Skin Infections and Diseases: Prevention And Treatment

�This article examines common skin ailments such as dermatitis, infections and cancer and offers treatments and preventative measures.The skin, which is the body's largest organ, is its first line of defense against infections. The classifications of these skin conditions are: dermatitis, bacterial and fungal infections, and cancer.

Dermatitis:

Dermatitis is a superficial skin inflammation characterized by vesicles, redness, edema (swelling), oozing, crusting, scaling, and itching. Scratching or rubbing can make the condition worse and lead to an infection. Whenever there is a break in the skin, the barrier, the first line of defense is compromised. It is important to keep the skin intact and protect it from cuts and scratches.

Contact Dermatitis:

One type of dermatitis is contact as it is caused primarily by sensitivity to an irritant. The irritants can include: soap, make-up, detergents, and jewelry (usually the nickel in the metal). Other irritants are plants such as poison ivy and oak, and sumac.

Symptoms of contact dermatitis are redness, itching and vesicles. Any exposed skin that comes in contact with the irritant will be affected. Sometimes it is easy to determine the cause. If you have recently changed detergents, that might be the culprit. Relief can be found with corticosteroid creams. Eliminating the offending agent will eliminate the contact dermatitis.

Psoriasis:

Psoriasis is a common chronic and genetically determined dermatitis. The lesions are pink or red with a silvery scale that is characteristic of this type of dermatitis. The sites most affected are the scalp, knees, elbows, and the sacral area (base of the spine). Joint pain may accompany this disease. Psoriasis is thought to be an autoimmune disease provoked by risk factors such as stress, infections. Topical treatments are preferred if only a small portion of the body is affected.