Skin Conditions

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• Images
• Videos and Tutorials

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Teenagers
• Women
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Your skin is your body's largest organ. It covers and protects your body. Your skin:

• Holds body fluids in, preventing dehydration
• Keeps harmful microbes out, preventing infections
• Helps you feel things like heat, cold, and pain
• Keeps your body temperature even
• Makes vitamin D when the sun shines on it

Anything that irritates, clogs, or inflames your skin can cause symptoms such as redness, swelling, burning, and itching. Allergies, irritants, your genetic makeup, and certain diseases and immune system problems can cause rashes, hives, and other skin conditions. Many skin problems, such as acne, also affect your appearance.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Start Here

• Skin Condition Finder (VisualDX)
• Skin Rashes and Other Problems (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Skin, Hair, and Nails (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Rash Evaluation (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Skin Biopsy (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Skin Cancer Screening (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Skin Rashes and Other Problems (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Wood's Lamp Examination (VisualDX)

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Skin Care: 5 Tips for Healthy Skin (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Skin Problems: How to Protect Yourself from Job-Related Skin Problems (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Cryosurgery (VisualDX)
• Dermatology Procedures (American Osteopathic College of Dermatology)
• Electrodesiccation (VisualDX)
• Laser Resurfacing (American Society for Dermatologic Surgery)
• Skin graft - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Options for Actinic Keratosis (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Skin Problems in Construction (Center for Construction Research and Training) - PDF

Specifics

• Dermatitis Herpetiformis (American Osteopathic College of Dermatology)
• Dermatographia (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Dry Skin (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Dry Skin (Xerosis) (American Academy of Dermatology)
• Epidermolysis Bullosa (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
• Lichen Nitidus (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Lichen Planus: Overview (American Academy of Dermatology)
• Lichen Sclerosus (Cleveland Clinic Foundation)
• Lichen Sclerosus (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Lichen Striatus (American Osteopathic College of Dermatology)
• Morgellons Disease: Managing an Unexplained Skin Condition (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Pachyonychia Congenita (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
• Pityriasis Rosea: Overview (American Academy of Dermatology)
• Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• What Is Ichthyosis? (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) Also in Spanish

Genetics

• Acral peeling skin syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Adams-Oliver syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Adermatoglyphia: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Ankyloblepharon-ectodermal defects-cleft lip/palate syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Bart-Pumphrey syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Blau syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Clouston syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Cole disease: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform erythroderma and limb defects: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• CYLD cutaneous syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Dyskeratosis congenita: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Epidermal nevus: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Epidermolysis bullosa simplex: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Epidermolysis bullosa with pyloric atresia: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Erythrokeratodermia variabilis et progressiva: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Familial pityriasis rubra pilaris: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Focal dermal hypoplasia: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Harlequin ichthyosis: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Hereditary fibrosing poikiloderma with tendon contractures, myopathy, and pulmonary fibrosis: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Hystrix-like ichthyosis with deafness: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Ichthyosis with confetti: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Incontinentia pigmenti: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Junctional epidermolysis bullosa: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Keratoderma with woolly hair: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Lamellar ichthyosis: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Laryngo-onycho-cutaneous syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Lipoid proteinosis: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Majeed syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Mal de Meleda: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Microphthalmia with linear skin defects syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Multiple pterygium syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Naegeli-Franceschetti-Jadassohn syndrome/dermatopathia pigmentosa reticularis: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Nakajo-Nishimura syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Netherton syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Nonbullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Nonsyndromic aplasia cutis congenita: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Pachyonychia congenita: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Palmoplantar keratoderma with deafness: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Poikiloderma with neutropenia: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Rothmund-Thomson syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Scalp-ear-nipple syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Sjögren-Larsson syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Steatocystoma multiplex: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Trichothiodystrophy: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• UV-sensitive syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Vohwinkel syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Images

• Actinic Keratosis (Solar Keratosis) (VisualDX)
• Capillaritis (VisualDX)
• Cutaneous Horn (VisualDX)
• Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra (VisualDX)
• Epidermoid Cyst (VisualDX)
• Erythema Nodosum (VisualDX)
• Fordyce Spots (VisualDX)
• Granuloma Annulare (VisualDX)
• Ichthyosis Vulgaris (VisualDX)
• Intertrigo (VisualDX)
• Keratoacanthoma (VisualDX)
• Keratosis Pilaris (VisualDX)
• Lichen Planus (VisualDX)
• Milia (VisualDX)
• Notalgia Paresthetica (VisualDX)
• Poikiloderma of Civatte (VisualDX)
• Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (VisualDX)
• Pyogenic Granuloma (VisualDX)
• Sebaceous Hyperplasia (VisualDX)
• Seborrheic Keratoses (VisualDX)
• Skin Tag (Acrochordon) (VisualDX)
• Stasis Dermatitis (VisualDX)
• Stretch Marks (Striae) (VisualDX)
• Syringoma (VisualDX)
• Xerosis (VisualDX)

Videos and Tutorials

• Components of skin (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

• Skin Conditions by the Numbers (American Academy of Dermatology)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Skin Diseases (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Role of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation in Inflammatory Chronic Skin Diseases.
• Article: Validation of the Persian version of Skindex-16 among older patients with...
• Article: The skin as a critical window in unveiling the pathophysiologic principles...
• Skin Conditions -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Dermatology Terms (American Osteopathic College of Dermatology)

Find an Expert

• American Academy of Dermatology
• American Society for Dermatologic Surgery
• Find a Dermatologist (American Academy of Dermatology)
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Also in Spanish

Children

• Healthy Skin Matters (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
• Splinters and Other Foreign Bodies in the Skin (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• What Are Freckles? (Nemours Foundation)
• Your Skin (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Teenagers

• Cellulite (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Pityriasis Rosea (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish

Women

• Common Skin Conditions During Pregnancy (American Academy of Family Physicians)

Patient Handouts

• Acrodermatitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Cryotherapy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Cutaneous skin tags (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Dry skin -- self-care (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Erythema multiforme (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Granuloma annulare (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Keratosis pilaris (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Lichen planus (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Milia (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Sebaceous cyst (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Seborrheic keratosis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Skin lesion removal (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Skin lesion removal-aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Stasis dermatitis and ulcers (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish