the treatment of rosacea.
- Azelaic acid gel (Finacea), a naturally-occurring saturated dicarboxylic acid, can be used for the inflammed pimples.
- For more severe cases, your doctor might suggest the acne drug isotretinoin.
- Beta blockers (to reduce flushing), the smallest dose of estrogen possible, or laser or surgical treatments may also reduce redness.
- In January 2017, the FDA approved Rhofade (oxymetazoline) cream, a topical vasoconstrictor agent applied to the face once a day to shrink vessels and lessen the facial redness of rosacea in adults. Other prescription items include Soolantra (ivermectin) and Mirvaso (brimonidine).
Scabies– an infestation of mites that burrow into the skin and lay eggs, causing a rash and intense itching.
Scleroderma
Scleroderma causes patches of tight, hard skin, but can also harm your blood vessels and organs.
Shingles
It is a reactivation of the dormant chickenpox virus- the varicella-zoster virus. Shingles causes clusters of painful blisters. It only occurs in people who have already had chickenpox. If you’ve had chickenpox, you’re at risk for shingles as the chickenpox virus lies dormant (not active) in your nervous system for years.
Treatment
One preventive shingles vaccine is available in the United States:
- Shingrix (herpes zoster subunit vaccine) is approved for the prevention of shingles (herpes zoster) in adults aged 50 years and older.
- Shingrix is a non-live (inactivated), recombinant subunit vaccine given intramuscularly in two doses, with the second dose given 2 to 6 months after the first.
- Shingrix has demonstrated a high rate of effectiveness (>90% effective).
Zostavax (zoster vaccine live) was formerly available as a subcutaneous injection to prevent shingles, but in November 2020 Zostavax vaccine was discontinued in the United States.
Seniors and people with an impaired immune system are at highest risk. Shingles can be painful, but early treatment with antivirals like oral valacyclovir (Valtrex) can lessen symptoms.
Staph infection – caused by Staphylococcus entering and infecting a cut in the skin. Varies in severity from simply boils to flesh-eating infections.
Sunburn
There’s no doubt – it’s easier to prevent a sunburn than to treat one.
Sunburns occur when there is too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun or sunlamps. The skin turns red, painful, hot to the touch, and may even peel away.
It’s hard to know how much time is safe in the sun, though, even with sunscreen protection. Repeated sunburns, especially as a child, can boost the risk for skin cancer later in life. Usually, sunscreen needs to be reapplied every 2 hours, but you may just need to stay out of the sun, too.
The first step in treating a sunburn is to seek shade, get inside if possible, and cool the skin down.
- Take a cool bath or shower with a mild soap.
- Drink plenty of fluids and moisturize the skin with a light, oil-free moisturizer or aloe vera while the skin is still damp.
- In some cases, an OTC topical product with lidocaine might be needed.
- Taking an NSAID, such as ibuprofen, can help with any discomfort or swelling.
See a doctor if you have a fever, chills or severe blistering over a large portion of your body. Don’t scratch or pop any blisters – this could lead to infection.
Verucas – type of wart that commonly appears on the foot (plantar wart)
Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a disorder that causes patches of skin to become white. It happens because cells that make color in your skin are destroyed.
Warts – generally harmless lumps caused by a virus that usually clear up without treatment, but take a long time to do so.
Yeast infection (candidiasis) – caused by the candida fungus, which naturally appears in small amounts on the body. Infections occur when the yeast builds up and grows out of control. Infections in the mouth and throat are called thrush.