Skin diseases usually occur in mild forms, that threaten more the aesthetic look rather than the health, at least in the early stages. Diseases like acne, benign cancers (the type that doesn’t spread and is not dangerous) or pigment disorders are treated more like a nuisance, rather than a medical condition. Despite this thing, skin diseases are extremely resilient and surprisingly difficult to defeat. There is a multibillion dollar pharmaceutical industry, which is still left stomped on occasions. Other, more serious types of skin diseases, that either tend to spread over time or mean that a more serious illness is present in the body (like a sexually transmitted diseases or liver dysfunction), are far more dangerous. Untreated diseases of this kind can have a serious and negative impact on a person’s life. No matter of what stage the skin disease is in, the best option is always to act as soon as possible. The cosmetic industry might make you think that a cream can both heal you and make you look beautiful, but a doctor will cut through this maze of deception and tell you exactly what should be done and why. The earlier the stage in which the medical supervision starts, the higher the chances for a complete healing.

Why It Is Important To Know These Things

Skin diseases represent one of those few areas where prevention can be easily put into place. Browsing through our library of articles you will certainly find the means to protect you and your family. This is extremely important especially for those with a history of skin diseases in the family. Knowing the weaknesses you inherited is the first step in tackling them. It is for the best that you stay informed and up to date on the latest discoveries and approaches in the field. It is also critical that you thoroughly learn to recognize the early symptoms so you can avoid the more serious side effects usually associated with an illness in an advanced stage. Teach yourself about these issues and you will be able to help yourself and those around you.

Educate Yourself Then Educate The Others

The frequency with which skin diseases appear has seen an increase during the years worldwide in general, but more intensely in the Western world. As the scientific community is still not completely sure which part of the Western lifestyle causes this, we tend to avoid giving unproved claims and merely stick to facts and proven theories. However those factors that aggravate or cause skin diseases and are known are covered extensively. While altering the lifestyle as a whole can be difficult, removing these factors is usually much easier and thus it is important to know them. Keep in mind that nobody is born all-knowing and there is no shame in not being aware of what cause your condition as long as you move towards finding out. Education is the key factor here and this one can’t come alone through our site. Learn what you can from here and than try to advise those who need this knowledge.

Skin Disease Archive’s Mission

This website was created as a necessity. As more and more people are affected by skin diseases it is becoming harder and harder to find the information needed if not to cure them, at least to understand them. I tried to transform this site into a point of reference for all those in search of general advice regarding skin diseases. While I make absolutely no attempt to claim that you will find full treatment here, I think that you will find with certainty at least some hints of where to claim assistance The variety of skin diseases and their increased frequency have put a great strain on the medical system. The information provided here will help establish more quickly the condition you have and perhaps will point towards the qualified specialist that can help you.

My ultimate goal for this web site is to educate people about natural skin disease treatments. There are so many different drugs out there that claim to cure certain skin diseases but they all seem to have some side effects. Not many people know about alternative therapies and I would like to change that with this web site.

I will be adding new content to my site every month so please subscribe to my web site via my RSS feed to receive content updates. You can do it by adding the RSS feed to your feed reader or subscribing to it via email.

• Hives
• Folliculitis
• Hot Tub Folliculitis

Hives are the physical manifestations of a skin condition called urticaria. Hives are very common, and may be caused by a wide range of different factors. They may be round or ring-shaped, and are usually itchy, red and raised. Hives can be either “ordinary” or “physical”, being physical hives more rare than ordinary hives.

Causes Of Hives

The chemical process that produces hives is the releasing of histamine and other substances present in mast cells, a certain type of cells that form one of the layers of the skin. Once released, histamine causes the leakage of fluid from the blood vessels, causing inflammation of the skin.

In ordinary hives, this chemical release can be triggered by many factors, often allergic reactions to certain environmental elements, viral agents, allergies to certain foods and medicines, intolerance to certain soaps or detergents, and stress. There may be a genetic predisposition to develop hives in reaction to certain elements, like pollen. Most cases of hives, however, are not allergic and have no apparent cause at all; this is called “idiopathic hives”.

Hives caused by nerves are especially interesting, because they are an evident proof of how stress levels can affect the chemical balance of the body. This type of hives appears when a person is very nervous or emotionally stressed.

Physical hives are caused to the sensitivity of the skin to physical agents, like heat, coldness, water or contact. The most common form of physical hives is called “skin writing” (dermographia): the stem cells react to a normal scratch or pressure, releasing histamine. As a result, hives appear in the contact areas, such as waist (due to the pressure of the belt), the wrist (due to pressure of the watch), and others.

Symptoms Of Hives

Symptoms of hives include raised skin, itch, skin reddening, and the formation of small wheals, often surrounded by a flare. In very severe allergic cases, hives may appear in the respiratory system or the glottis, preventing normal airflow and therefore threatening life. This is a medical emergency, an urgent condition named anaphylaxis.

How To Get Rid Of Hives

Hives usually go away on their own, just as they appeared. People with physical hives have a persistent sensitivity, so hives may come and go all the time. Most hives episodes subside within 5 or 6 weeks, and if they last longer they are called “chronic hives”, although they usually disappear eventually.

Despite this, there are some treatment practices that may help relieving the symptoms. Treatment for hives includes creams and ointments to deal with the itch, and the intake of oral antihistamines will help reduce the effects and action of the histamines.

In severe cases, treatment for hives can also consist on certain steroids, useful in the short term but unsafe to be used for too long. Emergency treatment for anaphylaxis due to allergic hives consists on the immediate administration of Decadron or equivalent drug.

Prevention Of Hives

As most cases of hives just appear with no evident reason, they cannot be prevented. However, if there is a known allergy then the specific allergen must be avoided. Also, water that is too hot in the shower may cause physical hives, so it is advisable to avoid excessively high temperatures.

Hot tub folliculitis is an infection of the hair follicles by the bacterium named Pseudomonas Aeruginosa. This bacterium is frequently present in areas that are warm and wet, which makes hot tubs, pools and bath tubs ideal environments for its growth and proliferation, unless acid and chloride levels in the water prevent pseudomonas to live.

Causes Of Hot Tub Folliculitis

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa is a very fast proliferating bacterium. When within the adequate environment, it reproduces in a short time, increasing the risk of infection. Swimsuits tend to hold the infected water against the skin for longer, increasing the odds of these areas to be affected by hot tub folliculitis.

Symptoms Of Hot Tub Folliculitis

Hot tub folliculitis’ symptoms appear within 2 weeks after being exposed to the bacterial agent. At first, the hair follicles get inflamed and appear as itchy bumps that may or may not be filled with pus. These bumps are the center of small red papules of up to 3 cm in diameter. The bumps may eventually turn into dark red and tender nodules.

Some cases of hot tub folliculitis may present a brownish coloration instead of the most common reddish one. Other uncommon symptoms may be fatigue and tiredness during the first few days of the rash, or during the couple of days before it appears. Fever is extremely rare. People with a low immunological response may develop skin abscesses, but this is also extremely rare. Within 7 to 10 days, the rash disappears and leaves a dark lesion that will eventually go away within a few months.

People that share a common infected place are likely to be infected, so it is not uncommon to see the rash of hot tub folliculitis affecting an entire family at the same time.

Treatment Of Hot Tub Folliculitis

Hot tub folliculitis may not require treatment as it usually goes away by itself. However, the itch can be very uncomfortable and it can be treated with creams, lotions, ointments or special powders. Severe cases (cases that affect a large part of the skin, or that don’t go away within a normal time) may need antibiotics.

Prevention Of Hot Tub Folliculitis

The agent causing hot tub folliculitis is well known and identifiable; therefore it’s easy to prevent this condition. The best way to prevent infection is to keep a sufficient and safe level of disinfectant substances in the water. Frequent changes of the water are necessary, as well as a good cleaning of the bath tub, especially wooden ones. In addition, a continuous water filtering ensures the elimination of skin cells that may be infected.

Folliculitis is a an infection of the hair follicles. It may cause itching and extreme discomfort, and in some cases it can be painful. Additionally, it may cause hair loss or growth alteration in the hair. Folliculitis can be superficial or deep; depending on how deep the infection is and how much of the hair follicle is affected.

Causes Of Folliculitis

Folliculitis may be caused by a variety of agents, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and certain chemical agents. The most common causes of superficial folliculitis are due to bacterial and fungal infections, while viruses are responsible for most cases of deep folliculitis.

Symptoms Of Folliculitis

Signs of folliculitis can be quite diverse, depending on the type of folliculitis and the causing agent. In its most common form, a series of acne-like pimples appear, usually with a hair coming out of its center. In some cases, these pimples are surrounded by a reddish, inflamed area. The pimple may contain pus and may crust over. Itching is very common (sometimes very intense), although this is not a characteristic symptom. Pain is uncommon, except for some cases of deep folliculitis that affect large areas of the skin.

Superficial folliculitis may show these symptoms: red, pus-filled, itchy bumps (hot-tub folliculitis); white, uncomfortable lumps in skin areas that are shaved (Barber’s itch folliculitis as well as Tinea Barbae, this last one also causes reddened skin and fever); red, itchy pustules on the back, face, neck, upper arms and chest (pytyrosporum folliculitis), and others.

Deep folliculitis is usually more serious, as it affects the entire hair follicle rather than just a part of it. Symptoms may include: severe skin lesions, fever, pain, intensive itch, pus-filled blisters (up to the size of a golf ball), scars, recurring patches of pus-filled sores (mainly on HIV-infected people), and others.

