health ABC > Skin diseases
Keratosis pilaris, a common skin condition
Keratosis pilaris is a skin condition commonly seen on the upper arms, buttocks and thighs. The skin cells that normally flake off as a fine dust from the skin form plugs in the hair follicles. These appear a...read more
Lichen planus, it can last for years!
Lichen planus is a relatively common skin disease that comes in episodes lasting months to years. The onset may be gradual or quick, but its cause, like many skin diseases, is unknown. It app...read more
Mastocytosi, most common in children
Mastocytosis is the term for a group of disorders caused by too many "mast cells". It is most common in children, but the more important forms are seen in both children and adults. Mast cell are fou...read more
Moles, they can appear anywhere on the skin!
The medical term for a mole is a nevus (mole is Latin for "spot."). Nevi are the plural of nevus. Congenital nevi are moles present at birth; acquired nevi develop anytime later. Nevi are made up of...read more
Myths about acne
Fatty foods and chocolates affect acne Although it is always important for general health to follow a balanced diet, there is no proof that eating fatty foods and chocolates will cause or worsen acne. In fact, there is a po...read more
Occupational allergies: allergic disease in the workplace
Allergies in the workplace are being more readily identified and are now a significant source of illness. Occupational disease of the skin my take the form of allergic contact dermatitis fro...read more
Parenting a child with acne - signs of depression
If your child suffers from acne, he or she will need your help in more ways than one. Here’s what to do: Learn more about the condition – search for information on the internet or visit yo...read more
Psoriasis and treatments
Treatment is based on the severity of the disease and it's responsiveness to prior treatments. The lowest level of treatment is topical medicine are applied to the skin, the next level involves treatments with ultraviolet lig...read more
Psoriasis is in fact an immune system disorder...
Psoriasis is a common skin condition where the skin develops areas that become thick covered with silvery scales. It is a common problem, and millions of people in the United States have psoriasis. The course...read more
Pustules on palms and soles
Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) appears on the palms and soles. PPP is a difficult-to-treat skin condition. It occurs almost mostly in smokers (current or past), and it does not necessarily go away when the pat...read more
Questions that might arise about acne
Does poor hygiene cause acne? It is a myth that women get acne because they don’t wash enough. Too much washing or scrubbing the skin harshly can make acne worse. And washing away surface oils doesn&rs...read more
Skin camouflage treatment, how does it work?
Skin Camouflage is the skilled application of specially formulated creams designed to minimise and neutralise defects or discolouration of the skin by covering, concealing and masking them at surface level. T...read more
Skin cancer: repair sun-damaged skin with vitamin A
If everything in life worked as efficiently as skin we'd have no worries. Skin is your body's largest organ, and it's a marvel of nature. It protects you from bacteria, infection and dehydration while it help...read more
Slapped cheeks or the fifth disease
Erythema infectiosum (fifth disease, slapped cheek) is caused by a virus, specifically parvovirus B19. It is relatively common and mildly contagious, being spread by respiratory droplets. Vir...read more
Some important dermatology terms
Abcess A closed pocket containing pus. Some abscesses are easily diagnosed clinically, as they are painful and may "come to a head" such that pus becomes visible, but deep and chronic abscesses ma...read more
Some information about warts
Over 25 million people in this country have warts. The common myth that handling frogs or toads causes them is, of course, only a myth. Frogs and toads have their own problems. Warts are growths on theSplitting of the fingernails
Onychoschizia or splitting of the fingernails is a common problem seen by dermatologists. The term onychoschizia includes splitting, brittle, soft or thin nails. Onychoschizia is more common ...read more
The acne period
Modern science has finally caught up with what women have been saying for ages: Acne rises and falls with the menstrual cycle. A new study found that the skin breakouts can follow the same or...read more
The risk of developing melanoma...
For years, doctors have debated the risk of developing melanoma in people with atypical moles. Melanoma is a potentially deadly form of skin cancer that is diagnosed in about 40,000 Americans each year. It is...read more
Treatments to severe skin conditions with PUVA
PUVA is a combination of psoralen (P) and long-wave ultraviolet radiation (UVA) that is used to treat several severe skin conditions. Psoralen is a drug taken by mouth that makes the skin disease more sensiti...read more
Types of acne
Acne is acne right? Wrong. Even though you couldn't care less about what type of acne you have and all you want is a new face or a really long fringe to hide your zits, you should be able to classify your own...read more
UVB treatment helps with skin diseases
UVB Phototherapy is a treatment for skin eruptions using artificial ultraviolet light. The initials UVB stand for the type B ultraviolet, the middle energy between the tanning rays (UVA) and the intense germi...read more
What can cause acne?
Let's start by explaining the anatomy of the skin. The hair consists of three components: the hair follicle itself with an emerging hair shaft; the sebaceous (oil) gland which opens into the hair follicle; F...read more
Women and acne
What is acne? Acne is a disorder that causes outbreaks of skin lesions commonly called pimples. It is caused by the skin’s oil glands making too much sebum, an oily substance, which le...read more
Your daily life and eczema...
This is a condition that may commence after the third month of life as a weepy rash on the face and outer surfaces of arms and legs. In later childhood it becomes a dry scaly itchy rash in the inner creases of the elb...read more
