How to Identify Skin Diseases
Skin diseases vary and can be hard to identify just by looking at it. It is always best to go to a dermatologist to find out exactly what kind of skin disease you have and how to treat it, however, for the most part you will be able to narrow it down. There are skin diseases that fall into categories such as inflammatory, bacterial, fungal and viral. The steps below will explain the various kinds of skin diseases that fall into these catagories.
Instructions
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Check for rashes. If you have an ongoing rash that may be spreading, then it is probable that the rash is an inflammatory skin disease. These can be treated and most will go away after a couple of months. There are some inflammatory skin diseases that are caused by an allergic reaction such as atopic eczema and dermatits. Others are hereditary such as dystrophic epidermolysis, which can lead to death if ignored. This particular skin disease causes blistering on hands, knees, elbows and feet if scratched or cut, which can lead to scarring. If not treated, it can spread throughout the body, affecting your eyesight, causing disfigurement and eventually death.
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Look at the scalp for other inflammatory skin diseases. Psoriasis and tinea capitis both affect the scalp. Psoriasis can spread to other places such as the elbows, neck and knees. It cannot be cured, but it can be treated. It goes away and returns periodically. With cortisone cream and limited sunlight, the psoriasis can subside. Tinea capitis occurs on mostly male adolescents. It affects the growth of the hair and can cause spots of hair loss on the scalp. There will be scaling and redness that will occur and it will itch as well. This particular inflammatory skin disease is caused by fungi.
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Watch out for viral skin diseases. These can be infectious to others such as herpes and chicken pox. There are herpes 1 and 2. Herpes 1 is spread through physical contact and is evident through cold sores around the mouth. These sores will appear for several days and then disappear for a little while. Herpes 2 is also spread through physical contact and red sores will appear on the genitals. Herpes 2 itches and can be very painful. Herpes is treatable, but there is no cure. Chicken pox will appear in small, red and itchy blisters. They will show up starting on the stomach and spread throughout the body. A fever and cold symptoms go along with this viral skin disease. Chicken pox has a vaccination that can prevent a person from getting it. If chicken pox does occur, it will last several weeks then go away for good.
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Check for staph infections. These are considered a bacterial skin disease. The infection will occur through a cut in the skin or an opening and is usually attributed by other diseases such as diabetes. A staph infection can be prevented by washing your hands and daily bathing along with keeping an opened wounds covered. Impetigo is one kind of staph infection in which blisters will occur on the neck, face, forearms or hands. It will contain white or yellow pus that will ooze out if the blister is punctured. It is most common among young children.
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Recognize fungal skin diseases. These are the most common type of skin disease to get. Fungus that reproduces rapidly can cause various kinds of skin diseases such as athlete's foot and ringworm. These can both be cured with the right over-the-counter treatments. However, they can return. Athlete's foot is caused by frequent sweaty feet and will itch and at times burn. Ringworm is an accumulation of fungus that will occur especially if the human skin is often warm and sweaty and not cleaned daily. Ringworm can also be transmitted by animals that carry the skin disease. It rather easy to detect ringworm since it has a unique look to it with a round reddish circle with lighter red toward the middle and sometimes white or skin color in the middle. It starts out very small and spreads if not treated.
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Tips & Warnings
Go to your doctor if you feel you have any kind of skin disease to treat it immediately.
