Treatment for Common Skin Disorders
Common disorders like eczema and rosacea affect millions of people across the globe. Experts like Dr. Brian Kim have made many seminal discoveries for the treatment of such skin disorders, and he is currently the Associate Professor of Medicine and the Co-Director of the Center of Study of Itch and Sensory Disorders at the Washington University School of Medicine.
He’s also won a litany of awards, including the American Society for Clinical Investigation Young Physician-Scientist Award, the American Academy of Dermatology Young Investigator Award, and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Clinical Scientist Development Award.
In the following piece, we will talk about some of the most common skin disorders and how they can be treated.
Eczema
This skin disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
· Dry skin
· Skin irritation and itching
· Inflammation and redness
· Vesicles that contain fluid
· Crusts
· Excoriations
Often associated with asthma and allergies, eczema occurs in cycles where eczema flares alternate with periods of remission.
How to treat it?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for eczema. Medications prescribed by your doctor will reduce the inflammation and itching.
Cortisone creams
Different cortisone creams are used depending on the severity of the disease. The less concentrated creams can be applied to areas such as the face and neck for longer periods of time. Those that are more concentrated can only be used for a short period of time, partly because they can thin the skin.
Ultraviolet light treatment
Sometimes UVB or UVA radiation treatments may be prescribed. There are, however, two contraindications: those with increased of risk of skin cancer and with photosensitivity dermatitis.
Some preventive measures
· Reduce stress, among other things through cognitive behavioral therapy
· Limit exposure to allergens
· Avoid allergenic foods
· Use mild soaps instead of industrial soaps
· Apply moisturizers immediately after bathing, when the skin is still damp
· Only take baths once a day
· Pat the skin dry instead of rubbing on it
· Do not use washcloths
Age spots or brown spots
Age spots (also called brown spots, sun spots or lentigo) are caused by exposure to the sun and excessive production of melanin.
They appear on areas more exposed to the sun in people over 40:
· Face
· Hands
· Neckline
To Monitor
In general, age spots are not dangerous. However, it is always a wise idea to get in touch with a dermatologist to check if these spots that appear on your skin are due to sun exposure or another skin disease. Rarely, these skin cancer scan develop in these spots.
Watch for any changes in your age spots: increase in size, change in color, bleeding, etc. These might be the first manifestations of melanoma (skin cancer).
How to treat them?
If your dark spots aren not skin cancer, you may yet still want to remove them for cosmetic reasons.
Hypopigmenting Creams
Your doctor may prescribe a cream that can remove the pigmentation from dark spots. It is recommended that you apply sunscreen before going out in the sun to avoid getting dark spots.
Laser
Laser treatments destroy melanin, so the dark spots gradually fade.
Sunbathing is strongly discouraged following laser treatment. The redness after treatment can turn into other pigment spots if exposed directly under the sun for long periods of time.
Liquid Nitrogen
This treatment is the same like treating warts, where liquid nitrogen depigments the dark spots. However, it is not recommended for people with dark skin.
Just like when opting for a laser treatment, it is highly recommended that you avoid sun exposure immediately after treatment with liquid nitrogen.
Exfoliation
To remove age spots, an acid-based treatment is applied to the skin to deeply exfoliate it.
Some Preventive Measures
To prevent them from appearing over time, you should therefore take a few preventive measures when it comes to sunbathing:
· Apply sunscreen after every couple of hours (and even more if you bathe)
· Avoid exposure to UVA and UVB rays between noon and 4 p.m.
· Wear a hat
Rosacea
Rosacea is a skin disease that generally begins in mid to late adulthood.
Initially, there is redness on the cheeks, nose, forehead and chin. These become permanent, as do dilated blood vessels and red pimples (papules).
People who have fair skin and eyes and those who blush easily are at greater risk for rosacea.
How to treat it?
The sooner you take action, the higher your chances that you are to reduce the redness of rosacea and delay the onset of dilated vessels. Be aware that no treatment will completely cures rosacea. However, there are a number of therapies that help with the blood vessel dilation, inflammation, and formation of pimples.