Skin Conditions

Acne is the most frequent skin condition in the United States. It is characterized by pimples that appear on the face, back and chest. Every year, about 80% of adolescents have some form of acne and about 5% of adults experience acne. Acne is made up of two types of blemishes.

Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that causes facial redness, acne-like pimples, visible small blood vessels on the face, swelling and/or watery, irritated eyes. This inflammation of the face can affect the cheeks, nose, chin, forehead or eyelids. More than 14 million Americans suffer from rosacea. It is not contagious, but there is some evidence to suggest that it is inherited. There is no known cause or cure for rosacea. There is also no link between rosacea and cancer.

Head lice are small parasitic insects that thrive in human hair by feeding on tiny amounts of blood from the scalp. An estimated six to 12 million infestations occur in the U.S. annually. It is particularly common among pre-school and elementary school children. Head lice do not transmit any diseases, but they are very contagious and can be very itchy. They are characterized by the combination of small red bumps and tiny white specks (also known as eggs or nits) on the bottom of hair closest to the skin (less than a quarter-inch from the scalp).

"Rash" is a general term for a wide variety of skin conditions. A rash refers to a change that affects the skin and usually appears as a red patch or small bumps or blisters on the skin. The majority of rashes are harmless and can be treated effectively with over-the-counter anti-itch creams, antihistamines and moisturizing lotions.

Eczema is a general term used to describe an inflammation of the skin. In fact, eczema is a series of chronic skin conditions that produce itchy rashes; scaly, dry and leathery areas; skin redness; or inflammation around blisters. It can be located anywhere on the body, but most frequently appears in the creases on the face, arms and legs. Itchiness is the key characteristic and symptom of eczema. When scratched, the lesions may begin to ooze and get crusted. Over time, painful cracks in the scaly, leathery tissue can form.

There are literally hundreds of different kinds of lumps, bumps and cysts associated with the skin. Fortunately, the vast majority of these are harmless and painless. The chart below provides a guide for some of the most common forms of skin lumps, bumps and cysts.

Psoriasis is a skin condition that creates red patches of skin with white, flaky scales. It most commonly occurs on the elbows, knees and trunk, but can appear anywhere on the body. The first episode usually strikes between the ages of 15 and 35. It is a chronic condition that will then cycle through flare-ups and remissions throughout the rest of the patient's life. Psoriasis affects as many as 7.5 million people in the United States. About 20,000 children under age 10 have been diagnosed with psoriasis.

A blister is a soft area of skin filled with a clear fluid. Blisters may form in response to an irritant. Frequently, the blister is caused from friction, such as a coarse fabric rubbing repeatedly against a person's skin. In other cases, blisters form in response to a chemical or allergic irritant, which is known as contact dermatitis. Some oral and topical drugs may cause blisters to appear. Blisters can also be symptomatic of bacterial or viral skin infections, such as cold sores, chicken pox, shingles, impetigo or ringworm. Lastly, blisters occur when the skin is exposed to a flame, comes in contact with a hot surface or is overexposed to the sun.

Vitiligo refers to the development of white patches anywhere on the skin. With this condition, pigment-forming cells (known as melanocytes) are destroyed by the immune system causing the loss of pigmentation in the skin. Vitiligo usually develops between the ages of 10 and 40. It affects both men and women and appears to be hereditary.

Vitiligo usually affects areas of skin that have been exposed to sun. It also appears in body folds, near moles or at the site of previous skin injury. The condition is permanent and there is no known cure or prevention. However, there are some treatments that can be used to improve the appearance of the skin, such as steroid creams and ultraviolet light therapy.

Pruritus refers to the sensation of itching on the skin. It can be caused by a wide range of skin conditions, including dry skin, infection, fungus, other skin diseases and, rarely, cancer. While anyone can experience pruritus, it is more commonly seen among the elderly, diabetics, people with suppressed immune systems and those with seasonal allergies, like hay fever or eczema. Additionally, there is a type of pruritus, called PUPPP (Pruritic Uticarial Papules & Plaques of Pregnancy) that affects pregnant women.

Treatment for pruritus depends on identifying the underlying cause. Your dermatologist will examine the itchy area and may make a small scrape on any rash to collect tissue for diagnostic testing. Typical treatment involves topical and/or oral steroids and antihistamines to help relieve the itch. To avoid pruritus, make sure to follow healthy skin care procedures.

Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac are plants that produce an oil (urushiol) that causes an allergic reaction among humans. The inflammation is a reaction to contact with any part of the plant, which leads to burning, itching, redness and blisters. The inflammation is a form of contact dermatitis, an allergic reaction to an allergen that comes into direct contact with the skin. It is not contagious. Poison ivy is more prevalent in the eastern part of the country; poison oak is more prevalent in the southeastern part of the country.

Also known as neurodermatitis or scratch dermatitis, this condition is caused by a chronic cycle of scratching and itching an area of skin that becomes rough or leathery. While it is not dangerous, Lichen Simplex Chronicus can be a difficult cycle to break because of the severity of the itchiness. It can occur anywhere on the skin, but is most commonly found on the ankles, neck, wrist, forearms, thighs, lower leg, behind the knee or on the inner elbow. It may also be associated with other skin conditions, such as dry skin, eczema or psoriasis.

Roughly 300,000 people in the United States suffer from scleroderma. This chronic connective tissue disease results from an over-production of collagen in the skin and other organs. Scleroderma usually appears in people between the ages of 25 and 55. Women get scleroderma more often than men. The disease worsens slowly over years.

There are two types of scleroderma: localized scleroderma, which involves only the skin, and systemic scleroderma, which involves the skin and other organs, such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, intestine and gallbladder. Typical symptoms of the skin include skin hardening, skin that is abnormally dark or light, skin thickening, shiny hands and forearms, small white lumps beneath the skin's surface, tight facial skin, ulcerations on the fingers or toes and change in color of the fingers and toes from exposure to heat or cold. Other symptoms impact bones, muscles, lungs and the digestive tract.

There is no known cause of scleroderma, nor is there a cure. There are individualized treatments that are designed to help alleviate certain symptoms and decrease the activity of the immune system to further slow down the disease.

Also known as follicular keratosis, this is a hereditary skin disorder that causes goosebump-like lesions on the back of the arms, thighs or buttocks. The patches of bumps tend to get dry and itchy, particularly during the winter months. Keratosis pilaris occurs at any age. Because it is hereditary, there is no method of prevention. In some cases, it goes away on its own over time; in other cases, the condition is chronic. Keratosis pilaris is not harmful, however, it is very difficult to treat.

Keratosis pilaris is caused by a build-up of keratin, a protein in the skin that protects it from infection. Keratin plugs up hair follicles causing the rough, bumpy rash. Treatment options include prescriptions for:

• Medicated creams or lotions with 12 percent ammonium lactate that softens the affected skin.
• Moisturizers (urea) that help loosen and remove dead skin cells.
• Topical corticosteroids for short-term, temporary relief of symptoms.
• Topical retinoids that increase cell turnover, which reduces the plugging of hair follicles.

Hives are characterized as itchy red, raised welts (also known as wheals) on the skin's surface that can spread or join together and form larger areas of raised lesions. They are generally triggered by exposure to an allergen or chemical irritant. They tend to appear suddenly and often disappear equally as suddenly.

Hives are usually an allergic reaction to food, medicine or animals. They can also be triggered by sun exposure, stress, excessive perspiration or other, more serious diseases, such as lupus. Anyone can get hives. They are harmless and non-contagious. Hives may itch, burn or sting. They rarely need medical attention as they tend to disappear on their own. However, in persistent cases, your dermatologist may prescribe antihistamines or oral corticosteroids. The best way to prevent hives is to discontinue exposure to the allergic irritant.

Hives lasting more than six weeks are known as chronic urticaria or, if there is swelling below the surface of the skin, angioedema. There are no known causes of angioedema, but it can affect internal organs and therefore requires medical attention.

Considered a severe form of acne, hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic skin inflammation that usually occurs deep in the skin in areas of the body with sweat glands, such as the groin or armpits. It is characterized by a combination of blackheads and red lesions that break open and drain pus, which may cause itching or sweating. As the red bumps grow in size, they can become more painful.

Wrinkles are a natural part of the aging process. They occur most frequently in areas exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck, back of the hands and forearms. Over time, skin gets thinner, drier and less elastic. Ultimately, this causes wrinkles - either fine lines or deep furrows. In addition to sun exposure, premature aging of the skin is associated with smoking, heredity and skin type (higher incidence among people with fair hair, blue-eyes and light skin)

Birthmarks are abnormal skin colorations in spots that are either present at birth or appear shortly thereafter. They can be flat or slightly raised from the skin. They can be any number of colors, including red, brown, black, tan, pink, white or purple. Birthmarks are generally harmless. There are two major categories of birthmarks: pigmented birthmarks and red birthmarks.