Different Skin Problems

Some Skin Diseases or Skin Problems are curable while some are hereditary and some can be prevented with proper care.

4.Skin Infections:
Boils: Boils are bacterial infections of the skin. They are very painful and if they appear in crops, they maybe accompanied by fever. Some people have a tendency to develop boils. If you have been getting crops or boils repeatedly, it is worthwhile to get your blood sugar tested - your boils may well be a sign of diabetes. The simplest remedy for a boil is to apply warm compresses - a piece of clean cloth dipped in warm water is sufficient. The boil is then likely to burst soon and the pain rapidly decreases. You must see your doctor if the boil doesn't come to a head within a couple of days (because it may need lancing), or if it is in a particularly tricky spot, such as on the buttocks, or if you get a crop of boils. The doctor may then have to prescribe antibiotics for you to quickly control the infection.

Fungal Infections: Several species of fungi attack the human skin in a variety of ways. The marks of one type of fungal infections of the skin are ring-shaped, hence the common name, ringworm. Another type of fungus causes light colored spots on the skin - this is called pityriasis versicolor. The groin is the site most commonly affected with ringworm. In women the waistline which is under constant friction with clothes is frequently involved. In children, ringworm can cause baldness of the scalp and this problem is quite contagious. On the feet, fungi cause athlete's foot - there is scaling, itching, and maceration in between the toes. Fungi can also affect the nails. Fungal infections are easily treated. Ointments and lotions are used to treat small lesions. Tolnaftate, clotrimazole, ecanozole and selenium sulphide are very useful. Effective oral treatment - griseofulvin and ketaconazole - is also available for extensive skin infections, and in case of infections of the nails and the scalp. Do not treat your infection with just about anything available over the drug counter, as this may increase your problem - consult your doctor.

Warts: Warts are a very common problem. Warts are caused by viruses - they are infectious and affect children most frequently. Most warts disappear spontaneously without any treatment. Only if the wart is inconvenient, or particularly embarrassing or painful or spreading rapidly, should it be removed. Otherwise they are best left alone - in all probability, they would disappear with time without any scars. Warts on the feet tend to be painful because they get trodden on. So these should be removed by your doctor: the small warts can be removed straight away, but the large ones would need to be softened with some chemicals like salicyclic acid before they are removed. The process of removal is slightly painful but the doctor is likely to give you anaesthesia locally to make the area numb. Now, newer methods like crytherapy and laser therapy are also available to treat warts. No safe and effective oral medication is yet available for treatment of warts.