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F
Facial Hair (go to hirsutism) | Fifth
disease | Flushing | Folliculitis
| Fox Fordyce disease | Freckles
(go to ephelides) | Fungal
infections | Furuncles
and carbuncles
FIFTH
DISEASE
Fifth disease is also
known as erythema infectiosum. It is quite a common infection
in young children.
- Cause
- Parvovirus B19.
Symptoms
- Bright red cheeks
as if slapped ("slapped cheek" appearance).
- A red, lace or net-like
rash on the limbs and trunk a few days later.
- The child is usually
well although some may have a slight fever, headache or gastrointestinal
symptoms.
- The rash fades within
a week.
-
- Complications
- Anaemia may sometimes
develop.
-
- What you can do
- You should consult
a doctor.
- Apply cold compresses
to the cheeks.
-
- What the doctor
may do
- Confirm the diagnosis.
- Do blood tests.
- Treat the symptoms.
The rash usually clears on its own within one week.
TOP
FLUSHING
Flushing occurs when
the blood vessels in the skin dilate. It has many causes.
Causes
- Food induced
- Alcohol.
- Food additives, eg.,
monosodium glutamate.
- Hot beverages.
- Spicy foods such as
chills and curries.
-
- Neurologically induced.
- Anxiety.
- Blushing.
- During a migraine
attack.
-
- Drugs induced.
- Vasodilators (drugs
that dilate the blood vessels).
- Systemic steroids.
TOP
FOLLICULITIS
The term folliculitis
refers to superficial inflammation of the hair follicles. Furuncles or boils and carbuncles
are deep infections involving one or several follicles, respectively.
Folliculitis usually affects the scalp and hairy areas. Furuncles
most commonly affects the neck and upper back. Carbuncles usually
affect the back of the neck and buttocks.
- Causes
- Infection.
- Staphylococcal bacterial
infection is usually the cause.
- Pseudomonas aeroginosa
- infection by this bacteria has been reported in people using
hot tubs and jacuzzis.
- Pityrosporon orbiculare,
a yeastlike fungus may cause pityrosporon
folliculitis.
-
- Irritation
- Mineral oils (oil
exploration and refinery workers and mechanics)., cutting oils
(metal industry) and other chemicals.
- Tar (road workers
and psoriasis patients treated with tar products).
- Ingrown
hairs. This is more common in dark-skin individuals with curly
hairs and usually affects the back of the neck. It causes lumpy
scars or keloids and is known as folliculitis keloidalis.
Symptoms
- Red papules (pimply
bumps) and pustules (pusheads) centred around the hair follicles
(skin pores). Occupational folliculitis usually affects the forearms
and thighs).
- On
the scalp, folliculitis may result in patchy alopecia (hairloss).
This form is called folliculitis decalvans.
- On bearded areas,
folliculitis may result a chronic infection called sycosis barbae.
- Itching, pain or neither.
- Pityrosporon
folliculitis
cause an itchy, acne-like eruption on the upper trunk.
 |
Folliculitis decalvans.
Click
on image for larger view |
Complications
- Folliculitis decalvans
of the scalp may cause scarring and permanent hairloss.
- Folliculitis keloidalis
affecting the back of the neck may cause scarring and permanent
hairloss.
What you can do
- You should consult
a doctor.
- Clean the area with
an antiseptic solution if infection is the cause.
- Use antibacterial
or deodorant soaps if the problem is recurrent. Remember not
to use ordinary soaps afterwards as these will wash away traces
of antibacterial chemicals that remain on the skin and keep bacteria
at bay.
- If folliculitis is
due to contact with with oils and tars, wear protective clothings.
What the doctor
may do
- Determine and treat
the cause.
- Prescribe oral and/or
topical antibiotics.
- Take a culture to
help choose the best antibiotic to use.
TOP
FOX FORDYCE DISEASE
This is a chronic disorder
of the special sweat glands found in the armpits, pubic and nipple
regions known as apocrine glands. It appears after puberty and
usually affects women.
Cause
- Blockage of the apocrine
glands.
-
- Symptoms
- Skin coloured or greyish
papules (bumps) around the hair follicles.
- The hairs are often
lost.
- Itching.
- The skin is often
thickened and darkened as a result of repeated scratching.
- It usually affects
the axillae, pubic or nipple regions.
-
- What you can do
- You should consult
a doctor.
- Take oral antihistamines
to relieve itching.
-
- What the doctor
may do
- Perform a skin biopsy
to confirm the diagnosis.
- Prescribe topical
steroids or tretinoin cream.
- Prescribe birth control
pills in women.
- Excise the affected
skin.
- TOP
-
- FUNGAL
INFECTIONS
- TOP
FURUNCLES AND CARBUNCLES
Furuncles (boils) and
carbuncles are deep bacterial infections causing abscesses in
the skin. A furuncle develops when folliculitis
spreads deeper into the skin. A carbuncle is a group of interconnecting
furuncles. Furuncles and carbuncles occur more commonly on the
face, scalp or at sites that are subjected to friction and maceration
such as back of the neck, armpits and buttocks.
- Causes
- Bacterial infection,
usually caused by the staphylococcal bacteria.
-
- Predisposing factors
- Diabetes, especially
in patients with carbuncles.
- Carriage of staphylococcal
bacteria in the nostrils or perineum of the individual or family
members.
- Friction from skin
surfaces rubbing together eg., armpits and buttocks or from collars.
- Poor hygiene.
- Old age and debility.
- Obesity.
- Immunological defects
(eg., in rare disorders such a chronic granulomatosis, hyper-IgE
syndrome).
-
- Symptoms
- Furuncle
- Painful, red, hot
swelling of 1 - 5 cm in size.
- Softens after a few
days and ulcerates, usually through one opening.
-
- Carbuncle
- Painful, large red,
hot swelling of 3 - 10 cm in size.
- Softens and ulcerates
through several openings.
- Fever.
- Malaise (feeling of
illness).
-
- Complications
- Scarring.
- Septicaemia (blood
poisoning), especially if furuncles or carbuncles around the
lips or nose are squeezed.
- Recurrences may occur
in people with diabetes, immunological defects or if there is
carriage of the staphylococcal bacteria by the person or his
family members.
-
- What you can do
- You should consult
a doctor.
- Apply warm compresses
for about 10 minutes twice a day. This helps the swelling to
point and discharge pus, thus aiding healing.
- Keep the area clean,
cover with a gauze dressing and change the soiled dressing regularly.
- Do not squeeze as
this may force infection into the blood, leading to septicaemia.
- Observe careful hygiene.
Wash the hands regularly.
- Do not share towels,
sheets and personal items.
- Avoid activities that
cause excessive sweating if boils recur on places that are subjected
to sweating and friction such as the armpits, groins, between
the buttocks.
- Have your family members
screened if you suffer from recurrent furuncles.
- Use antiseptic soaps
if you suffer from recurrent furuncles.
-
- What the doctor
may do
- Take a culture to
determine the best antibiotic to use. Cultures may be taken from
other sites as well such as the nostrils, armpits between the
buttocks and legs which may harbour the bacteria and from other
family members who may be carriers.
- Prescribe topical
and oral antibiotics.
- Drain abscesses and
remove infected tissue.
- Detect aggravating
causes and treat.
- TOP
