Skin Diseases

Skin Diseases and Treatment

1.Abscess

What is Abscess?

Abscess

An abscess is an infection characterized by a collection of pus underneath a portion of the skin. bacteria commonly causing abscesses are Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus. These bacterial enter the skin through any cracks or injury to the skin. That area of skin then becomes red, tender, warm, and swollen over days to 1 to 2 weeds and a fever may develop. Abscesses can sometimes form if minor superficial skin infections are not treated appropriately and in a timely fashion. Most abscesses resolve quickly once appropriately treated. 

Community associated penicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is a strain of "staph" bacteria resistant to antibiotics in the penicillin family, which have been the cornerstone of antibiotic therapy for staph and skin infections for decades. CA-MRSA previously infected only smalll segments of the population, such as health care workers and persons using injection drugs. However, CA-MRSA is now a common cause of skin infections in the general population. While CA-MRSA bacteria are resistant to penicillin and penicillin -related  antibiotics, most staph infections with CA-MRSA can be easily treated by health care practitioners using local skin care and commonly available non-penicillin- family antibiotics. rarely, CA-MRSA can cause serious skin and soft tissue infections typically start as small red bumps or pus-filled bumps, which can rapidly turn into deep, painful sores.  

If you see a red bump or pus-filled bump on the skin that on the skin that is worsening or showing any signs or infection , see your doctor right away. Many patients believe incorrectly that these bumps are the result of a spider bite when they arrive at the doctor's office. Your doctor may need to test infected skin for MRSA before starting antibiotics. If you have a skin problem that resembles a CA-MRSA infection or a culture that is positive for MRSA, your doctor may need to provide local skin care and prescribe oral antibiotics. To prevent spread of infected wounds, hands, and other exposed body areas should be kept clean and wounds, hands, and other exposed body areas should be kept clean and wounds should be covered during therapy. Factors that predispose individuals to developing an abscess include: 

• Any skin infection, especially those that are untreated
• Diabetes
• Obesity 
• Intravenous drug abuse 
• Weakened immune system due to underlying illness or medication

Causes of Abscess:

Most of the abscesses are caused by a bacterial infection. When bacteria enter your body, your immune system sends infection-fighting white blood cells to the affected area. As the white blood cells attack the bacteria, some nearby tissue dies, creating a hole which then fills with pus to form as abscess. The pus contains a mixture of dead tissue, white blood cells and bacteria. 

Internal abscesses often develop as a complication of an existing condition, such as an infection elsewhere in your body for example, if your appendix bursts as a result of appendicitis, bacteria can spread inside your tummy and cause an abscess to form. 

Who's at risk?

You are at an increased risk of developing abscesses it. 

• You have a weak immune system due to HIV or chemotherapy
• You have diabetes
• You have hidradenitis suppurativa or another underlying inflammatory condition
• You have an infection caused by staphylococcal bacteria

Signs and symptoms:

A skin abscess often appears as a swollen, pus-filled lump under the surface of the skin. You may also have other symptoms of an infection, such as a high temperature and chills. It's more difficult to identify an abscess inside the body, but signs include:

• Pain in the affected area
• A high temperature 
• generally feeling unwell

Abscess development:

You develop an abscess when your immune system isolates an infected area to keep the infection from spreading. Your immune system does it by sending leukocytes specialized white blood cells to the infected area. these cells fight and destroy infectious microorganisms such as parasites, bacteria, and viruses. The clash between the bacteria and white blood cells leads to the formation of pus within the involved tissue. A wall of tissue develops around the infection site with time and this wall forms an abscess. Since an abscess is swollen with puss, this makes many people wonder if it's contagious. Let's find out. 

Are Abscesses Contagious?

A growing abscess is usually red and warm to the touch. It contains puss but it is not contagious. However, you need to understand that you develop an abscess because of a type of bacterial infection, and these bacteria can spread from person to person and cause different type of infections. You should wash your hand if you touch a boil that is draining pus. You should also wash your towels or clothes that may have touched a draining or open carbuncle or boil.

you develop an abscess usually because you are infected with staphylococcal bacteria, but fungal, viral, and parasitic infecions can also cause abscesses. Here is more about different types of abscesses to help you find an answer to, "Are abscesses contagious?"

