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Identifying Skin Problems

Early diagnosis and treatment are vital in most skin problems. Any change in your skin should signal that it's time to have it checked by your doctor, unless you are certain of the cause (like poison ivy rash). Changes in the colour or texture of your skin, any sore that doesn’t heal, and any tenderness or pain that doesn’t go away are all reasons to consult your family doctor and may require a consultation with a dermatologist. Here are some common skin problems and possible causes:

Symptoms
Possible Diagnosis
 Treatment
Small pus-filled sacs or pimples, blackheads, or sore red bumps.
Probably acne, a common skin problem usually beginning at puberty.
If over-the-counter treatments don't help, see your doctor. Washing your face gently with mild soap on a regular basis can help.
Flushed appearance, often with redness on the cheeks, chin, forehead and nose.
May be rosacea, a problem that typically affects the face.
There are treatments for rosacea so a visit to your doctor is required. Daily care using warm water and gentle cleansers is recommended. It could also be a sign of other more serious health issues, so consult your doctor.
A painful red bump or a cluster of painful red bumps.
This might be a boil; a cluster of boils is known as a carbuncle. These are usually due to an infection under the skin.
Gently compress the boil with a warm cloth. Use antibiotic ointments if necessary. See your doctor to have them lanced, if necessary.
A small boil-like infection around a hair shaft or pore.
This is likely an infection of the hair follicle, known as folliculitis.
This problem typically resolves on its own. Clean the area and use an antibiotic ointment if needed. If the condition does not improve, see your doctor.
Red, tender, swollen areas of the skin, usually around a cut or a scrape.
This could be cellulitis, which is an infection of the skin.
Using soap and water, clean the area carefully and apply an antibiotic ointment. If redness and pain increase, see your doctor.
Red, itchy bumps on your skin that are sprinkled randomly.
Most likely insect bites.
These usually are not harmful and will clear up by themselves. If the itching is fierce, use hydrocortisone cream, an antihistamine, and ice to reduce it. If symptoms such as difficulty breathing, dizziness, or nausea occur, go directly to the nearest emergency room.
Irregular raised or flat red sores that appeared after taking medicine.
This could be an allergic reaction.
Try an antihistamine for itching and rash. See your doctor if your symptoms persist.
Bumps that form suddenly on your face or body.
These could be hives, usually a reaction to an allergen, medicine, or an infection. They can also appear in people who are very nervous.
Apply an antihistamine and cool compresses for the itching. If the hives don't go away on their own or are accompanied by other symptoms, such as swelling around the lips or trouble breathing, see your doctor or go directly to the nearest emergency room.
A red, itchy, scaly and oily rash on the areas around your eyebrows, nose, or the edge of the scalp.
Could be seborrhoeic dermatitis, where the sebaceous glands produce too much sebum.
Hydrocortisone cream or selenium sulfide shampoo may help on the sore areas. See your doctor if the symptoms continue or spread.
A red scaling rash that began after contact with clothing, jewelry, or perfume.
Could be contact dermatitis caused by a reaction to detergents, perfumes, and other substances.
Avoid whatever seems to be the cause of the symptoms and treat the area with hydrocortisone cream or other soothing lotions. See your doctor if symptoms persist.
A very young child has dry, scaly skin covering the head.
Likely cradle cap, a form of seborrhoea in infants.
Gently scrub the scales to remove them. Hydrocortisone cream may help. See your doctor if the condition does not change or if hair doesn't grow in that area.
A red itchy rash with blisters forming.
Probably allergic contact dermatitis caused by poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac.
Wash the area with soap and water to remove any oil that remains on the skin. The rash will go away after about a week. To relieve itching, apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to the rash. See your doctor if the rash covers a large area of your body, does not go away, or if new symptoms, such as fever, appear.
Red, swollen bumps in your armpits and other areas where hair grows.
Possibly hidradenitis suppurativa or inflammation of the sweat glands.
Avoid antiperspirants and deodorants and see your doctor.
Small red dots on your skin, or larger, bruise-like spots that appear after taking medicine.
This may be allergic purpura, a serious allergic reaction to a medicine, such as an antibiotic, that can cause bleeding.
See your doctor as soon as possible.
A rash that starts with a single scaly, red, and slightly itchy spot; within a few days, large numbers of smaller patches of the rash, some red and others tan, break out over the chest and abdomen.
This could be pityriasis rosea, a disease which is not well understood at present.
Check with your doctor. Calamine lotion and antihistamines may relieve itching and redness. The rash will probably go away in a few weeks on its own. This condition does not usually respond to treatment.
An intensely itchy rash with red bumps and blisters that appears on the elbows, knees, back or buttocks.
This could be erythema nodosum that may have been caused by an infection or reaction to medicine.
This problem typically isn't serious, but your should check with your doctor because it may indicate other diseases or issues with medication.
A white, scaly rash over red, irritated skin, typically on the elbows and knees.
This may be psoriasis, a chronic condition caused by the overproduction of skin cells.
Keep the skin moisturized. Your doctor may prescribe ointments, oral medications and/or light therapy, also called phototherapy, to treat the symptoms. While the disease cannot be cured, it can be managed. See your doctor for treatment.
Red blisters that are extremely painful and may have crusts.
This could be shingles, a herpes-zoster viral infection of the nerves.
Analgesics like acetaminophen or ibuprofen and cool compresses may help. See your doctor as soon as you can because early treatment can affect how long you suffer from this condition.
A red, itchy patch affecting the groin area.
Could be a fungal infection called jock itch in men, yeast infection in women, or diaper rash in infants.
An over-the-counter antifungal creams may work. Women with irritation inside the vagina should see their doctor before using any over-the-counter yeast infection medicines.
An area of the skin is covered in light-coloured patches.
This may be tinea versicolour, a discolouration caused by a fungus.
The condition can be treated with selenium sulfide or an antifungal cream.
Crusted tan-coloured sores formed near the nose or lip.
This could be impetigo, a rash that's caused by bacterial infections such as strep or staph.
Treatment usually involves an antibiotic cream or ointment and an oral antibiotic. The condition is very contagious, so wash your hands well to avoid infecting anyone else. See your doctor.
Bite-like sores that itch intensely, typically starting on the hands or between the fingers.
These symptoms typically indicate scabies, which is an infestation of mites.
Washing clothing and bed coverings in hot water and detergent is the first line of treatment. Prescription medicine may be needed if the condition persists.
Scaly, pink, grey, or tan patches or bumps on the face, scalp, or on the backs of the hands.
This could be actinic keratoses, a problem that typically affects people with light skin who have had too much exposure to the sun.
This condition may be an early sign of skin cancer. See your doctor.

NOTE: This is not an exhaustive list. If you have a problem not covered here, consult your doctor and/or post a message on the Discussion Forum.

 

 

Contact Information:

Canadian Skin Patient Alliance
2446 Bank Street, Suite 383
Ottawa, Ontario
K1V 1A8
 

Christine Jackson, Executive Director
phone: 613-422-4265
fax: 613-422- 4267
 

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