Physical Fitness and Well-Being Skin Part 2 Disease and Prevention

About physical fitness, medical information, anatomy, well-being and care of your skin as well as skin diseases and prevention.

TAKING A PHYSICAL--HEAD TO TOE

SKIN

SOME COMMON SKIN DISEASES AND HOW TO PREVENT THEM

Your skin is you. Treat it with love. Avoid exposure to extremes of cold and heat to prevent painful chilblains, frostbite, sunburn, and even skin cancer.

Chilblains and frostbite, if mild, can be treated by slowly normalizing your body temperature. A small amount of exercise during this time stimulates blood flow to affected areas. Medical consultation is necessary where freezing occurs, so that treatment can be given to prevent infection resulting from damage to tissue.

Sunburn is about the same as any other kind of burn, but is usually not felt until several hours after exposure. The skin damage is caused by ultraviolet rays. With short, early exposures to the sun, your skin builds its melanin filter, which blocks these harmful rays, prevents burning, and makes your skin beautiful.

Extreme, constant exposure to sun rays, as with people who work outside, can cause skin cancer, especially in light-skinned people. But doctors are very successful in treating early skin cancer, thus preventing spread of cancer cells to other organs.

Everyday substances such as certain soaps, insecticides, dyes, paints, and even the material in some clothing can cause dermatitis, a rashlike disease of the skin.

People who get dermatitis should try to track down through trial and error any substances which might be causing it. There are usually clues to go on. Underarm dermatitis may be caused by a deodorant or dye in your clothing. A band of it around your ring finger may be caused by detergents sticking under the ring. Look for these clues and play detective.

A disease like hives, which can look similar to a dermatitis rash, is usually caused by a food, a drug, or even dust and pollen. Some people report that their hives show up most frequently during stressful times.

Avoiding hives means avoiding foods or drugs which cause them, especially during stressful periods of your life. Discover offending foods and drugs either by trial and error or through allergy tests with your doctor. During stressful times, use relaxing techniques such as meditation and yoga. These can help reduce the inner tensions which lower your resistance and increase your sensitivity to hives-causing substances.

Acne, pimples, blackheads, and boils are all names given to skin diseases with a common denominator--clogged pores.

During adolescence, and sometimes menopause, dramatic hormonal changes temporarily make your skin vulnerable to bacterial and viral infections. Your body eventually learns to rebuild its own natural defenses.

Bathing with mild soaps and getting plenty of sunlight and fresh air are helpful in both treating and preventing these infections. Hot compresses also help reduce boils and blackheads. A medical person is helpful for treating infection and draining boils in this group of diseases.

Warts and herpes infections, though quite different, are both caused by common viruses. Herpes, also called cold sores or fever blisters, runs its own course much like a cold.

Contrary to popular belief, warts are not reduced by avoiding toads or stopping masturbation. However, if you relax deeply and imagine the affected area becoming smooth and clear, you will get results. Doctors and patients report having as good cures in this way as through burning off warts with chemical or electrical techniques.

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