Acne
Acne is the term for pimples or blackheads that commonly form on the face, chest,
upper back, or shoulders. A pimple forms when an oil gland in the skin is blocked,
and secretions and bacteria build up under the skin. Acne usually starts during the
teens and often persists into adulthood.
Many women get a few pimples just before their menstrual periods. Stress and some
birth control pills
may make acne worse. Fatty foods, such as chocolate and nuts, are not considered
to be a cause of acne.
Many cases of acne will respond to home treatment, especially if they
are mild. For severe or persistent cases, your doctor can prescribe stronger topical
medication, antibiotics, or other drugs.
Prevention
· Wash your face with a mild soap, such as Dove, or one that contains benzoyl
peroxide, such as Oxy Sensitive. Wash as often as necessary to keep your face
clean, but do not scrub or overdry.
· While foods are no longer considered a significant cause of acne, eat a healthy diet
and avoid any food that seems to cause pimples.
Home Treatment
· Cleanliness is essential. Wash your face, shoulders, chest, and back with a very
gentle soap, such as Aveeno, Neutrogena, or Basis. Avoid drying soaps, such as
deodorant soaps. Always rinse well.
· Keep long hair off your face and shoulders, and wash it daily.
· Don’t squeeze pimples and black-heads. This can cause infection and scarring.
· Benzoyl peroxide gel or cream, a nonprescription medication, is one of the best
treatments for acne. Start with the lowest strength, and increase the strength if your
skin is able to tolerate it. Apply the medication sparingly once a day, half an hour
after washing. It may take several weeks to work and may cause mild redness and
dryness. Never use more than 5 percent benzoyl peroxide unless a doctor
recommends that you do so.
· Use only water-based lotions and cosmetics that do not clog skin pores
(noncomedogenic), and only if they don’t aggravate acne.
When to Call a Health Professional
· If acne gets worse despite several months of home treatment.
· If you have severe red or purple inflammation, cysts, or nodules under the skin.
· If scars develop as acne heals.
Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin disorder that often develops in people who
have asthma, hay fever, and other allergies. It causes an itchy, red, raised rash that
may weep or ooze clear fluid. The rash may develop as tiny blisters, which break
and crust over. The blisters are prone to infection, especially if scratching is not
controlled.
In children, AD appears most often on the face, scalp, buttocks, thighs, and torso.
AD is often worse during infancy. It improves in many children by age 5 or 6.
In adults, it usually appears on the neck and in the bend of the elbows and knees.
Adults whose hands or feet are often exposed to irritating substances, such as
chemicals, develop AD on those areas.
Home Treatment
Helping the skin retain moisture is important to successful treatment of
AD.
· Take brief, daily baths or showers with lukewarm (not hot) water. Use a gentle soap
(such as Dove, Oil of Olay, or Neutrogena) or nonsoap cleanser (such as Cetaphil or
Aveeno). If possible, bathe without soap.
· After bathing, pat skin dry and apply a moisturizing cream (Lubriderm, Moisturel).
The cream may help keep your skin from drying out. Reapply cream often.
· Use a humidifier in the bedroom.
· Taking an oral antihistamine (such as Benadryl) may help relieve itching and relax
you enough to allow sleep. Avoid antiseptic and antihistamine creams and sprays,
because they irritate the skin.
· Avoid contact with any irritants or allergens that cause problems. Wear gloves
when working with irritating substances.
· Wash clothes and bedding in mild detergent and rinse at least twice. Do not use
fabric softener if it irritates your skin.
When to Call a Health Professional
· If crusting or weeping sores appear, because a bacterial infection may be present.
· If itching interferes with sleep, and home treatment is not working.
· If you cannot control atopic dermatitis with home treatment.
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that causes raised red patches topped with
silvery, scaling skin, usually on the knees, elbows, scalp, and back. The fingernails,
palms, and soles of the feet may also be affected. Psoriasis is not contagious.
The patches, called plaques, are made up of dead skin cells that accumulate in thick
layers. Normal skin cells are replaced every 30 days. In people who have psoriasis,
skin cells are replaced every 3 to 4 days.
Small patches of psoriasis can often be treated with regular use of hydrocortisone
cream. Tar products (lotions, gels, shampoos) may also be useful, although they
may increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun. Limited exposure to the sun may also
help (protect unaffected skin with sunscreen).
Stress may contribute to psoriasis. Stress reduction may help in some cases..
Call your doctor if psoriasis covers much of your body or is very red. Extensive or
severe cases often need professional care.
Rashes
A rash (dermatitis) is any irritation or inflammation of the skin. Rashes can be caused
by illness, allergy, or heat, and sometimes by emotional stress.
Poison ivy and other plant rashes are often red, blistered, and itchy and appear in
lines where the leaves brushed against the skin.
When you first get a rash, ask yourself these questions to help determine the cause :
· Did a rash that is contained to a specific area (localized) develop after you came in
contact with anything new that could have irritated your skin: poison ivy, oak, or
sumac; soaps, detergents, shampoos, perfumes, cosmetics, or lotions; jewelry or
fabrics; new tools, appliances, latex gloves, or other objects? The location of the
rash is often a clue to the cause.
· Have you eaten anything new that you may be allergic to?
· Are you taking any new medications, either prescription or nonprescription?
· Have you been unusually stressed or upset recently?
· Is there joint pain or fever with the rash?
· Is the rash spreading?
· Does the rash itch?
The oil on the leaves of these plants can cause an uncomfortable, itchy, red skin
rash with blisters or hives.
Prevention
· If you are exposed to poison ivy, oak, or sumac, wash your skin with dish soap and
water within 30 minutes to get the allergy-causing oil off your skin. This may help
prevent or reduce the rash. Also wash your clothes, your dog, and anything else that
may have come in contact with the plant.
Shingles
Shingles (herpes zoster) is caused by the reactivation of the chicken-pox virus in the
body years after the initial illness. The virus usually affects one of the large nerves
that spreads outward from the spine, causing pain and a rash in a band around one
side of the chest, abdomen, or face. The rash will blister and scab, then clear up
over the course of a few weeks.
No one knows what makes the virus active again. Shingles can affect anyone who
has had chickenpox. However, older adults and people with weakened immune
systems are more likely to get shingles. People with weakened immune systems
include those who have had a bone marrow or an organ transplant; have cancer,
especially of the lymph system; or are infected with HIV.
Exposure to the shingles rash can cause chickenpox in a person who has not had
chickenpox before.
If you suspect shingles, call your doctor or advice nurse to discuss medication that
can limit the pain and rash. If possible, call within 1 day after the rash starts, as the
medication works best if you start taking it immediately.
· Avoid products that cause the rash:
detergents, cosmetics, lotions, clothing, jewelry, etc.
· Use fragrance and preservativefree or hypoallergenic detergents, lotions, and
cosmetics if you have frequent rashes.
Home Treatment
· Wash affected areas with water. Soap can be irritating. Pat dry thoroughly.
· Apply cold, wet compresses to reduce itching. Repeat frequently.
· Leave the rash exposed to the air. Baby powder can help keep it dry. Avoid lotions
and ointments until the rash heals. However, calamine lotion is helpful for plant
rashes. Use it 3 to 4 times a day.
· Use hydrocortisone cream to provide temporary relief of itching. Use very sparingly
on the face and the genital area.
When to Call a Health Professional
· If signs of infection develop:
o Increased pain, swelling, redness, or tenderness.
o Heat or red streaks extending from the area.
o Discharge of pus or honey-coloured crust.
o Fever of 37.80C (1000F) or higher with no other cause.
· If you suspect a medication reaction caused the rash.
· If a rash occurs with fever and joint pain.
· If a rash occurs with a sore throat.
· If a rash appears and you aren’t sure what is causing it.
· If a rash continues after 2 to 3 weeks of home treatment.