2. Help you feel sensations, such as temperature or pain.
3. Keep out bacteria, viruses and other causes of infection.
4. Stabilize your body temperature.
5. Synthesize (create) vitamin D in response to sun exposure.
Skin diseases include all conditions that clog, irritate or inflame your skin. Often, skin diseases cause rashes or other changes in your skin’s appearance.
What are the most common types of skin diseases?
Some skin diseases are minor. Others cause severe symptoms. Some of the most common skin diseases include:
1. Acne, blocked skin follicles that lead to oil, bacteria and dead skin buildup in your pores.
Many rare skin diseases are genetic, meaning you inherit them. Some rare skin diseases include:
1. Actinic prurigo (AP), itchy rash in response to sun exposure.
2. Argyria, changes in skin color due to silver buildup in your body.
3. Chromhidrosis, colored sweat.
4. Epidermolysis bullosa, a connective tissue disorder that causes fragile skin that blisters and tears easily.
5. Harlequin ichthyosis, thick, hard patches or plates on the skin that are present at birth.
6. Lamellar ichthyosis, waxy skin layer that sheds in the first few weeks of life, revealing scaly, red skin.
7. Necrobiosis lipoidica, rash on the lower legs that can develop into ulcers (sores).
What causes skin diseases?
Certain lifestyle factors can lead to the development of a skin disease. Underlying health conditions may affect your skin, too. Common causes of skin diseases include:
1. Bacteria trapped in your pores or hair follicles.
2. Conditions that affect your thyroid, kidneys or immune system.
3. Contact with environmental triggers, such as allergens or another person’s skin.
Skin disease symptoms vary significantly, depending on what condition you have. Skin changes are not always due to skin diseases. For example, you may get a blister from wearing ill-fitting shoes. However, when skin changes show up with no known cause, they may be linked to an underlying condition.
Often, a healthcare provider can diagnose a skin disease by visually examining your skin. If looking at your skin doesn’t provide clear answers, your provider may use tests such as:
1. Biopsy, removing a small piece of skin to examine under a microscope.
2. Culture, taking a skin sample to test for bacteria, fungus or viruses.
3. Skin patch test, applying small amounts of substances to test for allergic reactions.
4. Black light examination (Wood light test), using an ultraviolet (UV) light to view your skin’s pigment more clearly.
5. Diascopy, pressing a microscope slide against a skin patch to see if the skin changes color.
6. Dermoscopy, using a hand-held device called a dermatoscope to diagnose skin lesions.
7. Tzanck test, examining the fluid from a blister to check for herpes simplex or herpes zoster.
To receive the right kind of diagnosis and treatment connect to one of our doctors at Pratha Ayurveda through its website and mobile app today.