According to statistics, more than 15% of people are allergic to different types of animals. Eleven million people are supposed to be allergic to cats alone and the number is almost double for dogs. Yet, animals are wonderful companions and we create deep, emotional bonds with them.

The proteins that are found in the skin, hair and saliva of pets can irritate the human body. The human body may consider these proteins as dangerous bodies and start to attack them in an effort to removethem from direct contact. The exact type of body reaction or allergic reaction will vary considerably. Some patients experience hay fever, skin rashes, general itchiness, breathing difficulties or even asthmatic symptoms that may get worse over time. All these reactions are an effort by the body to push the foreign proteins away and to warn the brain that the proteins are dangerous. This is particularly true in children. Does that mean you need to avoid keeping any type of animal at home?
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You’ve got lovely light skin and you take the best care of it with the latest moisturizers, toners, sun blocks, and skin care products. But, even after so much care and protection, your skin still seems to have issues. There are wrinkles, dark patches and other irregularities. Is there any particular reason for this?

Fair skin is particularly susceptible to a range of skin conditions. A person’s natural skin color plays an important role in protection from the sun. Melanocytes or skin pigment containing cells produce melanin or skin pigment which is responsible for tinting skin. The amount of melanin that is produced will depend on sun exposure and a range of other factors. Usually, sun exposure will result in the formation of more melanin which protects the person from ultraviolet sun rays. Europeans generally have a lighter skin color due to a combination of genetics, sunlight and environment. Those with fair skin can have issues related to sun damage and problems such as rosacea or actinic keratosis. Read the rest of this entry »

Skin piercings are a very popular fad and both body jewelry as well as tattoos are common. As a result, thousands of tattoo parlors and body piercing centers have emerged. Before you rush out to get your body pierced and poked, it is good to do your research. Price is not necessarily the best way to judge services and not all tattoo parlors and body piercing centers follow strict medical standards. As a result, there can be skin complications after these procedures are performed. Let’s just take a look at why and how this can happen.

Generally, if the procedure is done correctly with sterilized needles and medical-grade dyes, complications are minimized. However, specific risks that that may happen with skin piercings include skin infections, allergic reactions or metal sensitivity. Read the rest of this entry »

On May 17th 2012, twelve students and two teachers who were studying in one room suddenly came down with a red rash on their arms, legs and body at 9.30 in the morning. The unusual problem created a tizzy and school authorities were quick to call in the regional hazmat response team to evaluate the condition. The school was closed down and 80 unaffected students were shifted to another building for evaluation. The affected students were separated by gender and transported by bus to the Memorial Regional Hospital.

Before entering the hospitals, they were made to undress and walk through multi-stage showers, cleaned with several showers of emulsifying or neutralizing agents, and then monitored for 24 hours. None of the patients developed further problems or breathing conditions and were discharged within 24 hours. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the worst parts of acne problems are the marks and scars that are left behind. Sometime even a large pimple which does not pop, stays behind under the skin leaving a raised red bump or a dark black round patch on skin. They may leave a dark reddish black mark on skin.

We know that most dermatologists state that if you leave the pimple to ripen and erupt by itself, it won’t leave marks or scars, but many people claim they never touch their skin and they still have leftover residues. Some people get icepick scars from cysts or severe acne. Others get macules which are marks left on the skin. There are methods to help resolve the above problems. Read the rest of this entry »

We’ve had some hot days this spring and many people are ready to fill up the hot tub and have a nice soak. Be warned though, there is a chance that your hot tub could be hosting an unseen danger which can result in skin irritation or a rash. Also, it may not erupt immediately so you can easily think it was due to another cause. Last week one of my clients came in and told me that a rash that she thought was due to an allergic rash to wheat products was actually a hot tub reaction.

A hot tub rash or folliculitis is called by a hardy little organism called as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This organism thrives in hot water and it can remain hidden in the nooks and crevices of a hot tub for an indefinite period of time. As soon as a person uses the pool, the infecting organism enters skin through the skin pores and infects the epidermal or top layer of skin. It actively kills host cells and reproduces in the skin pore causing the red dots or rashes that appear. This infection is usually limited to the top layers of skin and the person will note an immediate or delayed red rash all over the body. Read the rest of this entry »

You are frustrated by an annoying irritating rash that just does not seem to go away. It’s red and may increase in size or redden when your work out and continues to itch all through the day. Initially, you thought that the rash might have been caused due to new clothes or exercise friction but now you’re starting to get worried. Could this be the sign of something dangerous? Could the rash and exercising be related?

There can be many reasons for rashes that appear after, before or during a workout. There are a number of common causes for rashes in relation to various forms of exercise activity. One are we’ll discuss is how sometimes runners will get itching if they are new to this form of exercise and why. Read the rest of this entry »

There are many unavoidable things parents of a newborn are going to encounter. And one of the most unnerving ones is diaper rash. Yes, no matter how well you clean your baby and prepared you think you are, diaper rash often creeps its way into the picture. Fortunately there are a number of ways to combat it and keep it from getting worse. There are also issues for seniors that live in nursing homes or at assisted living facilities.

The number one cause of diaper rash is extensive exposure to moisture and wetness. This usually occurs when a baby’s diaper is not changed often enough. Exposure to urine and feces can be abrasive to the skin. Parents must constantly check the diapers to make sure they are not soiled. Some people also say that just using a wet cloth for cleaning the child may be needed for babies that can’t tolerate baby wipes. If you use the throw-away diapers you can try different types to see if a certain brand may be problematical. Are the diapers too snug? Read the rest of this entry »

The rash appears like other skin reactions but is distinguished by a couple features that are exclusive to HIV infection. It is important to seek the advice of a healthcare provider for any skin irritation that does not go away within a few days or becomes worse with time. This is important both for diagnosis as well as treatment. There can be a great deal of anxiety over rashes since the mind circles over each possibility.

There are some similiarities between allergic rashes and eruptions due to HIV. However, unlike other types of skin irritations they generally do not cause pain or itching that are often associated with allergic reactions. A person with an HIV rash generally breaks out within 2 to three weeks after initial exposure to the virus. This is not something that happens with environmental allergens or foods. Read the rest of this entry »

Seasonal hay fever and symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, watery or itching eyes, and congestion can also be accompanies by other physical symptoms. Can spring allergies cause rashes? The answer is yes. Occasionally people will be sensitive enough to break out when they come in contact with various pollens, molds, or other organisms. The hives or small bumps are almost always accompanied by other signs though they can occur by themselves.

There are many ways to distinguish a contact rash or contact dermatitis from other types of skin irritations. Usually the fine bumps will itch and will occur in the form of red, raises pustules. Unlike hives of a more serious reaction they are generally smaller in size, though they can be just as uncomfortable and create sleep issues. Also, it can be complicated because one may be allergic to the pesticides that are applied to the area or to products that kill weeds. One also may be reacting to chiggers or insects and mistake this as an allergic rash. Read the rest of this entry »

There are certain medical conditions usually characterized by a rash and fever – which, when both are present, usually signify a bacterial (treatable with antibiotics) or viral infection (which must run its course) that will most likely require medical attention. Some of these conditions are preventable by regularly washing hands, covering exposed skin when in wooded areas, getting vaccinated, being cautious around your pets and other animals, and steering clear of others who are infected. We’ll look at a breakdown of various conditions that fit the profile, though there are nearly 100 other such conditions.

Scarlet Fever is primarily a childhood disease caused by the same bacteria responsible for strep throat, In streptococcus, the disease usually starts with a fever (above 101 degrees) and sore throat. Then a distinct rough-textured, itchy, red rash soon appears in the neck and chest area and spreads over the entire body. Additional flu-like symptoms may follow, including chills, headache, muscle aches, stomachache, strawberry tongue (swollen and red), and vomiting. Scarlet fever is transmitted through contact with mucosa from a person’s nose or mouth. Antibiotics are used for treatment to kill the bacteria. Read the rest of this entry »

Eczema is a dry, itchy, scaly rash that occurs both in children and adults. It is usually the result of an allergic reaction to eating certain foods or direct contact with skin irritants, which can be anything from clothing and detergent to a pet or perfume. Eczema can be treated with topical creams, steroid injections, oral medicines, holistic remedies and dietary changes.

There are certain foods in particular that tend be causes of eczema in rash sufferers. For example, milk and dairy products trigger eczema in a lot of people, and it’s much more than simply being lactose intolerant. There are many who are lactose intolerant where cow’s milk and dairy just don’t agree with their stomachs and digestive system, but many of these same people don’t have eczema. Read the rest of this entry »

If you are a diabetic you probably already know that a host of conditions come along with it. One of the things you just have to deal with is the skin issues with diabetes. It’s just part of the disease. These common skin conditions do not exclusively strike diabetics but they are more common.

Infections And Diabetes

One of the major skin issues with diabetes involves an increased susceptibility to infections. Infections may appear as bacterial infections of different varieties. Diabetics are more prone to develop a pesky annoying sty which is an infection of some of the eyelid glands. They are painful and annoying, but generally not serious. Diabetics are also more prone to develop boils which are red infected hair follicles. Again they are generally not serious but they are certainly no fun. Another type of bacterial infection are carbuncles. These are deeper infections of either the skin or the tissue beneath the skin. Read the rest of this entry »

Is your kitty driving you crazy with endless scratching? Well if you think it’s driving you crazy, just think of poor Fluffy. There could be many reasons for Fluffy’s plight but veterinarians have identified some of the most probable causes of skin problems in cats. If any of these sound familiar you’ll at least have a place to start.

