Common Skin Conditions
A person’s skin is one of the first things we notice when meeting someone and while we often don’t think of it this way, it’s the largest organ in the body. Just like other organs, it can have a variety of problems from mild to severe. Sometimes these conditions can even be life threatening. There are a number of skin conditions that send people seeking dermatological treatment in Northern New Jersey from mild acne to more extreme conditions such as skin cancer. Typically these conditions are treatable and the symptoms are manageable but it’s important to identify them and have them checked out by a dermatologist.
Acne
It’s every teenager’s worst nightmare. The day of the big dance or school picture day and you wake up with a big fat zit. For some people this condition will even continue into adulthood. While it can be unsightly and embarrassing there is no need to fear, as acne is not life threatening. Acne occurs when the passageways between the skin’s pores and the oil glands become clogged. It typically manifests itself as either whiteheads or blackheads and can also appear as a reddish irritation. Acne is typically found on the face, neck, chest, back, and shoulders. While acne is not a life threatening condition, it is important to take care of it because it can cause scarring, depending on the severity.
There are many factors that contribute to whether or not a person will develop acne. There has been some research that has shown that hereditary traits have a big role in the acne. In teenagers the main reason acne develops is hormonal. Due to the large amounts of growth hormone that teenagers produce they are the most likely to experience acne breakouts.
Eczema
Eczema is another type of skin condition that takes its name from the Greek word meaning ‘boils over.’ Eczema is an umbrella term for several different types of skin conditions, all with similar symptoms. Those experiencing eczema typically have dry skin with itchiness and swelling. There is typically redness involved with this condition as well. The three main types are atopic dermatitis, which is most common in children and causes itchy rashes on the elbows and behind the knees, allergic contact dermatitis, which is basically an allergic reaction, typically to cosmetics, metals, and other materials, and nummular dermatitis, which is characterized by dry, flaky, red, and often extremely itchy patches of skin. Typically, dermatologists will recommend moisturizing the skin and trying to protect it from dryness.
Seborrheic Dermatitis
Seborrheic Dermatitis occurs on the scalp, often in babies. It is caused mainly by dryness and is characterized by oily or waxy patches developing on the scalp. These patches may flake off causing a dandruff-like situation. When this occurs for newborns, after clearing up it typically doesn’t come back until puberty when hormonal changes may help to ignite it again.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is by far the most serious skin condition that can occur. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer that occurs in the United States. Some studies have shown that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetimes. Luckily it is often treatable. There are three main types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. The main cause for skin cancer is exposure to the sun. The UV rays that the sun emits can be damaging to the skin and can often lead to skin cancer. It’s important to protect yourself from prolonged sun exposure and keep your skin safe. Genetics also have a large role to play in skin cancer, particularly when it comes to basal cell and melanoma. They also have a large role to play with how tolerant one’s skin is to sun exposure.
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a genetic and chronic skin disease that is often disfiguring. It is caused by a buildup of excess skin that may appear red and thick. Sometimes it is characterized by silvery, scaly looking skin. Psoriasis generally starts on the knees and elbows but can spread to other parts of the body as well. People who suffer from psoriasis often are self-conscious because of the disfiguring nature of the condition.
Acne
It’s every teenager’s worst nightmare. The day of the big dance or school picture day and you wake up with a big fat zit. For some people this condition will even continue into adulthood. While it can be unsightly and embarrassing there is no need to fear, as acne is not life threatening. Acne occurs when the passageways between the skin’s pores and the oil glands become clogged. It typically manifests itself as either whiteheads or blackheads and can also appear as a reddish irritation. Acne is typically found on the face, neck, chest, back, and shoulders. While acne is not a life threatening condition, it is important to take care of it because it can cause scarring, depending on the severity.
There are many factors that contribute to whether or not a person will develop acne. There has been some research that has shown that hereditary traits have a big role in the acne. In teenagers the main reason acne develops is hormonal. Due to the large amounts of growth hormone that teenagers produce they are the most likely to experience acne breakouts.
Eczema
Eczema is another type of skin condition that takes its name from the Greek word meaning ‘boils over.’ Eczema is an umbrella term for several different types of skin conditions, all with similar symptoms. Those experiencing eczema typically have dry skin with itchiness and swelling. There is typically redness involved with this condition as well. The three main types are atopic dermatitis, which is most common in children and causes itchy rashes on the elbows and behind the knees, allergic contact dermatitis, which is basically an allergic reaction, typically to cosmetics, metals, and other materials, and nummular dermatitis, which is characterized by dry, flaky, red, and often extremely itchy patches of skin. Typically, dermatologists will recommend moisturizing the skin and trying to protect it from dryness.
Seborrheic Dermatitis
Seborrheic Dermatitis occurs on the scalp, often in babies. It is caused mainly by dryness and is characterized by oily or waxy patches developing on the scalp. These patches may flake off causing a dandruff-like situation. When this occurs for newborns, after clearing up it typically doesn’t come back until puberty when hormonal changes may help to ignite it again.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is by far the most serious skin condition that can occur. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer that occurs in the United States. Some studies have shown that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetimes. Luckily it is often treatable. There are three main types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. The main cause for skin cancer is exposure to the sun. The UV rays that the sun emits can be damaging to the skin and can often lead to skin cancer. It’s important to protect yourself from prolonged sun exposure and keep your skin safe. Genetics also have a large role to play in skin cancer, particularly when it comes to basal cell and melanoma. They also have a large role to play with how tolerant one’s skin is to sun exposure.
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a genetic and chronic skin disease that is often disfiguring. It is caused by a buildup of excess skin that may appear red and thick. Sometimes it is characterized by silvery, scaly looking skin. Psoriasis generally starts on the knees and elbows but can spread to other parts of the body as well. People who suffer from psoriasis often are self-conscious because of the disfiguring nature of the condition.