SKIN DISORDERS

Because it is a complex organ constantly exposed to the elements, the skin is susceptible to various problems. The skin protects the body from the environment. It is surprisingly resistant to a wide variety of insults.

However, it may become irritated and inflamed, a condition called dermatitis. Its capillaries may become enlarged as a result on sunburn. So the term dermatitis simply means an inflammation of the skin. It has many causes. It may appear as contact dermatitis, prickly heat rash, atopic dermatitis, stasis dermatitis and some others.

Direct contact with one of a number of substances can cause a skin inflammation called contact dermatitis. The signs of it are redness and itching, blisters and weeping from the sores in severe cases, and skin changes limited to the area of contact with the causative agent. If the person is sensitive to material in a watchband or ring, his/her skin beneath the object can become inflamed. Red, sore eyelids can result from the use of certain cosmetic products or from touching the eyelids with other material on the fingers. In allergic dermatitis, the allergen may be something that the person has used for years with no problem. Mild chemicals such as hexachlorophene in soap and acetone n nail-polish remover can produce contact dermatitis. Treatment consists primarily of identifying the offending agent and avoiding it. Sometimes, some medicines or ointments are necessary.

The cause of psoriasis is unknown, although there may be a genetic predisposition that affects the life cycle of skin cells. Normally, it takes about a month for new cells to move from the lowest skin layer, where they are produced, to the outermost layer, where they die and scale off in tiny flakes. With psoriasis, however, the entire cycle takes only 3 or 4 days. As a result, dead cells accumulate rapidly, forming thick, silvery scales. If the scales scraped away, bleeding occurs from the blood vessels at the top of the dermal papillae. Psoriasis is a chronic disease that can be controlled but as yet has no cure.

Eczema describes an inflammatory condition of the skin. There are some forms of eczema. Cause of inflammation may be allergy, infection, poor circulation, or exposure to physical factors such as chemicals, heat, cold, or sunlight. The signs of this disorder are extreme, persistent itching and thickening of the skin in patches. Coal-tar ointments are often used when the condition has been present for months or years and the skin has become thickened. Corticosteroid creams and ointments are very useful in reducing the inflammation and itching.