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Dermatological conditions are of many different types. Some common ones have been described below for your information:

• Acne
  Acne commonly develops on the neck, face, chest, shoulders, and the upper back. Skin breakouts are composed of blackheads, redness, whiteheads, cysts, pimples, and nodules. Acne may leave scars or cause skin hyperpigmentation if left untreated. Those of colour can notice dark spots called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).
• Cold sore
  This condition leads to painful, red-coloured, fluid-filled blisters that develop near the mouth and the lips. Those with lighter skin tone may notice more redness compared to those with darker skin. The area involved will often burn or tingle before the sore is visible. Outbreaks may also be associated with mild, flu-like symptoms like body aches, low fever, and swollen lymph nodes. Cold sores generally look similar on any skin tone, but in darker skinned people, they can also cause PIH.
• Blister
  Blisters are characterised by clear, watery, fluid-filled sacs that develop on the surface of the skin. They may be smaller than 1 cm in size or larger than 1cm. If they are smaller than 1 cm, they are referred to as vesicles and if they are larger than 1 cm, they are referred to as bulla. They can either occur alone or in groups. Blisters can involve any body area.
• Hives
  Hives occur after an exposure to an allergen. They lead to raised, itchy welts that may be warm and mildly painful to the touch. On darker skin, hives can appear raised or inflamed and may look slightly lighter or darker than your natural skin tone. They usually appear red on lighter skin. They can be small, round, ring-shaped, or randomly shaped.
• Actinic keratosis
  This condition results in a thick, crustry, or scaly skin patch. It is usually less than 2 cm in size or about the size of an eraser that is attached to the back of a pencil. It often develops on body parts that receive a lot of sun exposure, such as the arms, hands, scalp, face, and neck. The skin patch is typically pink in colour but can have a tan, brown, or grey base. This patch may appear the same colour as that of the skin surrounding it in people with darker skin tone.
• Rosacea
  This is a chronic skin condition that goes through cycles of fading and relapse. Relapses may be triggered by alcoholic beverages, spicy food, stress, sunlight, and the intestinal bacteria Helicobacter pylori. Rosacea is of four subtypes that encompass a wide variety of symptoms. The common symptoms include raised red bumps, facial flushing, skin dryness, and skin sensitivity. Those with darker skin may notice dry and swollen patches of dark skin or brown discolouration.
• Carbuncle
  Carbuncle is characterised by a red, irritated, and painful lump lying under the skin. It may be complicated by body aches, fever, and fatigue. It can also lead to skin oozing and crustiness. It may look more violet on darker skin.
• Latex allergy
  It is a medical emergency that occurs due to allergy to the material, latex. It is characterised by a rash that may develop within minutes to hours after exposure to a latex product. It may be less visible on darker skin tones or appear darker or lighter than the surrounding tissue. It also results in warm, itchy wheals at the site of contact, which may take on a crusted or dry appearance with repeated latex exposure. Air-borne particles of latex may cause runny nose, cough, itchy and watery eyes, and sneezing. A severe latex allergy can lead to swelling and breathing difficulties.
• Eczema
  Eczema is characterised by white or yellow scaly patches that flake off. The areas affected may be greasy, itchy, or oily. On lighter skin, eczema gives rise to a red rash that may appear purple, brown, or grey on darker skin. Loss of hair may also occur in the area with the rash.
• Psoriasis
  This skin condition causes silvery, scaly, sharply defined patches of skin. Those with darker skin might also notice dark brown or purplish skin patches. Patches are generally located on the elbows, scalp, lower back, and knees. This condition may be asymptomatic or itchy.
• Cellulitis
  Cellulitis is caused by fungi or bacteria that enter through a cut or crack in the skin. It leads to painful and swollen skin with or without oozing that quickly spreads. The skin might appear red on people with lighter skin tones, but this may be less noticeable on people with darker skin tones. The skin may feel hot and tender to touch. Fever, red streaking from the rash, and chills might be symptoms of a serious infection that requires medical attention.
• Measles
  The symptoms of measles include sore throat, fever, loss of appetite, red or watery eyes, and runny nose. It also gives rise to a red rash that spreads from the face down the body after the symptoms first appear. The rash might not be quite visible on darker skin. Small, red spots with blue-white centres may develop inside the mouth. Measles may lead to PIH in darker skinned people.
• Basal cell carcinoma
  This dermatological condition is usually characterised by firm, raised, and pale areas that look like a scar. It can lead to development of dome-like, shiny, pink or red, pearly areas that may present with a sunk-in, like a crater. For dark-skinned people, it might appear less pearly and more dark. Blood vessels may be visible on the growth. It might lead to increased chances of bleeding or oozing wounds that do not seem to heal.
• Squamous cell carcinoma
