What Is Skin Cancer? Warning Signs, Risk Factors & Treatment Options
What Is Skin Cancer? Warning Signs, Risk Factors & Treatment Options Skin cancer develops when abnormal skin cells acquire changes that allow them to grow without normal control and form a malignant lesion. The three major types readers need to distinguish are basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and melanoma, because they arise […]
What Is Skin Allergy? Rash Symptoms, Triggers & Treatment Options
What Is Skin Allergy? Rash Symptoms, Triggers & Treatment Options “Skin allergy” is a broad term for immune-related skin reactions rather than one specific disease. The main patterns include delayed allergic contact dermatitis, transient hives or urticaria, and deeper angioedema, each of which produces a different combination of itching, rash, welts, blistering or swelling. The […]
What Is a Skin Abscess? Pus-Filled Skin Infection, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is a Skin Abscess? Pus-Filled Skin Infection, Causes & Treatment Options A skin abscess is a localized pocket of pus that forms within the skin or deeper soft tissue and usually creates a painful, swollen, warm and tender lump. As inflammatory cells and damaged tissue collect inside the cavity, pressure builds; the center may […]
What Is Shingles? Painful Skin Rash, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Shingles? Painful Skin Rash, Causes & Treatment Options Shingles, or herpes zoster, occurs when varicella-zoster virus (VZV) that remained dormant after an earlier chickenpox infection reactivates in sensory nerve tissue. The reactivated virus can inflame a nerve and the skin it supplies, producing burning, tingling, unusual sensitivity or deep pain followed by a […]
What Is Seborrheic Keratosis? Benign Skin Growth, Causes & Removal Options
What Is Seborrheic Keratosis? Benign Skin Growth, Causes & Removal Options Seborrheic keratosis is a common benign epidermal growth that often appears as a sharply defined, waxy, rough or “stuck-on” spot and becomes increasingly common during adulthood. Individual lesions can be flat or raised and may range from skin-colored or yellowish to tan, brown, gray […]
What Is Seborrheic Dermatitis? Flaky Skin Rash, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Seborrheic Dermatitis? Flaky Skin Rash, Causes & Treatment Options Seborrheic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that causes recurrent flaking, scaling and irritation in oil-rich areas such as the scalp, eyebrows, sides of the nose, ears and central chest. The rash can look white, yellowish, greasy, dry, darker, lighter or simply different […]
What Is Sebaceous Cyst / Wen? Skin Lump, Causes & Removal Options
What Is Sebaceous Cyst / Wen? Skin Lump, Causes & Removal Options A “sebaceous cyst” or wen is a common name for a benign skin lump that is usually an epidermoid cyst or a pilar cyst filled with keratin rather than sebum. Epidermoid cysts form in or beneath the skin and often have a visible […]
What Is Scleroderma? Skin Hardening, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Scleroderma? Skin Hardening, Causes & Treatment Options Scleroderma is a group of disorders in which inflammation and excessive collagen lead to fibrosis, making affected skin or other tissues unusually hard, thick or tight. The fibrotic tissue is less flexible than normal tissue, so visible skin change can be accompanied by stiffness, reduced movement, […]
What Are Scars? Skin Healing Marks, Causes & Treatment Options
What Are Scars? Skin Healing Marks, Causes & Treatment Options A scar is collagen-rich fibrous tissue that forms when the skin repairs an injury deep enough to disrupt its normal structure. Scar tissue closes and strengthens the injured area, but the repaired tissue can differ from normal skin in collagen arrangement, texture, flexibility, color and […]
What Is Scalp Folliculitis? Scalp Bumps, Causes & Treatment Options
What Is Scalp Folliculitis? Scalp Bumps, Causes & Treatment Options Scalp folliculitis is inflammation of hair follicles on the scalp that commonly causes small itchy or tender follicle-centered bumps and pustules that may become scratched, sore or crusted. The inflammation can be driven by more than one factor, so the appearance of pustules does not […]