What Is Impetigo? Contagious Skin Infection, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Impetigo? Contagious Skin Infection, Causes & Treatment Options Impetigo is a highly contagious superficial bacterial skin infection that often begins as small sores, pustules or fragile blisters that break open and form golden or honey-coloured crusts. It is most common in young children but can affect adolescents and adults. Bacteria often enter through […]
What Is Ichthyosis Vulgaris? Dry Scaly Skin, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Ichthyosis Vulgaris? Dry Scaly Skin, Causes & Treatment Options Ichthyosis vulgaris is a long-term filaggrin-related skin-barrier disorder and the most common, generally mildest inherited ichthyosis. It causes fine polygonal white, grey or brown scale, especially on the fronts of the legs, outer arms and trunk. Skin usually looks normal at birth before scaling […]
What Is Ichthyosis? Dry Scaly Skin, Causes & Care Options
What Is Ichthyosis? Dry Scaly Skin, Causes & Care Options Ichthyosis is a group of skin disorders in which the outer skin layer forms or sheds abnormally, causing persistent dryness and visible scale. Scale may be fine and pale, large and dark, thick and plate-like, or accompanied by red fragile skin. Most ichthyoses are inherited […]
What Is Hypopigmentation? Light Skin Patches, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Hypopigmentation? Light Skin Patches, Causes & Treatment Options Hypopigmentation is an area of skin that has become lighter than the person’s surrounding natural skin colour. It may reflect reduced melanin, fewer functioning melanocytes or near-complete pigment loss, and it is a skin finding rather than one diagnosis. Some light patches recover after inflammation […]
What Is Hyperpigmentation? Dark Skin Patches, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Hyperpigmentation? Dark Skin Patches, Causes & Treatment Options Hyperpigmentation is darkening of part of the skin compared with the person’s surrounding natural skin colour. It is a visible skin change, not one disease, and may appear as one spot, several flat marks, symmetrical facial patches or widespread darkening. Common causes include acne, eczema, […]
What Is Hyperkeratosis? Thickened Skin, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Hyperkeratosis? Thickened Skin, Causes & Treatment Options Hyperkeratosis is excessive thickening of the keratin-rich outer skin layer called the stratum corneum. It is a skin change, not one disease, and may look rough, hard, scaly, waxy, cracked, bumpy or plaque-like. Common examples include calluses, corns, keratosis pilaris and inflammation-related thickening, but infection, inherited […]
What Is Hyperhidrosis? Excess Sweating, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Hyperhidrosis? Excess Sweating, Causes & Treatment Options < Hyperhidrosis is a condition in which sweat production exceeds what the body needs for temperature regulation or interferes with daily life. It can soak clothing, make objects difficult to hold, damage footwear and disrupt school, work, exercise or social contact. Primary focal hyperhidrosis usually affects […]
What Are Hives / Urticaria? Itchy Welts, Triggers & Treatment Options
What Are Hives / Urticaria? Itchy Welts, Triggers & Treatment Options Hives, also called urticaria, are raised, usually itchy areas of temporary skin swelling called wheals or welts. They can change shape, merge, disappear and reappear elsewhere, and each ordinary hive usually clears from one spot within 24 hours. Deeper swelling is called angioedema. Hives […]
What Is Hirsutism? Excess Hair Growth, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Hirsutism? Excess Hair Growth, Causes & Treatment Options Hirsutism is excessive growth of coarse, dark terminal hair in androgen-sensitive areas such as the face, chest, abdomen, back or inner thighs. It does not mean every visible, unwanted or fine body hair. PCOS is the most common associated endocrine condition, but some people have […]
What Is Hidradenitis Suppurativa? Painful Skin Bumps, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Hidradenitis Suppurativa? Painful Skin Bumps, Causes & Treatment Options Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic inflammatory hair-follicle disease that causes recurrent deep, painful lumps in skin-fold areas. It is often shortened to HS and is also called acne inversa, although it is not ordinary acne. Lesions can progress from nodules into abscess-like swellings, open […]