Other Skin Conditions
Besides skin cancer, there are non-life-threatening conditions that can affect your skin's health. These include:
Acne
This aggravating condition may be mild (blackheads and whiteheads), moderate (closed pus-containing pockets), or severe (large cysts or nodules). Greasy foods and dirt do not cause acne; acne is a build-up of dried oil and dead skin cells in the hair follicles under the skin. When these sites become infected, the "acne cascade" is triggered and surrounding tissue is affected. Bacteria contribute to acne, and heredity also may be a factor. Hormones, particularly male hormones, called androgens are a major influence on acne because they stimulate the hormone-sensitive sebaceous glands, which produce sebum. That's why you don't see acne before puberty. In women, birth control pills can either aggravate or improve acne. This probably depends on your response to the progestins in birth control pills. Greasy creams, perspiration, headbands and other things that can plug up pores make acne worse. Stress doesn't help either. Perioral acne is a common subset of acne seen around the mouth and chin in women in their 20s and 30s. For some reason, men are not affected, which leads healthcare professionals to believe that there is a hormonal basis to perioral acne. Women with this type of acne don't develop deep pimples, but the ones that do develop can be quite persistent.Acne rosacea
Most common in fair skinned women between ages 30 and 50, this condition begins as a slight flush on the forehead and nose, but spreads across the cheeks and chin. In the flushed area, small red bumps develop along with dilated blood vessels. If not treated, the inflamed areas become swollen with pus-filled bumps that will eventually distort facial features. Rosacea is aggravated by hot or cold temperatures, sunlight, alcohol, spicy foods, and smoking. Rosacea is caused by Proprionobacterium acnes, bacteria that break down the oil our skin produces, called sebum. Stress, alcohol, heat, and rich foods can increase your chance of an outbreak.Eczema
Also known as atopic dermatitis, this condition causes an itchy, red, cracked, scaly rash that can occur anywhere on the body, but most commonly on the elbows, hands, face, and the back of the knees. It can be an allergic reaction. Cold, dry weather worsens the condition; humid, warm weather may improve it.Dandruff
Mistakenly attributed to dryness because of the flaking it causes, dandruff is actually caused by excessive oil in the scalp. The oily scale accumulates and then falls off in flakes.Hives
Called urticaria, hives are an allergic reaction most often to something ingested. They can be stress-related. These pink, itchy swellings are caused by the release of histamine, a natural chemical produced by the body in reaction to a particular substance. Eggs, chocolate, seafood, nuts, milk and medications are common triggers of hives. Less commonly, exposure to cold temperatures, water or food can cause hives in some people. Hives generally fade in 24 hours or less, but may occasionally take several weeks to fade. For some people, hives can make breathing difficult if they develop in the throat.Keloids
A skin problem most common for people with dark complexions, keloids form when scars "overgrow" and form a mass of dark or red scar tissue. Keloids can expand during pregnancy, and may not always return to prepregnancy size.Psoriasis
A chronic disease that causes the skin to become inflamed with red thickened areas that become covered with flaky, silvery scales. Lesions are often triggered by stress, infection, climate changes, and medications. There is no cure for this condition, but treatments can reduce skin inflammation. The use of topical steroid medications is the most popular treatment but the condition often returns quickly once the cream is discontinued. Ultraviolet B (UVB) light is the treatment of choice for severe psoriasis. Remission rates vary but can last several months or longer after light therapy. Other treatments are available. Psoriasis, which affects nearly 6 million people in the United States, is not contagious. Experts think psoriasis is a genetic disease in which a person inherits an abnormality that leads to excess skin production - the uppermost layer of skin cells multiplies at an accelerated rate. Normal cells replenish themselves about every 28 days, but psoriasis causes the skin cells to multiply so quickly that they replenish themselves every two to four days. This new skin grows so fast the cells don't have a chance to separate. It typically appears on elbows, knees, and scalp, but it can also arise on your lower back, buttocks, palms, soles, and genital region.Stretch marks
During pregnancy as a woman's skin stretches to accommodate her baby's growth, stretch marks may appear. They are initially light pink or purple lines that eventually fade to white. Stretch marks are most often found on the breasts, thighs, abdomen, or hips. Stretch marks may also be caused by pubescent growth spurts or other rapid weight gain or muscle build-up.Vitiligo
A condition causing loss of pigmentation, leaving irregular white patches on regularly pigmented skin because melanocytes are absent in certain areas of the skin. Other disorders can