Athlete's foot Skin problems

Athlete's foot, also called ringworm of the foot, should have medical attention if it persists. It is caused by a fungus, a microscopic plant growth, which thrives on dead cells of the foot, particularly under warm and damp conditions that may be found on the skin between the toes. Swimming pool walkways, locker rooms, and public showers are sources of infection. For primary prevention, shower slippers should be worn whenever possible. Other means of prevention include keeping the feet clean and dry.

If you have a tendency toward athlete's foot, dust the feet with talcum powder after washing and drying. Wear clean socks daily. Persistent athlete's foot, if untreated or inadequately treated, may lead to more serious bacterial infection (streptococci); so if you have a persistent problem, let a physician help you to eradicate it and prevent recurrence. Other ringworm diseases may develop under the nails, on the scalp, on the skin, and in the genital area. All may be spread by way of contaminated clothing, an infected pet, a barber's unsterilized tools, or dirty combs and brushes. Personal cleanliness and refusal to use anyone else's unwashed clothing, towels, or toilet articles offer the best protection against ringworm ailments.  

 SKIN GROWTHS A wart, produced by virus invasion, is a small growth of epidermal skin cells. Don't attempt to treat a wart yourself. There are satisfactory methods of getting rid of warts, including application of chemical sub- stances or painless burning off of the growths with a special needle. These methods are not safe unless employed by a skilled physician. Birthmarks include pigmented moles and the vascular types such as "strawberry marks." Never attempt to remove either kind yourself. Your physician can advise you about the precise nature of the mark, whether it may be expected to disappear spontaneously on its own (as some do), whether and when any special treatment may be needed, and when it is simply most practical to conceal the mark with a cosmetic preparation such as Covermark.

Your physician may feel that it is best to remove moles located on the palms, soles, or genitals. Any mole that starts to grow or bleed should be seen promptly by a physician. Keloids are tumors that do not become malignant. They appear in scars, and should not be cut out, as they usually will reappear in the new scar tissue forming after the cutting out. A physician can remove them with dry ice or radium. Harmless yellow tumors, called xanthomas, are caused by deposits of fat in the skin. If unsightly, they can be removed by your physician. Keratoses are soft brown spots that may appear in middle age. Later, they become hard, in which case it is usually good practice to have them examined by your physician. 

impedigo skin conditions dieseases

Impetigo, which is caused by bacteria, is a contagious skin infection, especially in infants. It is characterized by yellowish crusts, often on the face, that look as though they had been deliberately pasted on the skin. A doctor can easily cure impetigo before complications have a chance to develop. Folliculitis is similar to impetigo except that the infection affects the hair follicles or the pore openings of the skin. Barber's itch is a special case of folliculitis which involves the beard and makes shaving a problem for men afflicted with this frequently stubborn name for barber's itch is sycosis vulgaris. It may take some time to cure even a mild case of folliculitis. You may need one visit to the physician for instruction in removing infected hairs. Fever blisters (herpes simplex) are virus-caused and usually occur with a fever or cold, appearing around the mouth and nose.

Sometimes the blisters follow exposure to sun and wind. Usually they clear within a week or so. A drying lotion such as 1 : 500 aluminum acetate in cold water is comforting when applied with bits of cotton. Spirit of camphor is a helpful application in mild cases. Cold cream may help to bring relief during the onset period. Troublesome, recurrent fever blisters should be seen by a physician who may be able to eliminate the cause. Shingles (herpes zoster) is also virus-caused and actually involves infection of a nerve, along with the eruption that appears on the skin. Once it was commonly believed that shingles could be fatal if the infection completely encircled the body and "met." This has no basis in fact. There are potentially serious complications from shingles in the eyes and nerves.

Shingles should be treated promptly by a physician. The itch (scabies), caused by a tiny mite, is extremely contagious. Fortunately, it yields quickly to treatment. While almost any part of the body may be affected, favorite areas for the mite to burrow into the skin include hands, genitals, and skin folds. It is not always easy to determine whether or not one has scabies, and a physician should be consulted for a diagnosis. The remedies used for scabies can aggravate other skin troubles that may be confused with it. A physician will tell you how to kill the parasites in bed linen and clothes. 

Skin wrinkles - cosmetics- skin specialist- soaps to cure skin problems

WRINKLES

Many skin specialists place a large share of blame for wrinkles on excessive sunshine. Total avoidance of the sun is not necessary, but care in the amount of direct or reflected sunlight you expose yourself to is warranted. Another cause of wrinkles is excessive exposure to soap and water. Many housewives rinse their hands automatically before touching almost anything. Without realizing it, they may rinse several dozen times a day. Cleanliness is not to be forsaken but it is a good idea to do some house- work wearing rubber gloves or to rub on a good hand lotion from time to time. Bath oils have become popular because women have noticed how attractive the skin looks after being anointed with oil. It is important, we think, to note here, too, that when an overweight person takes off weight too quickly-more than three or four pounds a week-the skin may become loose and wrinkled.

Weight loss should be undertaken at a moderate pace, for the sake of both general health and skin appearance. If careful reducing is combined with exercise, the skin will not become loose and wrinkled. Skin massage cannot prevent wrinkles; it may make you feel good but accomplishes little else. "Skin foods" won't do any good either. Like any other organ, the skin is fed by the body and needs no special foods of its own. Wearing "wrinkle eradicators" or "masks" to bed nightly won't help either. Actually, once wrinkles or lines have appeared, only skillful plastic surgery can eliminate them.

There is, we believe, a place for wrinkle removal through surgery-for anyone, such as an actress, for whom a youthful appearance may be a professional necessity. For the average woman, we would suggest: Why not just avoid frowning and, instead, smile, so that when wrinkles or lines appear, they add to, rather than detract from, the appearance. Exaggerated wrinkle-removing and rejuvenating claims are made for many lotions, creams, muscle oils, astringents, skin conditioners, etc. If you find yourself sorely tempted to use one, consult your local Better Business Bureau or write to the American Medical Association, 535 North Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois