The skin is by far the largest organ of the human body, is the most exposed to the elements and it is probably not surprising that there are so many conditions that can affect it. Some type of skin diseases are life threatening while others are little more than a nuisance. Some conditions are not easily visible to the eye while others lead to extensive disfiguration. The following are some of the more common type of skin diseases:
- Acne – Acne is the most prevalent type of skin diseases predominantly affecting young adults and adolescents – 85% of this demographic experiences acne at some point. Past this age bracket and into middle age, acne is more common among women than men. Acne may be the outward sign of an underlying medical condition especially if conventional acne treatment does not bear fruit.
- Dermatitis – Often confused with acne because of symptom similarity, dermatitis is a broad class of skin rashes. The most common form is eczema (atopic dermatitis) with recent studies showing it is a growing problem among children. Seborrheic dermatitis is a rash on the hair-covered parts of the face very similar to razor bumps. Ordinary dandruff shampoo can effectively control seborrheic dermatitis.
- Hives – Hives are a rash-like outbreak due to an allergic reaction triggering the release of histamine. Ordinary hives are easily treatable but hives lasting more than 6 months require extensive diagnosis to establish the root cause.
- Psoriasis – A type of skin diseases that has many potential causes including changes in the immune system, topical infection and stress. Psoriasis is usually lifelong but there is a wide range of medication nowadays that can make its effects less pronounced.
- Warts – Skin ailment caused by HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) that is mainly sexually transmitted. There are many forms of treatment. HPV infection increases the likelihood of cervical cancer.
- Skin cancer – A potentially life threatening skin condition, skin cancers range from the slow growth basal cell carcinoma types to the more aggressive melanoma types.
- Fungal skin diseases – Majority of fungal type of skin diseases are the result of dermatophytes, the same fungi responsible for nail infections. A fungal skin infection is sometimes the side effect of the treatment used to manage another ailment. Just like bacteria, the human body has a certain degree of fungi. Antibiotics and chemotherapy can affect this balance. A weakened immune system also increases the likelihood of catching a fungal skin infection.
