Number 20 on our list of the Top 20 Skin Conditions is Atopic Dermatitis.

A skin problem that causes dry skin, intense itching, and then a red, raised rash, it is one of the many types of eczema. While the exact cause of Atopic Dermatitis is unclear, this condition, similar to many types of rashes, affects your body’s ability to retain moisture, leading your skin to because dry, easily irritated, and itchy. 

Atopic Dermatitis is most common in babies and children. Some children with Atopic Dermatitis outgrow it or have milder cases as they get older, and a person may get Atopic Dermatitis as an adult.

This condition can not be fully treated, however there are things you can do to help manage your Atopic Dermatitis. Using physician approved moisturizers to medication prescribed by a dermatologist can help curb your Atopic Dermatitis outbreaks.

To read more about Atopic Dermatitis and other forms of rashes, please click here.

Herpes Zoster (Shingles)

Number 14 on our list of the Top 20 Skin Conditions is the condition Herpes Zoster, more commonly known as Shingles. This condition is characterized by a blister-producing, localized, painful skin rashes as seen in the photo.

Herpes Zoster is the chickenpox virus, varicella-zoster, reactivated. After a person has the chickenpox, the virus itself remains in certain nerves in the body in a dormant state. Although the exact cause of reactivation of this virus is unknown, if reactivated a person generally only has one outbreak which occurs on a single side of the body.

Antiviral medication may be prescribed by your doctor to help in the healing process, that would also work to reduce the side effects such as body pain, fever and chills. Medications should be started immediately once the outbreak is first noticed. Herpes Zoster can last roughly 2 to 3 weeks and rarely reoccurs.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about Herpes Zoster, please contact us here.

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Hives

Also known as Urticaria, hives are patches of red or white, raised welts that appear and disappear, in varying sizes, on the skin. Often an allergic reaction to foods or medicines, many cases of hives are gone within a few weeks. However there are chronic cases where hives may last over 6 weeks or are reoccurring.

photo: Wikipedia

Contact Dermatitis

Number 5 on our list of Top 20 Skin Conditions is caused by the skin coming in direct contact with an irritating or allergy-causing substance such as poison ivy/oak, nickel, latex, detergents, etc.

There are two main types of Contact Dermatitis:

1. Irritant Dermatitis - inflammation from coming in contact with acids, soaps, detergents, other alkaline materials, solvents, or other chemicals. Irritant Dermatitis often resembles a burn on the skin.
2. Allergic Contact Dermatitis - exposure to something you have become ultra-sensitive too or allergic. This rash appears on the skin roughly 24-48 hours after initial exposure and can vary depending on the irritant, body part affected, and an individual’s sensitivity to the irritant.

Treatment for Contact Dermatitis generally comes in the form of topical medications. To learn more about this condition, please continue reading here.

Eczema

The most common inflammatory skin disease, eczema is often chronic and usually caused by specific triggers present in the world we live in. (One example is poison ivy also known as rhus dermatitis.) It is an itchy rash that can occur anywhere on the body. People with a history of asthma or a family history of asthma are more likely to get eczema. 

Fortunately, despite the chronic nature of eczema, new treatments are available using a combination of creams, ointments and sometimes, oral medication. DLCC also participates in clinical trials on eczema and offers sizable moisturizers and topical medications for the treatment of this condition.

For more information on Eczema, please continue reading here.