How to Prevent Skin Disease

Antibacterial Soap

The skin is the largest organ in the body and it is vulnerable to a host of diseases, some of which can be fatal, like skin cancer, *MRSA or other staph infections. Fortunately, many skin diseases can be avoided by practicing simple hygiene. Virus and bacteria proliferate the environment but by washing hands frequently, wearing clean clothing, and eating well, the human body can ward off many skin diseases. Hand lotions and sunscreens are powerful tools in the arsenal to ward off skin diseases.

Things You'll Need

• Soap
• Hand sanitizer
• Foot powder or cornstarch
• Hand or body lotion
• Sunscreen

Instructions

1. Wash your hands frequently. Germs transmit easily from one person to another, and bacteria and viruses can live on surfaces from an hour to two days. According to the Mayo Clinic, flu viruses live longer than cold viruses. The liquid hand sanitizers or wipes also work well when there is no access to soap and water. Keep a package or small bottle of hand sanitizer in the car, purse, or pocket to prevent exposure to other types of illnesses, as well. Respiratory viruses, the stomach flu, and the common cold can be spread from hand to mouth contact

2. Wear clean, dry clothing. Many fungi and bacteria thrive on damp skin. If sweaty feet are a problem, use foot powders or cornstarch inside your shoes to absorb the moisture. In hot or humid weather, skin chaffing can be an uncomfortable wherever the skin rubs together, under the breasts, underarms, or between the thighs. The same powders for feet will also work wherever the skin is irritated.

3. Do not share towels or bedding with others and wash the sheets at least once a week in hot water and detergent. When staying in a hotel, pull back the bedspread and put it in a closet. There is no way to know if the bedspread has been laundered or disinfected since the last occupant vacated the room.

4. Use sunscreen daily. Skin cancer can be a deadly skin disease and protecting the skin from the UV rays of the sun helps prevent this disease. People who live in sunbelt states wear sunscreen daily, even during the winter.

   Dermatologists recommend putting sunscreen on exposed skin even during the winter if the sun is shining and there is snow on the ground. The snow reflects a significant amount of UV rays. SPF is an acronym for "sunscreen protection factor" and the higher the number, the more protection it offers. Apply waterproof sunscreen every 80 minutes when swimming or sweating; if using water-resistant sunscreen, reapply after 40 minutes. Under normal conditions, applying sunscreen every four hours will provide sufficient protection if you are going to be in the sun more than 20 minutes at a time.

5. Lather with soap when showering and let it stay on your skin for a few seconds to give the antibacterial properties time to work. When you soap up under the stream of water, the ingredients in the soap are washed off quickly.

   Consider a soap with a moisturizing cream in it if your skin is dry. If your skin is sensitive to the antibacterial soaps, consider a mild soap (baby soap) or organic soap that uses vegetable oils and herbal ingredients to clean the skin.

   If you prefer baths to showers, make sure you shower off briefly to make sure your skin is completely clean.

6. Put hand or body lotion on your skin when it is dry. Sometimes the skin will crack when chapped and this opens it up to opportunistic bacteria or fungi. The best creams and lotions are oil-based since they trap more moisture than the water-based lotions. Jojoba and sesame oils can be applied directly to dry patches of skin or all over to heal dry or chapped skin.

7. Eat well. Food is essential to healthy skin. The darker a fruit or vegetable is, the better it is for building a strong immune system and replenishing the skin to keep it healthy. Strawberries, blueberries, melons, winter squash, and dark green leafy vegetables provide vitamins A and C. Eating salmon or other fish provides Vitamin E.

   Staying hydrated is also important for healthy skin. The standard is eight glasses a day, although you may need much more depending on the humidity and your activity level.

8. Wear protective foot coverings if you shower at a gym or other public places where skin diseases like athlete's foot are common. The fungus that causes athlete's foot can also spread to the groin and even fingernails. Besides athlete's foot, there could be a host of other germs on the floor like MRSA or other types of staph infections that could have serious health ramifications.

   *Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

References

• Brainz: How To Prevent Skin Diseases
• MIami University: Diseases Transmitted by Skin Infection
• Mayo Clinic: Influenza (flu)

Resources

• American Melanoma Foundation: Facts About Sunscreen
• American Osteopathic College of Dermatology: Dry Skin