Dermatology (Greek derma – skin, logos – doctrine, literally “the doctrine of the skin”) is a medical discipline, the objects of study of which are the skin, its appendages (hair, nails, sebaceous and sweat glands), mucous membranes, their structure and functioning, as well as diseases and diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Within dermatology as a medical science, there are special clinical sections that study individual diseases and their treatment (mycology, trichology). Dermatology is closely connected with venereology, cosmetology, allergology and other medical disciplines.
The skin is part of the integral structure of the body and is the largest human organ visible to the eye. It, as an indicator, reflects the state of all organs and systems of the body, protects them from mechanical damage and infection. As a rule, skin diseases indicate any violation of the functions of internal organs, unhealthy habits and lifestyle of the patient. Skin diseases, in turn, can lead to serious consequences for the body as a whole if their treatment is not started in a timely manner.
The features of the structure of the skin, the diversity of its functions and the impact of a large number of internal and external factors cause a variety of skin diseases, or dermatoses.
The impact of external, or exogenous, factors is very diverse. Physical and chemical agents cause inflammatory changes – dermatitis (burns, scuffs, diaper rash, etc.). Biological factors lead to fungal skin lesions – mycoses (epidermophytia, microsporia), pustular diseases – pyoderma (impetigo, furunculosis, hydradenitis), parasitic invasions (pediculosis, scabies), viral skin lesions (herpes, warts).
An important role in the occurrence of skin diseases is played by internal, or endogenous, factors: these are diseases of internal organs, chronic foci of infection, metabolic disorders, hypovitaminosis, disorders of the functions of the nervous system. All these factors can cause various pathological processes in the skin and its appendages, mucous membranes: inflammation, hemorrhages, pigmentation changes and even the death of individual skin structures (hair follicles, connective tissue fibers, etc.).
When the first signs of skin diseases appear (such as itching, burning, soreness, discoloration and relief of the skin, skin rashes), you should consult a dermatologist. An experienced doctor can make the correct diagnosis already at the first careful examination of the skin and careful collection of the patient’s life history. To clarify or confirm the diagnosis in dermatology, additional methods of examination of the skin, mucous membranes, hair, nails are widely used: instrumental, laboratory, radiological, special skin tests, etc.
Treatment of skin diseases requires patient patience and strict adherence to the treatment algorithm. An important role in the successful treatment is played by hygienic care of the affected skin, compliance with diet and drug therapy regimen. Medical treatment can be general and local. Physiotherapy and hardware procedures, psychotherapy, spa treatment, phytotherapy, homeopathy are widely used in dermatological practice. In some cases, in the absence of a clinical effect from conservative treatment, surgical intervention or the involvement of narrow specialists is indicated. Most often, the treatment is complex and combines several different methods at once. Today, with the help of the latest therapeutic and diagnostic techniques, dermatology allows to achieve the cure of such diseases that were considered incurable until quite recently.
Skin diseases are among the most common human diseases, and almost everyone faces one or another of their manifestations in their lifetime. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 20% of the world’s population suffers from skin diseases.
Many dermatoses have a chronic recurrent course and are difficult to treat. The most common are dermatitis of various genesis, eczema, fungal diseases, acne, skin warts, herpes simplex, psoriasis, skin cancer.
Modern dermatology pays great attention to the restoration of skin health, the study of the mechanisms of age-related and pathological changes in the skin, nails and hair, the treatment of oncological diseases, the search for new methods of diagnosis and treatment.
With the website “Medic Journal” you will always be aware of the most up-to-date information about skin diseases and methods of their treatment.
Fox-Fordyce disease is a specific skin disease that has a gender coloring, affecting the localization areas of the glandular appendages of the dermis, usually combined with dysfunction of the thyroid and genital glands. The leading symptom of dermatosis is attacks of severe itching in combination with a small-nodular rash in the armpits, around the breast…
Morgellons disease is a rare and poorly studied dermatopathy, which is characterized by the release of tissue fibers or other particles from the skin. To date, the etiopathogenesis of the disease has not been thoroughly established, there are difficulties with isolating the problem into an independent nosological unit. Patients complain of painful itching of the…
Madelung’s disease is a disease of unclear etiology, which is characterized by a progressive proliferation of fatty tissue in the neck. Multiple, symmetrically located lipomas develop on the shoulders, antero-lateral and posterior surfaces of the neck, upper back. Pronounced fat pillows are formed in the clavicle area, in the projection of the deltoid muscles and…
Lever’s disease (benign universal pemphigoid) is a chronic autoimmune non-cytolytic vesicular dermatosis. Clinically characterized by a rash of tense blisters, both on the background of cutaneous erythema and on the unchanged mucosa. Inside the bull is a serous, serous-hemorrhagic content. Bubbles are opened almost without the formation of crusts, which do not have time to…
Kimura disease is a disease of unclear etiology, accompanied by the formation of eosinophilic infiltrates of soft tissues. They are dense knots of various sizes and shapes, localized on the head and neck. They can have a red-brown hue and reach 5-7 cm in diameter. The disease proceeds with an increase in the lymph nodes,…
Erythroplasia of Queyrat is a superficial intraepithelial cancer of the mucous membranes. In most cases, the tumor lesion affects the head of the penis and the inner leaf of the foreskin, less often – the vulva, cervix, perianal region, oral cavity. It is a bright red plaque with a shiny, slightly velvety, moist surface and clear…
Derkum’s disease is a neuroendocrine disease, the main clinical manifestations of which are single or multiple diffusely localized fatty formations, adynamia, asthenization of the patient, depression. The growth of lipomas is accompanied by compression-ischemic damage to the skin branches of peripheral nerves, which is manifested by chronic pain, a feeling of numbness of the fingers,…
Darye’s disease (follicular vegetative dyskeratosis) is a hereditary disease transmitted by an autosomal dominant type with varying degrees of phenotypic manifestation of a defective gene. The basis of clinical manifestations is pathological keratinization of epidermal cells (dyskeratosis). The primary element is small flaky spots or globular papules covered with crusts, merging into plaques. Dermatosis is…
Grover’s disease is a rare transient acantholytic benign dermatosis, clinically characterized by a rash of dense bright red papules on unchanged or slightly edematous skin. The distinctive features of the disease are the itching that accompanies each “attack” of papules, and their ability to resolve spontaneously. The primary elements are localized in the neck, decollete…
Bowen’s disease is an intraepidermal cancer of the skin and mucous membranes, a type of carcinoma that affects the scaly cells of the epidermis, but does not spread to basal cells. Pathological foci have the appearance of plaques of rich pink or red color with raised, uneven, clearly delimited edges. The surface of the plaques…