Treatment Of Folliculitis

Treatment of folliculitis must be based in the type of causing agent and the severity of the lesions involved. Although most folliculitis (specially superficial folliculitis) subside and go away on their own, antibiotics, anti-fungal ointments, refreshing powders and other medicines are usually administered to control the symptoms.

Prevention Of Folliculitis

Prevention of folliculitis consists on avoiding or limiting the conditions that can induce bacterial or fungal proliferation. Regularly cleaning the bath-tub and keeping the skin dry and clean can prevent folliculitis, as well as using adequate lubricants and using brand new blades when shaving.

Causes of Jock Itch

Jock itch can be caused by sweating, wearing damp clothing for too long, or even transferred from your feet when putting on underwear. The groin area is the perfect place for this fungus to grow because it is a warm, moist area. In the summer, you perspire more and cannot change your clothes every time you sweat. In the winter, wearing too many layers of clothing can cause the same effect.

Symptoms of Jock Itch

The symptoms of jock itch usually start in the folds of the groin area. A small area, usually only a half inch across, that is red and can have sores in no particular pattern is the onset. It may develop a scaly appearance and have sores that ooze. The sores have raised edges and the infection can spread down the inner thighs. Itching is one of the most irritating symptoms.

How To Cure Jock Itch

Jock itch can be treated with over the counter medicines. If you are pretty sure that is what you have, you can purchase Tinactin, Lotrimin, or Micatin from your drugstore. These are ointments that you spread on the effected area and are also available in sprays. Cut down on using scented soaps because they can irritate the symptoms.

How To Prevent Jock Itch

Always put your socks on before putting on your underwear as this reduces the spread of fungi from your feet. Try to shower after anything you do that causes you to sweat a lot. Make sure your clothes are very dry before putting them on. Do not share towels with others because this spread it quite easily. An anti-inflammatory medicine, such as ibuprofen, can cut down on the inflammation of the infected area. Try to keep this area free of moisture. Make sure you dry completely before putting on clothes. You should wear boxers and loose fitting clothing, preferably cotton.

Men and women can both get jock itch but it is more common in men. After the symptoms have been gone for one week, you can stop treatment. However, that does not mean you can never get it again. So use some precautions and you will be back to new in no time.

Shingles is an infection that causes a painful and very uncomfortable rash. It’s scientific name is Herpes zoster and it is a neurological disease not a skin disease as most people think. It usually subsides within 3-5 weeks from appearing, and some people experience a reactivation of this condition, called zoster sine herpete, that doesn’t show any rash. It affects the nervous system with or without showing the skin rash.

It is a painful condition, but rarely a serious one. The worse complication is called post-herpetic neuralgia, which keeps the skin painful for a long period of time, sometimes even years, after the rash is gone. Zoster sine herpete, however, may have more serious complications.

What Causes Shingles?

Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox - the Varicella-zoster virus. When a patient suffering from chickenpox recovers, the virus hides itself in the nerves and remains inactive for long periods of time. After several years, it can reactivate itself and cause shingles. This is the reason why shingles vaccine shots and chickenpox vaccine shots are the same. This usually happens on patients who have a malfunction on their immune system.

Only people who have had chickenpox in the past can have shingles as this condition cannot be induced. If fact, when a person gets the virus from a shingles-suffering patient, it develops chickenpox and not shingles.

Shingles Symptoms

Shingles start with headache and eye pain (particularly, sensitivity to strong lights); then these symptoms evolve and develop into severe itching throughout the body, chills, fever and severe pain in the areas of the skin where the rash is developing. Additionally, there may be sporadic numbness and stabbing pain in those areas of the body where the affected nerves are. The rash develop last.

These lesions to the skin are typically distributed in a strip pattern. The rash develops into painful blisters filled with a virus-infested serous liquid. During this blister period, patients can pass chickenpox to people who come in contact with these lesions, provided that they have never had chickenpox. After about ten days, these blisters begin to crust and the patient is no longer contagious. When these crusts fall off, the affected person is left with scars.

Treatment For Shingles

There is no known treatment to deal with shingles. However, there are methods to alleviate its symptoms and prevent potential complications. Antiviral drugs, like acyclovir and its variations, can help reduce the probability of developing post herpetic neuralgia and zoster sine herpete. As for the pain, conventional analgesics are ineffective, and for this reason topic anesthetics are often prescribed.

Vaccination For Shingles

There is a routinely administered chickenpox vaccine, called Varivax, which helps prevent chickenpox. Children and adults who have never had chickenpox are advised to receive this vaccine shot. There is another vaccine, called Zoltavax, designed for shingles. It’s basically the same, but this vaccine shot is intended for adults that have suffered from chickenpox and are in a situation of depressed immunization (such as elder people, or people under a lot of stress).