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General Skin Concerns
Skin diseases are conditions that affect your skin. These diseases may cause rashes, inflammation, itchiness or other skin changes. Some skin conditions may be genetic, while lifestyle factors may cause others. Skin disease treatment may include medications, creams or ointments, or lifestyle changes.
Your skin is the large organ that covers and protects your body. Your skin has many functions. It works to:
- Hold in fluid and prevent dehydration.
- Help you feel sensations, such as temperature or pain.
- Keep out bacteria, viruses and other causes of infection.
- Stabilize your body temperature.
- Synthesize (create) vitamin D in response to sun exposure.
Skin diseases include all conditions that clog, irritate or inflame your skin. Often, skin diseases cause rashes or other changes in your skin’s appearance.
What are the most common types of skin diseases?
Some skin diseases are minor. Others cause severe symptoms. Some of the most common skin diseases include:
- Acne, blocked skin follicles that lead to oil, bacteria and dead skin buildup in your pores.
- Alopecia areata, losing your hair in small patches.
- Atopic dermatitis (eczema), dry, itchy skin that leads to swelling, cracking or scaliness.
- Psoriasis, scaly skin that may swell or feel hot.
- Raynaud’s phenomenon, periodic reduced blood flow to your fingers, toes or other body parts, causing numbness or skin color change.
- Rosacea, flushed, thick skin and pimples, usually on the face.
- Skin cancer, uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells.
- Vitiligo, patches of skin that lose pigment.
What are the symptoms of skin diseases?
Skin disease symptoms vary significantly, depending on what condition you have. Skin changes are not always due to skin diseases. For example, you may get a blister from wearing ill-fitting shoes. However, when skin changes show up with no known cause, they may be linked to an underlying condition.
Generally, skin diseases may cause:
- Discolored skin patches (abnormal pigmentation).
- Dry skin.
- Open sores, lesions or ulcers.
- Peeling skin.
- Rashes, possibly with itchiness or pain.
- Red, white or pus-filled bumps.
- Scaly or rough skin.