Atopic dermatitis is also known as “Asthma of the skin”. It is generally manifested as dry skin itching and eczematous red areas mostly on the flexural parts of the elbows and knees. An interesting features that helps dermatologist diagnosis – is a is an additional skin fold below the lower eyelids called Dennie-Morgan lines. (see picture).Share on Facebook
Skin Rash On Kids
Your Kid has a rash ? Where did the rash start ? is it itchy ? What color is it ? Does he/her have enlarged lymph gland ? Learn the how to diagnose the most common kids rashes , Measles, Chicken pox, Rubella, Rubeolla and more..
|Fever||Itchy||The lesion||Location||Duration||Additional signs|
|Measles||Yes||Minimal||Flat pink and then red||First the face and |
then the chest belly
|4-7 days||Before the rash
there is cough
and "red eyes"
|Rubella||Yes||No||Flat and red||face and then truck and limbs||2-4 days||Swollen lymphs glands behind the years.
In older kids -
sometimes joint pains.
|Rubeolla||Yes||No||usually flat and pink, maybe sometimes a bit rough to the touch||First the trunk and|
then arms and neck. Minimal on face and feet.
|1-2 days||Start with high temperature (fever) .
The rash appears
after the rash subsides.
|Scarlet fever||Yes||No||Flat, red , rough to the touch.||First the face and then the elbows. Spreads rapidly in 24 hours to the rest of the body.||5-7 days||Sore throat and then desquamation of skin
on the pals of the hands.
|Fifth Disease||No||No||Flat, Red, Lace like.||Looks like a "slapped cheek" The rash can appear and disappear again during the disease.||First the face, and then
teh rest of the body
|Chicken Pox||Yes||Yes||Flat red and then vesicles and crusts||can start anywhere - Limbs , trunk, face, scalp/||4-10 days||The lesions start as
flat papules and than transform into vesicles
What are the causes for dry skin?
Many factors are responsible for excessive dryness of the skin; age, geographic location, time of year, dry and wet in the workplace and frequency of use in water and soap. We all know the hot desert air causes dry skin, but as skin loses moisture being exposed to cold winter wind gusts (winter air is drier). Dry skin is also created after a long stay in air conditioned rooms or overly heated without adding moisture to the air.
How does it look?
Unlike normal skin which is soft and smooth dry skin is rough to the touch and lacks flexibility. It is a mistake to think red peeling skin between the eyebrows and sides of the nose indicate dry skin. This phenomenon is actually caused by over activity of sebaceous skin glands in the area called Seborrhea. In this case adding oily creams to the skin would only exacerbate the situation.
How to treat dry skin?
The key for dry skin is to maintain constant moisture. The moisturized skin is soft and more pleasant to the touch . There is consensus among dermatologists that washing the skin one or two per day is more than enough. Face wash is best done before going to bed , to remove makeup and dirt accumulated on the skin during the day. In the Morning, its enough to refresh your face a little water and there is no need to use soap. The face should be cleaned in lukewarm water which is not too hot.
If the your skin is very dry water and soap should be used alternately with milk or cream cleaners, and its not advisable to use cleaning fluids that contain alcohol. Alcohol damage the natural the skin oiliness which functions as a natural moisturizer. After the initial cleaning is recommended using a moisturizer to replenish the skin fatty protection. A light cream containing a water-based oil is recommended for use during the day.
Tips to prevent and treat dry skin in winter
Dry winter air – you need to double the frequency of skin lubrication
Painful small cracks in the skin – use the fattest moisturizer you can find preferably with lactic acid.
Aqueous solution lubricating skin lotion will provide a only brief and temporary relief . When the water will evaporate the solution – effect will disappear. A thicker cream that contains more fat – will be more effective to treat dry skin.
Using hats, gloves and scarves reduces the skin’s exposure to wind and therefore reduces the dryness caused by cold dry air. (Cotton scarf is less irritating to the skin than wool scarves)
With dry skin should use gloves during housework.
When washing, avoid using hot water – it dehydrates more the skin.
When washing – use a minimal amount of soap.
Limit hand washing (to after toilet..)
Avoid creams and solutions containing alcohol.
