7 skin diseases and conditions

The human skin has up to seven layers of ectodermal tissue and guards the underlying muscles, bones, ligaments and internal organs.

As with other parts of the body, the skin is prone to several health problems. Skin diseases and disorders vary greatly in symptoms and severity.

They can be temporary or permanent, and may be painless or painful. Some may be caused by allergy, a fungal infection or injury while others may be genetic. Some skin diseases and conditions are minor while others can be life-threatening.

Common skin diseases and conditions

1. Candidiasis

It is caused by the yeast candida fungi which lives on all surfaces of our bodies. A yeast infection results from an overgrowth of yeast (a type of fungus) anywhere in the body. Under certain conditions, they can become so numerous they cause infections, particularly in warm and moist areas.

Examples of such infections are vaginal yeast infections, skin surface, including diaper rash, beneath large breasts, and nailbed infections, thrush (infection of tissues of the oral cavity) – most common in newborns, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

2. Contact dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is a reaction that appears when the skin comes in contact with an irritant or an allergen.

Symptoms can include a rash, blisters, itching and burning. Soaps, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, shampoos can all cause contact dermatitis.

3. Boils

A boil is a painful skin infection that starts in a hair follicle or oil gland.

Boils can develop anywhere on your skin, but you’re most likely to get one in an area where there’s a combination of hair, sweat and friction, such as the armpits, neck, face or thighs.

4. Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes the rapid buildup of skin cells speeding up the life cycle of skin cells. It causes cells to build up rapidly on the surface of the skin.

The extra skin cells form scales and red patches that are itchy and sometimes painful. Psoriasis is a chronic disease that often comes and goes and varies in severity from small, localized patches to complete body coverage.

5. Ringworm

The medical term for ringworm is dermatophytosis or tinea. It is caused by a fungal infection of the skin and not a worm as is widely thought. It affects both humans and animals.

Ringworm most commonly affects the skin on the body, the scalp, the feet, or the groin. It most often results in an itchy rash.

6. Skin cancer

Skin cancer is the most common of all human cancers which results from the abnormal growth of skin cells. There are three major types of skin cancers: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma

7. Wart

Warts are small and harmless raised bumps on your skin caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) seen most often on the skin of the hands and feet. Factors that increase the risk include use of public showers, working with meat, eczema, and a low immune system.

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