Dr Hilary Jones' Healthcare Guide - Essex, Kent & Sussex - (Page 61)
DERMATOLOGY – SKIN CARE
UNDER YOUR skin
While some blemishes or spots may fade over time, there are many skin conditions which need that extra bit of attention
ermatology covers a wide range of conditions concerned with the skin. Over eight million people in the UK have some form of skin disease, and there are more than 2,000 known skin disorders worldwide. Here’s a round-up of some of the most common conditions in the UK, their causes and how they are treated.
D
Acne
Rosacea
Rosacea is a very common chronic skin condition that mainly affects the face. For most people with the condition, the first symptoms they notice are episodes of flushing. People with rosacea may experience spots and persistent redness of their skin. Small blood vessels in the skin can become visible.
WHAT CAUSES IT? While the exact cause of rosacea is unknown, several triggers have been identified that are thought to make the symptoms worse in some people. These include A very common skin condition, acne usually exposure to sunlight, stress, cold weather, hot starts at puberty and clears up by the late teens drinks, alcohol and eating spicy foods. or early twenties – but for some people, it can TREATMENT There is no cure for rosacea, persist for much longer or even develop for the but treatments are available to manage first time in later life. the symptoms. As well as avoiding the triggers, you can control the WHAT CAUSES IT? Acne arises symptoms by using a number when the sebaceous glands are of different medicines (including over-sensitive to testosterone, Remember, stress can be bad for antibiotics and lotions), as well causing them to produce too skin conditions as laser treatment. much oil. Furthermore, dead skin cells in the pores are not shed properly and clog up the follicles, resulting in spots. TREATMENT Mild acne cures can be bought Bluish-red in colour, thread veins – or ‘spider over the counter – those based on benzoyl veins’ as they are sometimes known – can be peroxide are particularly effective. For more seen close to the surface of the skin. Although stubborn cases, antibiotics may be prescribed they do not cause any medical problems, many or, for women, the oral contraceptive pill. people with thread veins find them unattractive.
WHAT CAUSES THEM? Facial thread veins are caused by a variety of factors including UV light, extreme weather conditions and genetic factors. Alcohol can also contribute. TREATMENT Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy where lasers are used to stimulate the skin to produce more collagen. It’s a ‘non-ablative’ treatment, which means it affects the middle or dermal layer of the skin without causing too much damage to the top layer. The treatment is painless and takes around 30 minutes but you need six to nine treatments for it to be effective.
Scars and uneven pigmentation
WORDS: Jessie Bland|PHOTOGRAPH: Getty Images
Keep calm
Following an injury – such as a burn or a cut – normal skin is replaced by fibrous tissue (often known as scar tissue) as part of wound repair. Uneven pigmentation is caused when some areas of skin produce too much melanin (the chemical which dictates our skin tone). WHAT CAUSES THEM? Scars can be caused by a number of things (including acne and cuts), but uneven pigmentation typically comes about due to age or over-exposure to the sun. TREATMENT Microdermabrasion, an advanced facial scrub, contains fine crystals which are used to exfoliate the surface of the skin. This loosens dead skin which is vacuumed away. A course of four to six treatments is recommended.
Thread veins
Dr Hilary Jones’ Healthcare guide – Essex, Kent and Sussex 061
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dr Hilary Jones' Healthcare Guide - Essex, Kent & Sussex
editor’s letter
A healthy hello from Dr Hilary
NEWS and views
the big interview
Question time
A weighty issue
fitness for free
Top nosh
DR HILARY ’S WELCOME
Make the right decision
choosing the best
breast cancer
Cardiology
Colorectal
cosmetic surgery
dentistry
dermatology
Ear, nose and throat
fertility
gastroenterology
haematology
neurosurgery
obesity
obstetrics and gynaecology
ophthalmology
oral surgery
orthodontics
orthopaedics
psychiatry
rheumatology
urology
vascular
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