Treatment of dry lips
Dry and cracked lips appear with intermittent exposure to moisture and dryness. The phenomenon is more common in winter when cold winds dry the lips quickly. Lips become rough and lose their moisture and their flexibility. Dry frequently develop painful cracks.
The most important rule – do not exaggerate lip licking. The saliva layer that covers the lips evaporates quickly and increases the rate of drying. Keep the lips moist by applying a Vaseline lipstick. Most lipstick contain important sunscreens also protect the lips from the damage of the sun. Apply the Vaseline on the lips frequently during the day and also at bedtime. Its application is important for those who suffer a common colds.
Due to a stuffed up nose we are forced to breathe through the mouth. If the dry lips continued despite all the measures taken above should contact a dermatologist to rule out the possibility of allergic inflammation of lips an or inflammation associated with chronic sun damage.Share on Facebook
Pityriasis Rosea is a strange and surprising skin disorder. The disease is characterized by a very unique pink eruption.
Is it common?
The phenomenon occurs about 0.15 percent of people men and women equally. The most common age appetence is in 15 to 40 year olds , but most patients are teenagers.
How does it look?
In most cases the lesions first appear as pink small areas on the center of the body – the chest or back. These lesions are usually covered with white collar-shaped white scale. A few days later similar many small lesions develop scattered all over the back and chest. These do not appear on the face or hands. In most cases the rash is not itchy.
In about 20 percent of patients the rash is not typical. In these cases rash can also occur inside or scratch hard. Pityriasis Rosea is not dangerous and is not contagious. In most cases the eruption will disappear without treatment after 6 to 8 weeks.
Can the disease reappear?
In Less than 3% of patients the disease appears again.
What are the causes of Pityriasis Rosea?
Cause is unknown. Although it appears that there is involvement of herpes group viruses HPV 6 and HPV 7. In some cases the eruption appears after a streptococcal infection. In this case penicillin treatment is recommended.
When does the eruption appear?
The disease is more common in the autumn and spring and in some cases were several patients in a particular area – a fact that it can suggest the cause infectious disease.
Is there a connection to drugs or food?
Pityriasis Rosea rarely can be associated with taking drugs including
Bismuth, barbiturates, captopril, gold, Isotretinoin. Nothing to do with food.
Do you need laboratory tests to diagnose the disease?
Laboratory tests in patients with Pityriasis Rosea are usually completely normal. In most cases very characteristic signs of the disease trained dermatologist can diagnose them very easily.
Do I need treatment?
Pityriasis Rosea itself was atransient phenomenon. There is no need treatment whatsoever.
If there is itching your dermatologist can recommend pills or creams with steroids to relieve the itch. Exposure to the sun can speed up the healing but may increase the risk of hyperpigmentation (brown spots).Share on Facebook
 Nickel: Nickel is a metal found in many products, especially those plated with a chrome-nickel alloy or those made of stainless steel, of which nickel is one of the components. Many earrings not made of gold contain nickel and cause dermatitis in people allergic to it. The metal buttons on jeans and belt and watchband buckles also contain nickel and can cause allergic reactions in sensitive people. Since perspiration dissolves a small quantity of the nickel found in various products, these reactions are more common in summer.
 Rubber: Rubber is a frequent cause of allergic reactions. An allergy to rubber appears as an itching red rash which can manifest itself a few minutes after contact with an article containing rubber. Most of these reactions occur in people who use rubber gloves, among them doctors and nurses who wear gloves made of latex. People who have been diagnosed as allergic to rubber and to rubber-bearing products are advised to wear vinyl gloves instead, since these to not produce allergic reactions.
 Hair Dyes: Some people are sensitive to hair dyes. A common cause is the pheraphenylan diamine, one of the ingredients found in hair dyes.
 Chromates: Chromates are substances common in cement, shoe leather, matches, paints and some anti-rust preparations. Welders, construction workers and shoe makers are readily exposed to chromates and can develop allergies to products containing them.
 Cosmetics: The wide range of cosmetic products that can be bought today enables us to beautify our hair and nails. Remember, however, that these products can cause unwanted side effects such as allergic dermatitis, increased sensitivity to the sun, lesions resembling acne, etc., which should be diagnosed early to prevent continued damage to the skin.
