Acne

To understand acne, take a close look at the skin's hair follicles and oil glands (called the sebaceous glands). Hormones and other factors can cause sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, a natural oil in your body.

There are certain triggers that tend to get acne started:

• Hormone changes due to puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, or starting/stopping birth control pills
• Genetic/familial predisposition may play a role
• Certain drugs, particularly androgens (steroids), amphetamines, and lithium
• Cosmetics with an oily base may contribute to plugged follicles

Types of Acne

Acne is a general term that typically describes four types of skin irritations. They include:

• Whitehead: occurs when a plugged hair follicle makes a bump, but stays beneath the skin
• Blackhead: a plugged hair follicle that has reached the skin’s surface
• Papules: small pink bumps on the skin that are often inflamed and tender to the touch
• Pimples: papules that have lesions on top and are filled with pus

Managing Acne

There are many ways to help keep acne under control, including:

• Managing stress
• Avoiding picking at the skin
• Using products labeled “noncomedogenic”
• Applying acne treatment

Consider seeing a doctor about treatments options if your acne is persistent or bothersome to you

Anti-aging

Causes of Aging Skin

There are many factors that may cause premature skin aging including:

• Slower production of collagen
• Over time, skin has less elastin
• Shedding of dead skin cells takes longer
• Genes
• Sun exposure
• Habitual facial expressions
• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol usage

Anti-Fungal

Fungi are transferred by close contact, so you can get it from another person or from an infected surface. Although any part of the body can be affected, fungal infections most often occur in moist, warm areas of the body. That's because those areas provide the ideal conditions for fungi to thrive

Types & Symptoms of Fungal Infections

“Athlete’s foot” and “jock itch” are types of tinea, a fungal infection of the hair, skin, or nails. Symptoms can include:

• Itching
• Burning
• Peeling of the skin
• Severe cases: cracking, pain, and bleeding

Treating Fungal Infections

Fungal infections are usually not serious and, when treated properly and efficiently, are relatively easy to clear up. However, for those people who do not have a normal immune system, such as someone with diabetes, fungal infection can become more serious.

It is best to prevent the spread of infection before treatment is necessary. If you’re unsure about an infection, consult a healthcare professional.  It’s important to confirm that you have a fungal infection before treating.  Other skin problems can have similar appearances and can feel the same, but require very different treatments.

Anti-Itch

Depending on the cause, itch can occur all over the body or just in one area. Itch can be benign (no cause for concern) or the symptom of a serious medical condition.

Most people will experience itch during their lifetime, but some people are more susceptible to itch than others—such as people with seasonal or food allergies, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and certain types of cancer, pregnant women, and the elderly.

Symptoms of Itch

Itch is a symptom of many disease conditions. There are many factors that can cause itch, but it can be generally classified into the following categories:

• Systemic (throughout the body): there are two types of itch triggers:
  • Physical: allergic reactions to food or medications, or diseases like HIV or diabetes
  • Psychological: anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Skin Disease (e.g.): eczema, urticaria (hives)or psoriasis
• Exposure–related (environmental): sunburn or irritating chemicals
• Hormonal: In some cases of pregnancy or menopause
  
  

Treating Itch

Removing or managing the cause of the itch is the first step toward itch relief. Since itch can be a symptom of a condition that requires medical care, make sure to see your doctor for an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment.

Dry Skin

Causes of Dry Skin

Some causes of dry skin can include:

• Weather: cold temperatures and low humidity can dry out the skin
• Hot water: hotness of the water can break the skin’s barrier
• Soaps and detergents: these can strip the skin of natural moisturizers
• Sun exposure: UV radiation from the sun may dry out the skin

Treating Dry Skin

It’s relatively simple to ease dry skin by understanding and avoiding its causes and replenishing the skin’s moisture with treatment.

Atopic Dermatitis

There are quite a few different forms of eczema, and atopic dermatitis is the most common.  Atopic dermatitis usually appears on the back of the knees, the insides of the elbows, the trunk of the body, and the face, but it can occur on any part of the body. It is not contagious.

While atopic dermatitis is often a chronic condition, there are things you can do to take care of your skin and avoid flare-ups.

Symptoms of Atopic Dermatitis

While your atopic dermatitis may vary in severity, symptoms may include:

• Itchy, inflamed patches of skin
• Rash
• Swelling, cracking, weeping, crusting, and scaling of the skin
• Skin thickening

It's important to consult with your doctor if you experience a prolonged rash or irritation on your skin.

Treating Atopic Dermatitis

Although Atopic Dermatitis cannot be cured, it can be controlled with an appropriate treatment.

Psoriasis

Types of Psoriasis

There are several types of psoriasis, but it is not usual for a person to have more than one at a time.  These include:

• Plaque psoriasis (most common type): causes raised red patches covered with a silvery-white build-up of dead skin cells
• Guttate: appears as numerous red spots on the skin
• Inverse: occurs in skin fold areas where the red lesions are smooth and shiny
• Pustular: appears as many yellow spots on the skin
• Erythrodermic: severe redness over large areas of the body

Triggers of Psoriasis

For people with psoriasis, there are certain factors that can trigger flare-ups. These situations or environments can include: 

• Stress
• Mechanical trauma to the skin
• Certain medications
• Weather
• Diet
• Illness
• Allergies

Treating Plaque Psoriasis

Plaque psoriasis may be a life-long condition that can be managed with knowledge and treatment. There are different treatment options that a doctor can prescribe.

Sun Protection

Sun Protection Strategies

The most harmful UV rays occur during the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. When outdoors, there are ways to play it safe:

• Stay in the shade
• Wear protective clothing, a hat, and sunglasses
• Apply sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher
• Reapply after two hours in the sun, swimming, or sweaty activity
• Check the expiration date
• Use makeup that contains SPF