• Skin Abscesses: You develop an abscess when bacteria get under the surface of your skin . This type of abscess can develop anywhere on the body, including the trunk, hands, underams, feet, buttocks, and genitals. You may develop an abscess when you have a skin wound which allows the bacteria to get into your skin. You may also develop it because of a blocked sebaceous gland in your skin
• Internal Abscesses: You may develop abscesses inside the tummy mainly due to an infection that reaches deep tissues in your body. This may happen due to an abdominal surgery, an injury, or an infection spreading from a nearby area. 

Self -Care guidelines:

There are no self-care options for abscesses. While to see your doctor, you can try applying a warm compress to the affected area and take ibuprofen to help with the swelling and pain.

When to seek Medical Care?

A worsening red, tender swelling should prompt you to make an appointment with your physician as soon as possible if the area involves your face, is spreading rapidly., or is in as area that severely limits your functionality, you should seek emergency care.  

Treatments:

Your doctor may drain the pus and fluid collection by making a small incision in the skin after it has been numbed. This will drain a majority of the bacteria, helping the body fight the small amount that remains. This fluid may then be sent to a laboratory for testing but not necessarily. 

The culture can tell the doctor not only what type of bacterium is causing the infection but also what  antibiotics will work best to treat it. This may take as little as 2 to 3 days. Your doctor may choose to have you start oral antibiotics aimed at treating the most common bacteria that cause abscesses while awaiting these results. However, if the infection is small and it has been drained, your doctor may decide to not treat you with oral antibiotics. 

It your symptoms are not symptoms are no improving or it is determined that the bacterium is not one of the common types, your doctor may prescribe different antibiotics. If your doctor prescribes antibiotics, it is important to take the entire course as prescribed, even if you are feeling better or the infection appears to be gone after just a few days. If you have been taking antibiotics and the infection itself or the way you are generally feeling have not improved in about 2 to 3 days, return to see your doctor.

Preventing a skin abscess: 

Most skin abscesses are caused by bacteria getting into a minor wound, the root of a hair or a blocked oil or sweat gland. ensuring that your skin is clean, healthy and largely free of bacteria can help reduce the risk of skin abscesses developing. 

• washing your hands regularly
• encouraging people in your family to wash their hands regularly
• using separate towels and not sharing baths 
• waiting until your skin abscess is fully treated and healed before using any communal equipment, such as gym equipment, saunas or swimming pools

don't squeeze the pus out of the abscess yourself, because this can easily spread the bacteria to other areas of your skin. If you use tissues to wipe any pus away from your abscess, dispose of them straight away to avoid germs spreading. Wash your hands after you've disposed of the tissues.  

Take care when shaving your face, legs, underarm areas or bikini area to avoid nicking your skin. Clean any wounds immediately and visit your GP or local NHS walk-in center if you think there may be something trapped in your skin. Don't share razors or toothbrushes. 

Home Remedies for a Skin Abscess"

• If the abscess is small (less than 1 cm or less than a inch across), applying warm compresses to the area for about 30 minutes, four times daily may help.
• Once the boil drains, it should heal on its own, though this may take several weeks. 
• Do not attempt to drain the abscess by pressing on it. this can push the infected material into the deeper tissues. 
• Do no stick a needle or other sharp instrument into the abscess because it may inure an underlying blood vessel or cause the infection to spread. 

Other types of abscess: 

There are many other types of abscess no fully covered here, including:

• an anorectal abscess-a build -up of pus i the rectum and anus
• a bartholin's abscess- a build up of pus inside one of the brartholin's glands, which are found on each side of the opening of the vagina
• a brain abscess- a rate bu tpotentially life- threatening build -up of pus inside the skull
• a dental abscess- a build-up of pus under a tooth or in the supporting fum and bone
• a quinsy- a build-up of pus between one of your tonsils and the wall of your throat
• a pilonidal abscess- a build-up of pus in the skin of the cleft of the buttocks 
• a spinal cord abscess- a build-up of pus around the spinal cord

2. Acanthosis Nigricans

http://www.britishskinfoundation.org.uk/SkinInformation/AtoZofSkinDisease.aspx