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SKIN
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COMMON CONDITIONS A N D H O W T O AV O I D T H E M BY D AVID B U ICE
You may not usually think of your skin as one of your bodily organs, but it is, and it plays many vital roles. Among others, the skin helps the body retain fluids to prevent dehydration, enables you to feel sensations, guards against infections by protecting against germs and bacteria, stabilizes body temperature, and helps your body synthesize vitamin D from sun exposure.
COMMON SKIN DISORDERS Like any other organ, the skin is susceptible to diseases caused by things that inflame, irritate, or clog your skin. Aside from skin cancer, the following are among the more common skin disorders, including some that are temporary and others that are more lasting.
ACNE This is a very common skin condition that causes pimples on the face, forehead, chest, shoulders, and upper back. Acne most commonly affects teenagers, and causes include stress, fluctuating hormone levels, high humidity, and the use of oily or greasy skincare products.
ECZEMA Also known as atopic dermatitis, eczema most often develops in childhood but can appear in adults. It may cause rashes around the face, scalp, neck, elbows, ankles, or legs. There is no known cure for eczema, though sometimes it resolves on its own. Medications to relieve its symptoms are available.
PSORIASIS This is an autoimmune disorder, and typical symptoms include itchy patches of skin that have an unusual
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appearance. In people with white skin, psoriasis typically appears as areas of red or pink skin with white scales. It may appear as gray, violet, or dark brown patches for African Americans. It can be treated with various medications.
ROSACEA This fairly common skin disorder affects about 14 million Americans and is characterized by redness on the nose, chin, cheeks, and forehead. Over the years, the redness may become more noticeable, and small blood vessels may become visible. It appears more commonly in women than men, although it tends to be more severe in men. The cause of rosacea is unclear and is a subject of debate in the medical community. Genetics may play a role as a family history of rosacea increases the likelihood of suffering from the disorder.
VITILIGO Pronounced vit-il-EYE-go, this disorder causes white patches to appear on the skin when the skin cells that produce melanin, the chemical that gives skin its color, are destroyed by the body’s immune system. Sometimes the patches widen and spread, but commonly they stay in the same place for years. There is no cure for vitiligo, and medical treatment often involves either restoring skin color through repigmentation or eliminating the remaining color through depigmentation.
