Introduction
The skin is an important factor of the human anatomy. It has several important functions and purposes. Besides being a cover that protects vital organs and bones, the skin helps to keep our body temperature regulated. When we misuse or abuse our skin, for instance too much sun and not drinking enough water, we can cause our skin to suffer, which can bring about unnecessary medical issues as we age. Not taking care of the skin can make a person look older than what they are. Healthy skin lets you shine from the inside out when you take care of and protect it.
General Skin Health Tips
Looking good and feeling great does not necessarily begin with make-up or an artificial tan. When it comes to your outer appearance, healthy skin should take top priority in looking sensational. Although soap and water can make you feel and look fresh, a person will need to do more to maintain healthy looking skin. To obtain and maintain a healthy look, you must take the time to protect yourself from the sun’s hazards. Always wear protective clothing and use sunscreen when you are under the sun’s rays. Healthy skin comes from eating right and not smoking.
All about Acne
Most cases of acne occur when we are in our teens; however, this condition can occur in babies and adults too. If you have oily skin, you may be prone to acne breakouts. Pimples can occur on the face as well as the neck, chest and back. Acne caused by oily skin happens because of clogged pores containing oil and dirt. To ease this condition, you should not clean the skin with steamy hot water or astringent soaps. Do not use cold creams and lotions. Use products that will not dry out the skin.
Birthmarks and Other Abnormal Skin Pigmentation
Sometimes, our perfect looking skin can develop flaws. These flaws come in the form of birthmarks, moles, freckles or sunspots to name a few. Some of these conditions do not cause a medical issue; however, some do such as with pigmented birthmarks or moles. Watch these carefully. See a doctor if there is a change in the mole’s shape, size, and color and if bleeding occurs. Consulting a professional is always good when you have concern with your skin and its appearance.
If your skin is not perfect because of sunspots called Hyperpigmentation, you can ease the condition by staying out of the sun. Protect yourself from the UV Rays.
Standing Up to Boils
If you have ever had a skin abscess or an infection in a localized area of your body, it can be very painful. The abscess known also as a boil can bring havoc to the skin if left untreated. Boils once they come to a head and pop, leaving a trail of puss behind becomes highly contagious. The infection can spread and create more boils. An abscess can occur because of ingrown hair, minor cuts and scrapes, even splinters that are stuck beneath the skin can cause the infection to arise. Treat this infection with a bacterial soap.
About Cuts and Scrapes
Minor cuts and scrapes can occur with anyone, young or old. If the wound is not severe or serious, taking care of it can take place at home. For cuts, if they are deep, gaping and spewing blood, seek medical attention quickly. Wounds of this nature require stitches. When the wound is not a serious one, the first thing to do will be to stop the bleeding and then clean it with a topical antibiotic. Cover minor cuts and scrapes with a dressing to keep it moist. This will speed up the healing time.
The Story behind Dandruff
Dandruff is a common condition that affects the scalp. The symptoms are itchy and flaky skin, which can also become red and irritated. Stop the embarrassing flakes on your clothes by shampooing the hair everyday. There are over the counter-medicated shampoos used to treat dandruff issues, some of these are Heads and Shoulders and Selsun Blue. Though most dandruff cases are not emergency cases that require a doctor’s visit, if the situation worsens, you should consult your physician for what you have may be Seborrheic Dermatitis.
The Drama of Dry Skin
Regardless of what nationality you are, taking care of the skin will make you look wonderful on the outside. Pamper your skin all year round. Looking like you just stepped out of a tub of ash is not flattering. For the most part, the arrival of winter brings cold weather, which can leave the skin dry and flakey. You do not want this embarrassing look. Fix dry skin on a daily basis by cleansing with mild cleansers and do not forget to moisturize. The best moisturizing products to use are those with creams or butter bases, because they hold moisture in, whereas lotions do not.
Caring for Eczema
Being bothered with itchy, red and inflamed skin can be irritating. If you have symptoms such as these, you may have eczema. Consult a physician for professional diagnosis if you are unsure. Although it is irritating and it may look horrible, it is not contagious. There is no cure for it; however, you can sooth the symptoms with medication and try to avoid the irritations. To protect your hands, you must wear plastic gloves if your hands are in water all day. Suffering with eczema means that your clothes should be made of cotton. Use mild soaps and moisturizers on the skin at all times.
Folliculitis, the Inflamed Hair Follicles
Hair on the body, we all have it. Sometimes, we do not want it when it is on our legs, under the arms, or in unmentionable places. Every now and then, the hair follicles become inflamed. When this happens, we get a medical condition referred to as Folliculitis. Most often, the cause comes from shaving. With the infection being a mild one, you may find that it will heal on its own. When it is a little more serious and does not heal quickly, fix the irritation with topical antibiotics and oral medications.
About Heat Rash
When the heat rises and we do not protect our skin, we can breakout in a heat rash. There are three forms of heat rash, from the most common to the rarest. Attacked with prickly heat rash means that the skin is red, inflamed and has a stinging sensation. This is the most common. Miliaria Crystallina, is a milder form that leaves blisters and bumps which are not painful and they do not itch. Adults, having bouts of prickly heat rash that looks like goose bumps can leave you with heat exhaustion, rapid pulse and feeling dizzy. Such symptoms could mean that you may have the rare condition of Miliaria Profunda. With all heat rash conditions, to fix the problem you must cool the body down first.
About Hematoma
Part of being human means that our bodies eventually will experience some kind of infraction. From the medical standpoint, this can be mild to the more serious. One of the situations can be that of developing a collection of clotted blood in a centralized location, also known as a hematoma. You will find hematomas in places such as the eye and under the nail. If you have ever had a fracture, this situation always comes with a hematoma. For these bruising situations, treatments require an ice pack to decrease bleeding and swelling.
