What Is Sweet’s Syndrome? Painful Skin Lesions, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Sweet’s Syndrome? Painful Skin Lesions, Causes & Treatment Options Sweet’s syndrome, also called acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, is a rare inflammatory skin disorder in which neutrophils accumulate in the skin and cause the sudden appearance of painful swollen plaques, nodules or blister-like lesions. Fever, malaise, joint pain, eye inflammation or other systemic symptoms […]
What Is Sunburn? UV Skin Injury, Symptoms & Treatment Options
What Is Sunburn? UV Skin Injury, Symptoms & Treatment Options Sunburn is an acute inflammatory skin injury caused by excessive ultraviolet radiation from sunlight or artificial UV sources rather than by heat alone. The ultraviolet dose injures skin cells and DNA, which triggers inflammatory signals that produce warmth, tenderness, pain, swelling and visible color change. […]
What Is Sturge-Weber Syndrome? Skin Birthmark, Symptoms & Treatment Options
What Is Sturge-Weber Syndrome? Skin Birthmark, Symptoms & Treatment Options Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) is a rare congenital neurocutaneous vascular disorder that can affect the skin, brain and eyes. A facial port-wine birthmark is an important visible clue, but it is not the syndrome itself and most port-wine birthmarks occur without SWS. Brain involvement can cause […]
What Are Stretch Marks? Skin Lines, Causes & Treatment Options
What Are Stretch Marks? Skin Lines, Causes & Treatment Options Stretch marks, or striae distensae, are linear scar-like changes within the dermis that develop when rapid body change interacts with hormonal, genetic and connective-tissue susceptibility. They usually begin as newer colored striae rubrae and gradually remodel into lighter, less vascular striae albae. Pregnancy, puberty, rapid […]
What Are Stork Bites? Birthmark Appearance, Causes & Treatment Options
What Are Stork Bites? Birthmark Appearance, Causes & Treatment Options Stork bites, medically called nevus simplex, are common benign capillary birthmarks that are present at birth and usually appear as flat pink, red or reddish-purple patches. The term “stork bite” is commonly used for a lesion on the nape of the neck, while “angel kiss” […]
What Is Stevens-Johnson Syndrome? Severe Skin Reaction, Warning Signs & Emergency Treatment
What Is Stevens-Johnson Syndrome? Severe Skin Reaction, Warning Signs & Emergency Treatment Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a rare, life-threatening mucocutaneous reaction in which immune-mediated keratinocyte death causes painful skin injury, erosions and prominent damage to mucous membranes. It belongs to the same epidermal-necrolysis spectrum as toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), with the categories separated mainly by […]
What Is Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome? Skin Peeling, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome? Skin Peeling, Causes & Treatment Options Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) is a serious toxin-mediated blistering disorder in which certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus release exfoliative toxins that cause widespread superficial skin separation. It mainly affects infants and young children and can progress quickly from skin tenderness to fragile […]
What Is Squamous Cell Carcinoma? Warning Signs, Risk Factors & Treatment Options
What Is Squamous Cell Carcinoma? Warning Signs, Risk Factors & Treatment Options Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a skin cancer that develops when squamous keratinocytes in the epidermis acquire malignant changes and grow without normal control. It often appears as a persistent rough or scaly patch, firm or dome-shaped growth, wart-like lesion, or sore […]
What Is Spider Angioma? Skin Blood Vessel Spot, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Spider Angioma? Skin Blood Vessel Spot, Causes & Treatment Options A spider angioma, also called a spider nevus or spider telangiectasia, is a benign superficial vascular spot built around a small dilated central arteriole with fine blood vessels radiating outward in a spider-like pattern. One or a few classic lesions can occur in […]
What Are Skin Tags? Soft Skin Growths, Causes & Removal Options
What Are Skin Tags? Soft Skin Growths, Causes & Removal Options Skin tags, or acrochordons, are common benign fibroepithelial growths that are usually soft and may project from the skin on a small stalk. They are most often found in friction-prone folds such as the neck, armpits and groin, although they can occur in other […]