Dr Hilary Jones' Healthcare Guide - West Midlands - (Page 41)

DERMATOLOGY – SKIN CARE Whether it’s the odd blemish, spot or dry patch, everyone has a bad skin day once in a while – but, for some, it can be the start of a more serious problem skin DEEP and there are more than 2,000 known skin disorders worldwide. Here’s a round-up of the most common conditions in the UK, who they affect, their causes and how they are treated. D ATOPIC ECZEMA This causes dry, itchy, inflamed skin. It can affect any area but is most common on the knees, wrists, neck and in the bends of the elbows. WHAT CAUSES IT? The causes are not completely understood, but ezcema is linked Focus on: skin cancer Also known as non-melanoma (highly treatable) or malignant melanoma (rare and aggressive), skin cancer is one of the most common conditions treated by dermatologists Rates of skin cancer in Britain have quadrupled since the 1970s – today, roughly 200 cases are diagnosed in the UK every day. WHAT CAUSES IT? Ultraviolet light (UVA and UVB) from the sun is the main cause of most skin cancers. People who work outdoors for a living, such as farmers, are at an increased risk of developing skin cancer because of prolonged exposure to the sun. TREATMENT If you need surgery, your doctor will remove the cancer and some of the healthy tissue around it. The amount of healthy tissue taken will vary, depending on the type of cancer and how deep it is – it can be 2cm-3cm around the cancer. Radiotherapy may be used following surgery but it’s usually used if surgery isn’t possible. Your doctor may recommend immunotherapy if there is a strong chance the cancer will come back. ermatology covers a wide range of conditions concerned with the skin. Over eight million people in the UK have some form of skin disease, to asthma and hay fever and, in common with these other ‘atopic’ conditions, results from an overactive immune system, meaning the skin becomes inflamed and sore. TREATMENT There is no cure for eczema but there are a number of ways of controlling it. The most common treatments are daily emollients (moisturisers) and topical steroid creams, which come in different potencies. persist for much longer or even develop for the first time in later life. Psoriasis affects over 1.5 million people in the UK, and about 80 million people worldwide Did you know? ACNE A very common skin condition, acne usually starts at puberty and clears up by the late teens or early twenties – but for some people, it can WHAT CAUSES IT? Acne arises when the sebaceous glands are over-sensitive to testosterone, causing them to produce too 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 over the counter – those based on benzoyl peroxide are particularly effective. For more stubborn cases, antibiotics may be prescribed. For women, certain kinds of oral contraceptive pill can prove helpful. PSORIASIS This condition affects 2% of the UK population. It causes skin to develop red, scaly patches, mostly on the knees, elbows and scalp. WHAT CAUSES IT? Psoriasis is caused by a dramatic increase in the rate of skin cell turnover, but the reasons behind this are not fully understood. For some people, it appears to be hereditary; for others, it is triggered by stress, a skin injury or even a throat infection. TREATMENT There is no cure but medicine aimed at controlling the symptoms can be effective for soothing dry, itchy skin. n Dr Hilary Jones’ Healthcare guide – West Midlands 041 WORDS: Lynne Maxwell | PHOTOGRAPH: Getty Images

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dr Hilary Jones' Healthcare Guide - West Midlands

EDITOR’S LETTER
A HEALTHY HELLO FROM DR HILARY
NEWS AND VIEWS
THE BIG INTERVIEW
QUESTION TIME
A WEIGHTY ISSUE
FITNESS FOR FREE
THE HEART OF THE MATTER
TOP NOSH
DR HILARY'S WELCOME
MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION
CHOOSING THE BEST
BREAST CANCER
COLORECTAL
COSMETIC SURGERY
DERMATOLOGY
EARS, NOSE AND THROAT
FERTILITY
GASTROENTEROLOGY
HAEMATOLOGY
NEUROSURGERY
OBESITY
OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY
OPHTHALMOLOGY
ORTHOPAEDICS
PAIN MANAGEMENT
PLASTIC SURGERY
PLASTIC SURGERY
UROLOGY

Dr Hilary Jones' Healthcare Guide - West Midlands

http://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/DrHilaryJones-HealthcareGuide/Dr_Hilary_Jones_Health_Care_Guide_NorthWest
http://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/DrHilaryJones-HealthcareGuide/Dr_Hilary_Jones_Health_Care_Guide_Essex_Kent_Sussex
http://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/DrHilaryJones-HealthcareGuide/Dr_Hilary_Jones_Health_Care_Guide_WestMidlands
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com