  This condition usually develops in areas of the skin exposed to UV rays, like the ears, face, and the back of the hands. It may be characterised by a reddish, scaly skin patch that progresses to a raised bump that keeps growing. The bump may look lighter on darker skin tones. It can also lead to a growth that easily bleeds, does not heal, and then reappears.
• Melanoma
  It is the most aggressive form of skin cancer that is more common in lighter-skinned people. It can develop anywhere on the body as a mole with asymmetrical shapes, irregularly shaped edges, and multiple colours. In darker-skinned people, melanoma often appears in less sun-exposed areas. It might also develop in the form of a mole that has gotten bigger or changed colour over time.
• Lupus
  The symptoms of lupus include fever, headaches, and joint pains. It can lead to the development of a scaly, disc-shaped rash that doesn’t hurt or itch. Scaly ring shapes or red patches most commonly develop on the forearms, shoulders, neck, and upper torso. They worsen with sunlight exposure. Darker-skinned people have an increased risk of developing abnormal scarring. It also leads to the development of a warm, red, or brown rash that spreads across the cheeks and bridge of the nose in the form of a butterfly.
• Contact dermatitis
  This condition develops hours to days after allergen contact. It gives rise to a rash with visible borders and develops when the skin comes into contact with an irritating substance. The skin may be scaly, itchy, or raw. Lighter skin can look red, while darker skin can look grey, purple, or dark brown. It might also give rise to blisters that ooze, weep, or become crusty.
• Vitiligo
  Vitiligo is characterised by pigmentation loss in the skin as a result of destruction of the cells that impart colour to the skin. These cells are known as melanocytes. Focal vitiligo leads to loss of skin colour in only a few small areas, which may merge together. On the other hand, segmental pattern vitiligo results in depigmentation on one side of the body. Vitiligo can also lead to premature greying of the facial hair or the scalp. People with different skin tones usually form skin patched much lighter than their natural skin colour. In darker-skinned people, it is more visible, which may give rise to increased stigma related to the condition.
• Wart
  Warts occur due to many different forms of a virus known as the human papillomavirus (HPV). They may either develop on the skin or the mucous membranes and can appear singly or in groups. Warts are contagious and can be passed from one person to another. They may look darker on skin of colour.
• Chickenpox
  Chickpox gives rise to red, itchy, or brown, fluid-filled blisters in different healing stages throughout the body. The rash is associated with body aches, fever, sore throat, and appetite loss. Chickenpox stays contagious until all the blisters have developed crusts over them. The lesions are not distinctly seen on darker skin.
• Seborrheic eczema
  This dermatologist condition is characterised by white or yellow scaly patches that flake off. The areas of skin affected with the condition may be itchy, red, oily, or greasy. Darker-skinned people may also notice loss of skin colour or hypopigmentation in the affected areas. Loss of hair may develop in the area where the rash has developed.
• Keratosis pilaris
  This common dermatological condition commonly develops on the arms and legs. However, it may also develop on the face, trunk, and buttocks. It often resolves by itself by the age of 30. It often resolves by itself by the age of 30. Apart from that, it can cause patches of skin that appear slightly red, bumpy, and feel rough. Symptoms may worsen in dry weather. The hair follicles may appear darker than the surrounding skin on darker-skinned people. They usually appear purple or red on lighter-skinned people.
• Ringworm
  This condition gives rise to scaly, circular rashes with a raised border. The skin in the centre of the ring may appear healthy and clear and the edges of the ring may spread outwards. The skin usually feels itchy too. The ring usually appears pink or red on lighter skin tones and grey or brown on darker skin tones.
• Melasma
  This is a common dermatological condition that causes dark patches to develop on the face and rarely on the check, neck, or the arms. It is more common in pregnant females and people with darker skin or those exposed to sunlight. It might not give rise to other symptoms other than skin discolouration. It resolves by itself within a year or can even become permanent.
• Impetigo
  This is a common condition that develops in young children. It usually gives rise to an irritating rash, often around the mouth, nose, and the chin. It may also lead to the development of fluid-filled sacs that pop easily and develop a honey-coloured crust. It might not be clearly visible on darker-skinned people.
• Contact dermatitis
  Contact dermatitis is one of the commonest occupational diseases that often results from contact with chemicals or other irritants. These agents can trigger a reaction causing the skin to become inflamed and itchy. The areas affected may also appear purple, red, dark brown, or grey. Most dermatitis cases are not that severe, but they can rather be itchy. The typical treatment is topical creams and avoiding irritants.
• Keratosis pilaris
  Keratosis pilaris is a mild dermatological condition that leads to the formation of rough bumps on the skin. These bumps generally develop on the arms, upper arms, cheeks, or thighs. They are typically white or red and don’t itch or hurt. Treatment is not required but medicated creams improve the appearance of skin.