Physical Injuries And Cats

This is probably the most common skin problem. It will likely show up after your cat has been in a fight and can take the form of an abscess. Scratches, bites and puncture wounds can become infected. They may become firm and painful swellings. They are most common on your cat’s forward areas and on her tummy although they do appear on kitty’s hind quarters if she decided to beat feet from a fight and didn’t quite make it. The best prevention is to keep your little buddy indoors. Read the rest of this entry »

Eczema is skin disorder that is a form of dermatitis, and it’s most common symptoms are; reddening of the skin, inflammation, blistering, crusting, cracking and even bleeding. It is believed that at least ten percent of the population suffers from this disease.

Even with this high percentage of sufferers, the exact cause is still not known, however the belief is that it is a combination of hereditary and oversensitive immune factors. Many researchers feel that food allergies and eczema are related, and believe that given this importance, feel that the symptoms can be helped by dietary changes. There is no proper way to eat for eczema, however with planning, a person can identify which foods cause them to react. Certain individuals may have an allergic reaction to dairy products while others are with them. What some people recommend is to try an elimination diet, one in which certain food are eliminated until the cause can be identified. It takes a bit of detective work to reach answers. Read the rest of this entry »

Drugs, whether they be prescription, over the counter or illegal, all have the ability to produce a different reaction in different individuals. Any chemical that is put into the body puts an individual at risk for developing side effects. One of the most common reaction is a rash. So what are common drug rashes you should look out for?

There are various types of rashes. The type of rash an individual experiences will depend upon the type of drug ingested. A rash can be mild, or it can be severe. There are three types of drug rashes. One is a rash that is a true allergic reaction to a medicine. Another is an unwanted reaction to a medication. The last type is a rash that happens when you take a medication and then expose the skin to sunlight. Let’s look at the types of rashes in more detail. Read the rest of this entry »

Ringworm is a highly contagious, fungal infection that occurs on the surface of the skin, displaying a thick, red, itchy, raised, circular rash. The center of the rash is usually clear or white, but the edges are dark, jagged, red, scaly and crusted over so that it resembles other common skin conditions. Ringworm is usually contracted in moist, high-traffic areas as a result of skin-to-skin contact with other infected persons, animals, and any items those infected have come in direct contact with.

People have misconceptions about ringworm pictures and when it’s actually ringworm you’re dealing with. When ringworm appears on the hands and extremities especially, it is easy to confuse a ringworm rash with that of eczema or psoriasis. An adult eczema rash looks very much like ringworm and it even occurs quite commonly on the hands. Seasoned doctors may not even be able to tell the difference by looking with their plain eyes. Instead, they may have to utilize a Wood’s lamp, which gives off a blue fluorescent light that does make diagnosing the condition possible just by looking or they may have to scrape the infected area and take a closer microscopic look to make a clear distinction. Read the rest of this entry »

Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of psoriasis, making up approximately 90% of all cases of the skin condition. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system is tricked into believing that the skin itself is a threat, so in response the immune system gets into gear and tries to quickly grow new and healthy skin cells. The result is an overproduction of skin cells that overlap one another and create a red, itchy buildup of dry scales on the skin surface.

These scaly patches can appear in various small areas of the body or merge together to create giant patches that cover quite a bit of the skin’s surface. The elevated scales and patches that form on the skin are what are referred to as plaques, hence the name. In some rare instances plaque psoriasis has no visible effects on the skin. Read the rest of this entry »

Eczema is a skin condition characterized by itchy, red patches that show up on various areas of the body, in response to skin irritants, dryness, allergies or even stress. Anyone who suffers with the condition would gladly welcome relief to the incessant itching and unsightly scabs and scales it produces on the surface of the skin. The primary way to fight eczema is to keep the skin moisturized and hydrated, because dryness is largely the reason eczema thrives.

Itchy, dry skin is also often the result of not drinking enough water or external hydration and moisturization. The rashes that appear with eczema are also the result of the body’s natural immune response to irritants and toxins that are within or outside the body. As the body seeks to get rid of those toxins and impurities, to essentially push their way out through the skin, rashes can form. Read the rest of this entry »

Rashes may spring up every now and then as a simple reaction to some minor irritation like an insect bite or a new detergent. Rashes can also be the result of an infection, allergic reaction, autoimmune disorder, dry skin, hormonal imbalances, or any number of things. Some rashes itch quite a bit, while others do not.

Rashes come in all different shapes and sizes, sometimes with accompanying symptoms that indicate the source of the rash. Just as pain is an indicator that something is wrong, a rash can serve as a signpost that something deeper is going on, something much more serious. We will more closely examine rashes that are associated with a few serious and sometimes life-threatening conditions. Read the rest of this entry »