About Hives
Your skin can experience an allergic reaction to such things as food, medication and insect bites. When this occurs, welts, itching, redness and swelling appears on the skin. The name of this condition is Hives, or Urticaria. The symptoms of this medical episode can vary from mild to severe. In a mild case, it takes up to 24 hours for the condition to subside. Treat cases that are not extreme with antihistamines. Food and food by products that causes an allergic reaction on the skin means that you must avoid eating them. Read all packaging labels carefully and take heed of its contents.
Jaundice, the Yellow Condition
Jaundice occurs in both newborns and adults. An adult diagnosed with this medical problem, more than likely went to their physician with symptoms such as yellow skin and eyes. The medical term for jaundice is Icterus. If you are producing too many red blood cells or have an inferior liver, this can cause the yellowing condition. Other causes of jaundice in adults include cancer of the pancreas, Malaria and Viral Hepatitis to name a few. With adults, other underlying medical condition brings on Jaundice.
About Melanoma
Melanoma is a cancerous tumor that occurs on the skin as a mole. With this type of cancer, it spreads to other areas of the body. Moles become a concern once they change in appearance; this includes changes in size, shape and color. It also becomes a concern if the mole starts to bleed. Treatments for this medical malady always involve surgery. Radiation is not a cure, for it only shrinks and slows the growth of the tumor down.
The Itch Makers: Poison Ivy/Oak/Sumac
Itching and scratching after you have been outside in the weeds is a sure sign of poison plant contact. Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac gives off poisonous oil that not only stick to the skin, but to clothes as well. These annoying plants can make a person feel miserable after coming in contact with them. Once you are aware that you brushed up against the leaves, you must wash the area with soap and hot water immediately. To eliminate the symptoms or to calm the symptoms, washing should start within six hours of contact.
About Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a disease that leaves the skin red with scaly blotches. This disorder can occur on the body from the head to the toe. The chronic disorder is painful at times as well as being disfiguring. Plaque Psoriasis is the most common. Guttate psoriasis is another form of the disease, which occurs with bacterial infections. There is no cure for this skin ailment; however, the use of topical medications can ease the symptoms and make the patient more comfortable during flare-ups. For preventative care, one should always wear cotton clothing and use moisturizers. Hot water is bad on this disease. It will be necessary to use fragrant free products on the skin. (10)
Ringworm is not a Worm
Ringworm is a contagious disease that can affect the young and the old. The fungus has a description of a red circular spot that appears on the body, including the scalp and nails. Athletes Feet is ringworm. To keep infections from spreading, an infected person should not share personal items. Get treated with a medication that kills fungus.
Rosacea and Red Skin
Rosacea is a skin disease that strikes the face. It leaves red blotches on the skin. Besides having redness to cheeks, nose and chin, bumps and pimples can form as well as irritated eyes. There is no cure for this disorder, but a doctor may control it with laser treatments and suggest sunscreen. Watching what you eat could be a help in easing symptoms. For this condition, a diet rich in Omega 3s and Vitamins A, C and E could make the skin feel and look tolerable.
About Scabies
Another common skin ailment is that of Scabies. Anyone can contract this disease. The main culprits are mites. Beside sexual or skin-to-skin contact, the buggy situation can occur through contaminated bed sheets. Scabies cause intense itching. When an infection occurs, use prescription lotions to ease the condition. When this happens, you must consult a physician.
About Scleroderma
Scleroderma is the disease that causes hardening of the skin and internal organs. This happens when the body produces too much collagen. This disorder is common among Black and Indian decent women. With localized Scleroderma, symptoms may include patches of thick skin on areas such as the back and stomach. A person with this malfunction should get plenty of exercise. They should avoid stress and cold weather and use cream based lotions to ease the symptoms of swelling, stiffness and pain.
Protecting the Skin from Sunburn
Sunshine can bring relief to arthritis sufferers. However, moderation is the keyword where the sun is concerned, especially when the rays feel good on the skin. Do not become a sun fanatic, because there is danger of the skin being sunburn. When this occurs, the condition can be mild to severe. Severe sunburns cause blisters and swelling on the skin, meaning that nerve endings deep in the skin have been marred. It is important to protect the skin when you are in the sun. Use sunscreen and cover up.
Thrush, the Yeast Infection
Thrush is a yeast infection that occurs in the mouth. It leaves white patches on the tongue, gums and the back of the throat. In areas that are red and raw, it becomes painful to eat hot foods and those that contain acids. Thrush can occur in infants as well as adults. Taking care of this oral problem may result in taking fungal medications in pill or rinse form. Other ways to fight the onset is to eat yogurt.
Those Ugly old Warts
If you are bothered with ugly warts, you need not worry about them becoming cancerous. A viral infection causes warts. These growths come in different categories called Common Warts, Foot Warts, Flat Warts and Genital Warts. All of these occur on different parts of the body. Warts can take up to several months to a year when they clear up on their own. However, one way to get rid of the condition is to have it removed by Cryotherapy, or freezing them off, which is a painful solution.
Wrinkles, the Sign of Aging
Wrinkles show our age, because as we grow older, the skin tends to loose its elasticity. However, sometimes, wrinkles occur before the aging process begins if you are a sun lover, letting the rays penetrate the skin. You can reduce wrinkles with creams and lotions if they are not serious. However, if your wrinkles are deep in the skin, creams and lotions will have no effect. The most effective way of removing them is through cosmetic surgery. This option of pulling the skin tighter to facial bones is temporary, for the aging process will continue, causing more surgeries as the skin droops, sags and becomes wrinkled.