There are various risk factors for skin cancer. Below is a standard questionnaire I get patients who see me to fill in, while waiting for their appointment. Try and answer these questions for yourself. If you are of Skin Type I or II and or say yes, to any of the other questions below, you […]
A number of patients I see admit to covering up moles on exposed areas with a plaster, or applying a high factor sunscreen specifically on moles that they are worried about. Which is a better practice? A research paper published in JAMA Dermatology earlier this year, tried to address that question: Impact of Sunscreens on Preventing […]
Are you a ‘green’ person who likes to wash your clothes in the ‘Eco’ mode and save energy? Well, think again! Fungal infections are extremely common. Athlete’s foot, Jock itch, Tinea infections, Pityriasis versicolor, Onychomycosis etc are various skin diseases caused by fungi. Treatment of these diseases is relatively easy, with various antifungals, topical and […]
Stress does not only cause problems with your mental health but can also aggravate skin diseases and make your skin look ugly. It may not be obvious but the mind and the skin are intertwined. A lot of skin problems are rooted in the disturbed psyche. Experts are calling this new phenomenon psychodermatology. It is […]
Shiitake Mushrooms are commonly eaten in Asia. With the easternization of the west in recent years, these have become common place in restaurants in Europe and America too. Though considered a delicacy, undercooked Shiitake mushrooms are poison and should be avoided as the cause a dramatic itchy skin rash referred to as Shiitake Dermatitis. The […]
Blisters on the hands and feet are extremely common. I receive at least one request for a dermatology consultation everyday for advice regarding skin blisters. Friction and trauma obviously play an important role. However, the commonest reason for people seeking an online dermatologist consultation is a type of eczema called pompholyx eczema. This is usually related […]
The most common causes of itchy spots on the skin include conditions like Scabies, Eczema, Insect bites, Lichen planus, Papular Urticaria, etc. One doesn’t usually associate Psoriasis with itchy spots. Psoriasis usually presents as large, red scaly patches and plaques on the scalp, knees and elbows etc. The patches are unsightly but not usually itchy […]
Are you troubled by painful, itchy red spots on the skin? Does your acne itch? An itchy skin rash is not a common symptom associated with acne. In fact most dermatologists I know, would probably consider itch a symptom that suggests a diagnosis other than acne. Also Read: Common questions regarding Acne & Spots […]
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease for which there is yet no cure. There are a number of medicines available for the Treatment of Psoriasis. However most of these are in the form of messy creams that one has to apply daily, or tablets and injections that suppress the immune system and need to be […]
Drinking excessive amounts of certain types of tea can certainly can cause skin necrosis, according to the following report published in the British Journal of Dermatology. The authors report a patient who presented with necrosis (death) of the tips of his fingers associated with kidney failure, attributed to drinking excessive amounts of Dandelion tea. […]