The most common cause of cosmetic allergy is caused by the fragrances present in cosmetic products. More than five thousand such fragrances are in use today and are found not only in cosmetics which are applied or sprayed onto the skin but in other common household items such as toilet paper, paper towels, soaps, detergents and fabric softeners.
Some of the fragrances, especially those used in men’s after shave lotions until a few years ago, cause increased facial skin sensitivity to the sun, which can lead to hard-to-cure chronic skin inflammations or to brown splotches on the skin. Allergy tests can determine the exact cause of this sensitivity.
Preservatives are found in the overwhelming majority of cosmetic products. Their role is to prevent bacteria and fungi from contaminating the product. These preservatives often cause rashes and are the second most common cause of allergic reactions to cosmetics.
A small number of side effects has been noted as a result of the use, welcome as it is, of sun blocks. These allergic reactions appear as local redness or itching. They used to be caused by an ingredient called PABA, which is no longer used in such preparations; today they are caused by sun blocks containing oxybenzone.
 Toothpaste There have been infrequent reported cases of skin irritations caused by toothpaste. In these few cases, sensitivity to toothpaste or mouthwash appears as an itchy red area around the lips. In a few cases allergic reactions to the fluoride in toothpaste have caused lesions resembling the pustules of acne around the lips.
 Shaving creams and after shave lotions can cause irritations or allergies, chiefly because of the fragrances they contain. One of the most common such fragrances in use during the nineteen sixties and seventies was called “musk ambrette,” and caused severe skin inflammations which worsened upon exposure to the sun.
Certain cosmetic products contain hypoallergenic ingredients which cause fewer allergic reactions than ordinary cosmetic products. Although the chance of developing an allergic reaction to one of these substances is relatively small, they are not perfect and do cause such reactions in some of the people who use them.Share on Facebook
Viruses are tiny organisms which cause many different kinds of diseases. One of the viruses which causes skin infections is called Herpes. There are two types of Herpes viruses: Herpes simplex and Herpes zoster.
There are also two types of Herpes simplex viruses, one of which causes blisters on the upper part of the body (“above the belt”) and is called Type 1, and the other, called Type 2, causes blisters and ulcers on the genitalia.
Herpes simplex type I:
Most people are exposed in childhood to Herpes simplex type 1, but only 10% of the population develops the disease, which first appears as an itching at the site of the infection; later small blisters appear. The blisters form several days after exposure to the virus and dry up after 7 to 10 days. They appear most commonly around the lips or near the nostrils, but they can appear on other areas of the face or on the inside of the mouth. In some patients the virus remains on the skin in a dormant state and reappears weeks, months or even years later. An outbreak of the virus can be caused by exposure to the sun, nervous tension, a severe disease like the flu and in women, by menstruation. Recurrent outbreaks of Herpes can be partially prevented by using a cream containing acyclovir (brand name: Zovirax), which should be applied as soon as an itching sensation heralds a recurrence of the disease.
Herpes Simplex type 2 :
is transmitted by sexual contact and appears as blisters or painful ulcers on the genitalia. The first attack can last up to two weeks, and as is the case with Herpes simplex type 1, the disease can reoccur after weeks or months have passed. Herpes simplex type 2 is treated with oral doses of acyclovir. If there are more than six attacks a year, low-dosage prophylactic acyclovir treatment should be considered.
Herpes Zoster :
is the virus which causes chicken pox in children. After the symptoms of the disease disappear, the virus remains dormant in the sensory nerves of the skin. In a small percentage of the population, usually those people over 60, the disease reappears as blisters on the skin along the route of the nerve in which the virus resides. In addition to blisters, Herpes zoster, also called shingles, is extremely painful.
Despite the fact that in most cases the blisters of Herpes zoster disappear after three weeks, certain people experience pain for weeks and even months. In these cases the use of painkillers is recommended; a physician specializing in the treatment of pain can be consulted. When Herpes zoster is widespread, appears in one of the facial nerves or in a patient whose immune system has been affected, the use of acyclovir is recommended, administered either orally or intravenously.Share on Facebook