The most common skin conditions, and their cures

It is nothing to be ashamed of to have a skin condition. The overwhelming majority of people will experience one at some point in their life. It could be something that affects you in your younger years, such as acne and chickenpox, or a condition that you have to battle throughout your life such as eczema and impetigo. Other disorders last for a short amount of time before treatment and then go away for good.

The key to treating skin conditions is to inspect your body regularly in order to document any abnormalities. If there are sudden changes, then the best thing to do is to go to a dermatologist or your family doctor. If you’re interested in the most contracted skin conditions and how to take care of them, click through this gallery.

Cold sores

Cold sores are caused by the virus herpes simplex, which is very contagious. They are fluid-filled blisters that occur around the mouth. They can go away on their own, yet are a little painful. There is no cure for the virus, but drug stores do sell anti-viral creams to ease the pain.

Blisters

Blisters are an extremely common skin condition. They are the result of pressure on the skin, burning, or sometimes more serious conditions. They will usually go away on their own–the key is to keep it clean with disinfectant. Putting hydrocolloid dressing on the area will also reduce pain and speed up healing.

Hives

Hives can take a few forms, including blotching on the skin and raised red spots. Hives appear when your body is producing high levels of histamine, usually in response to an allergy. Taking anti-histamine medication will usually reduce the itchiness. If the hives stay for a prolonged period of time, then you should go see a doctor.

Actinic keratosis

Actinic keratosis is when some patches of your skin turn dry and scaly due to overexposure to the sun. They are not dangerous in themselves, but can turn cancerous down the line, and so are important to keep an eye on. You can remove them using creams, cryogenic freezing, surgery, and photodynamic therapy.

Rosacea

Rosacea is when you get red patches on your skin, usually on your cheeks. You can also get raised bumps and broken blood vessels with this condition. The condition is long-term and is rarely cured. However, there are some treatments you can try, such as prescription creams, antibiotics, and intense pulsed light therapy.

Boils and carbuncles

A carbuncle is when a bunch of boils cluster together to form a large, raised lump on your skin. They are usually painful and secrete pus. You should not try to squeeze them–they will go away by themselves. It is better to soak it with a warm towel four times a day and keep the area clean.

Latex allergy

A latex allergy ranges from just getting a rash to having severe throat swelling when latex particles are in the air. Many people are allergic to latex and there is no cure. If you have a major allergy, you should carry an EpiPen on you at all times.

Atopic eczema

Eczema is certainly one of the most common skin conditions among humans. It causes the skin to become dry and itchy. It is a long-term disorder, however, there are things you can do to reduce the pain. Moisturizing every day and using topical corticosteroids can help.

Source: The most common skin conditions, and their cures (msn.com)