Some chronic conditions of the skin present from birth, while others develop soon after. The cause of these conditions is not always known. Majority of these can be effectively treated and enable extended periods of remission. They are, however, incurable and symptoms can reappear anytime.

Following are some examples of chronic dermatological conditions:

• Psoriasis: which causes itchy, scaly, and dry skin patches
• Rosacea: which is characterised by tiny, pus-filled bumps on the face
• Vitiligo: which causes large, asymmetrical patches of lighter skin.

Skin disorders in children are quite common. They may also experience many of the same skin conditions as adults. Toddlers and infants are also susceptible to developing diaper-related skin issues. As children are more frequently exposed to germs and other children, they may also develop skin conditions that are rarely seen in adults.

Many skin conditions that are seen in children disappear with age, but the majority of children can also inherit permanent skin conditions. In most cases, children's skin conditions can be treated with medicated lotions, topical creams, or condition-specific drugs. The common childhood skin conditions include diaper rash, eczema, measles, chickenpox, seborrheic dermatitis, warts, fifth disease, acne, ringworm, hives, rashes from allergic reactions, and rashes from fungal and bacterial infections.

Skin conditions give rise to a wide range of symptoms, most of which appear as a result of common issues that aren’t always the result of a skin condition. Such symptoms include chafing from tight pants or blisters from new shoes. However, skin conditions with no obvious cause may point towards the presence of a disorder that requires treatment and care.

Skin irregularities that typically point towards a skin disorder include a rash, which might be itchy or painful, raised bumps that are white or red, peeling skin, rough or scaly skin, ulcers, dry, cracked skin, open lesions or sores, fleshy bumps, warts, or other skin growths, discoloured patches of skin, a loss of skin pigment, changes in mole colour or size, and a loss of skin pigment.

Commonly known cause of skin conditions include:

fungus, parasites, or microorganisms living on the skin viruses

• bacteria trapped in skin pores and hair follicles
• contact with allergens, irritants, or another infected person
• illnesses affecting the thyroid, immune system, kidneys, and other body systems
• a weakened immune system
• genetic factors
• Numerous health conditions and lifestyle factors can cause skin disorders.

Most skin disorders can be effectively treated. Following are the common treatment methods for skin conditions:

• medicated creams and ointments
• antihistamines
• vitamin or steroid injections
• antibiotics
• targeted prescription medications
• laser therapy
• biologics

Certain skin conditions can’t be prevented. This includes genetic conditions and other skin problems that occur due to other diseases or illnesses. It is, however, possible to prevent some skin conditions. Following are the tips you can follow:

• Avoid sharing eating utensils and drinking glasses with other people.
• Wash your hands with soap and warm water frequently.
• Clean things in public spaces, such as gym equipment, before using them.
• Avoid direct contact with the skin of other people who have an infection.
• Sleep for at least 7-8 hours each night.
• Don’t share personal items like toothbrush, blankets, hairbrushes, or swimsuits.
• Avoid excessive physical or emotional stress.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Get vaccinated for infectious skin diseases.
• Eat a nutritious diet

Non Infectious skin disorders like ectopic dermatitis and acne can sometimes be prevented. Depending on the condition of the patient, the treatment techniques vary. Following are some tips for preventing some noninfectious skin disorders:

• Use a moisturiser.
• Avoid environmental and dietary allergens.
• Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and water every day.
• Avoid contact with harsh chemicals or other irritants.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Sleep for at least 7 hours each night, as many skin conditions can worsen due to lack of sleep.
• Protect your skin from excessive cold, wind and heat.
• Eat a balanced diet.

Learning about appropriate skin care and treatment for skin disorders can be very beneficial for skin health. Some disorders require the attention of a doctor, while others can be addressed safely at home. You should learn about your symptoms or condition and talk with your doctor to determine the best treatment methods.

Dermatologists at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Indore are experts in the medical and surgical treatment of adults and children with conditions and diseases of the skin, mucous membranes, hair and nails. Consult the best dermatologists in Indore at our hospital for treatment of skin disorders.