SKIN DISEASE AND DISORDERS
DERMATITIS /(ECZEMA):
inflammation of the upper layer of the skin (rash), causing itching, blisters,
redness, swelling and often oozing, scabbing and scaling. Dermatitis affects
often only specific parts of the body, but sometimes can occur anywhere.
Continuing scratching and rubbing may lead to thickening and hardening of the
skin.
Causes: contact with a particular substances, certain drugs, varicose veins,
fungal infection, acids etc.
PSORISIS:
is a skin condition that causes red, flaky, crusty patches of skin covered with
silvery scales. The condition is not infectious and most people are affected only
in small patches on their body. They normally appear on your elbows, knees,
scalp and lower back but can appear anywhere on your body. The plaques can
be itchy, sore or both. In severe cases, the skin around your joints may crack
and bleed.
Causes: stress
 ACNE VULGARIS:
Inflamed whiteheads, blackheads and pustules in various degrees of
congestion; associated with hormones- and the presence of bacteria can make
the condition infected.
 ACNE ROSACEA:
A chronic condition characterized by facial erythema (redness). Rosacea
typically begins as redness on the central face across the cheeks, nose, or
forehead, but can also less commonly affect the neck, chest, ears, and scalp.
 SKIN TAGS:
Found of the eye area or lids or on the side of the neck; not painful or
dangerous; can be removed under local anaesthetic or at the GP
Surgery.
 MILIA:
Small white pearls under the skin, often around the eye area or on the side of
the cheek, caused by build up of sebum.
 VITILIGO:
A condition that causes lost of pigment of sections of skin. It occurs when
melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigmentation, die or are unable to
function. The cause of vitiligo is unknown.
 CHLOASMA/MELASMA:
“Mask of pregnancy”- irregular patches of brown pigment caused by overproduction of melanocytes. ( seen on the face; hormonal-during contraceptive
pills).
BACTERIAL INFECTIONS:
 IMPETIGO (LISZAI): Impetigo is common in babies and children but can
affect anyone. It usually develops on the face and hands. In babies, it
affects the nappy area. Impetigo is a bacterial infection in the skin. Small
blisters appear and burst, leaving yellow, moist, itchy patches that dry to
a crust. The skin underneath can be red and inflamed.
Causes: bacteria that enter the skin through a cut scratch or damage
from an existing skin condition, such as eczema. Impetigo can be spread
by direct contact and sharing towels or bedding with someone who has
it.
 CONJUCTIVITIS: bacterial infection of the eye and the inner surface of
the eyelids; red, itchy and sticky eyes; can be provoke by a virus or
irritants such as a foreign body, tobacco smoke or eye cosmetics, allergy
also.
 STYE: small boil in the gland at the root of the eyelashes; painful swelling
and redness of the eyelid. After few days pus forms and discharges from
the swelling on to the margin of the eyelid. Hot compressrecommended.
BOIL: (furuncle) is a bacterial abscess or collection of pus and dead
tissues that starts in the base of hair follicles. (Can occur in any part of
the body, however, they are mostly found on the scalp, back,
underarms, and buttocks). Red, shiny, and swollen lump filled with pus.
Tenderness, the sensation of warmth and/or pain .When the lump is
ready to rupture, a pointy white or yellow central area is noticed.
FUNGAL INFECTIONS:
 RINGWORMS: : common in children but can affect anyone.
Ringworm appears on the head, body, groin, feet, nails or beard area.
Ringworm is not a worm but a number of fungal infections that grow in a
patch or circle on the skin. It can be a few millimetres to a few
centimetres across. The patches or circles look red or silvery and can
blister and ooze.
Causes: Fungal spores enter the skin through a break, such as a scratch
or a patch of eczema. Ringworm can be passed on through direct
contact and sharing items such as towels, bedding or combs. It can also
be passed on from the floor of shower or swimming pool areas. Pets can
pass it to people.
 TINEA CORPORIS: red pimples appear and then form a circle with clear
skin in the middle; highly contagious; pass to humans by contact with
domestic animals. (arms, face, all over body)
 TINEA CAPITIS:
RINGWORM OF THE SCALP. A single or
multiple patches of hair loss, sometimes with a ‘black dot’ pattern (often
with broken-off hairs), that may be accompanied by inflammation,
scaling, pustules, and itching. Uncommon in adults, tinea capitis is
predominantly seen in pre-pubertal children, more often in boys than
girls.
 TINEA PEDIS: (ATHLETES FOOT)
FUNGUS thrives in the warm, moist
environment between the toes and sometimes on the bottom of the feet;
condition picked up by infected shed skin cells- bathmat etc.
 TINEA UNGUIUM: (RINGWARM OF THE NAIL)
FUNGUS of the nail; infected during
an outbreak of athletes foot-touched and spread to the hands/
toenails.
VIRAL INFECTION (VIRUS)
 WARTS/VERUCCA VULGARIS (hands)
 are flesh-colour lumps, which can be 1mm to over 1cm across. Warts
can appear anywhere, but usually affect the hands and feet. A wart on
the foot is called a verruca. Genital warts appear around the genitals or
anus.
Causes: caused by infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV),
which can be passed on through skin-to-skin contact and sometimes
through surfaces such as floors and towels. If you have a wart, you can
spread it to other people through close contact and also to other parts
of your own body.
 HERPES SIMPLEX:
Viral infection-called cold sores or fever blisters, is an infection of the
face or mouth.
 HERPES ZOSTER (SHINGLES):
Viral infection, painful skin rash with blisters in
a limited area on one side of the body; abdomen, chest, neck.
COMMON COLD: streaming eyes and nose, coughing and sneezing easily
spread.
PARASITES INFESTATIONS:
 SCABIES:
“THE ITCH” is a contagious skin infection that occurs among humans and other
animals. It has been classified as a water-related disease. It is caused by a tiny
and usually not directly visible parasite, the mite, which burrows under the
host's skin, causing intense allergic itching.
 PEDICULOSIS:
Is an infestation of lice — blood-feeding insect parasite, head louse, which
invades the scalp and lays eggs (nits)-attached to the hairs.