From the monthly archives: August 2011
For some people, scratching the skin leads to raised wheals, demonstrating dermatographism which literally means “skin writing.” Scratching or stroking the skin leads to redness and a wheal of that area. About 5% of the population develops redness and some swelling of scratched areas — this is called simple dermatographism. In symptomatic dermatographism, these areas [...]
Skin tags are more fancily referred to as acrochordon or fibroepithelial polyps (quite a mouthful!) They’re benign outpouchings of skin which aren’t much of a bother except when they get caught on necklaces, bra straps, clothing, etc. or when their presence starts to bother you. They can be skin colored or have some color to [...]
One day after Tropical Storm/Hurricane Irene passed through town, the sun is back! Perfect time to learn about sunscreen.
A common question is: what is SPF? SPF stands for sunburn protection factor. (The FDA changed it from sun protection factor to sunburn protection factor as sunscreen does not completely protect you from the harmful UV [...]
Outside my window, Hurricane Irene is certainly making its presence known, dropping plenty of water and flooding streets. Flooding and wet conditions can predispose to a condition called trench foot or immersion foot. Trench foot receives its name from World War I (WWI), where trench warfare predisposed to this condition. Damp or water accumulation in [...]
We all know that lime adds a refreshing citrus touch to drinks especially appreciated during these hot summer months. Unfortunately, sometimes some of these lime-containing drinks can spill on our skin and cause a rash after sun exposure. Such cases have been referred to as “Mexican beer dermatitis” since lime is often squeezed into Corona [...]
I’m frequently asked about what to look for on self skin exams. Here’s a good starting point when evaluating a spot on your skin. Think about the mnemonic ABCDE.
A: Asymmetry
B: Border irregularity
C: Color change or different colors
D: Diameter greater than 5 mm (the size of a pencil [...]
Recently, someone came in for a large “pimple” that extruded a foul-smelling thick whitish material when it was squeezed. It then would go through several rounds of becoming red, irritated and painful. Turns out she had a cyst. Cysts are fluid filled sacs held by a cyst wall. When the cyst wall is disrupted, the [...]
If you’ve been to a dermatologist, the issue of a skin biopsy may have come up. What is a skin biopsy? A skin biopsy allows the physician to make a diagnosis of a rash or a worrisome skin lesion (e.g. when your doctor suspects a skin cancer). It’s a procedure during which a small piece [...]
A lot of people have rough small bumps of their arms, thighs and buttocks. These bumps can be skin colored or reddish and have unfortunately been likened to “chicken skin” and can feel like sandpaper. They represent a condition called keratosis pilaris. This is a benign condition which is inherited from mom
or dad, but [...]
Does jogging make you itch? I remember those mile runs in grade school when my thighs would end up with a strange tingly itchy slightly swollen feeling and covered with faint pink blotches. Turns out that this is a condition called vibratory urticaria. It’s caused by mast cells which get stimulated by vibration to release [...]
