Questions to a dermatologist that you are embarrassed to ask

– You can only trust the information if a serious research has been carried out by some authoritative scientific institution. For example, the Norwegian Cancer Institute, which deals with skin neoplasms, would say that a particular cream contains a carcinogen or substance that can mutate cells. But to date, I do not know anything about such studies, so such reports are unfounded. In addition, there have never been any problems with photoprotective products from well-known cosmetic companies that are officially sold in pharmacies. On vacation at the sea, in the mountains, it is imperative to use sunscreens, and with a high protection factor – from 30+, and better even 50+. And we should not forget that you cannot fry in the sun with cream from morning to evening. And people with fair skin are generally contraindicated in sunbathing.

– The question of the washing regime is quite individual. On average, once is enough. If you take a shower three times a day, you can wash off the lipid mantle of the skin, which is formed as a result of the activity of the sebaceous, sweat glands and is a protective film with useful antibacterial substances. Therefore, paradoxically, fungal and bacterial infections occur in very clean people.

– Thermal water is good for the skin. It is softer than usual, has moisturizing, cleansing, soothing, anti-inflammatory, healing properties. As part of my expert activity, I had to be in one of the places where it is mined – in a small town near the Alps and Grenoble. This is a popular thermal resort in France since the beginning of the XNUMXth century, where, in particular, many famous personalities, such as Emmanuel Kant, Emile Zola and others, were treated and took appropriate baths. It is advisable to purchase thermal water from well-known brands that produce lines of medicinal cosmetics, since they comply with quality standards. If the skin dries out under the influence of external factors, ask the pharmacy for a hydrating, that is, a moisturizer. It contains a lot of water, which will saturate the skin with moisture. If the skin itself is prone to dryness, then it needs a nourishing cream, which contains oily and fatty substances to soften it.

– There is a group of relatively independent diseases, for example, lichen planus, psoriasis, vitiligo and many others, but at the same time, the occurrence of most dermatoses is, in one way or another, associated with disorders of internal organs. These skin diseases can be divided into groups: dermatoses in the pathology of the endocrine system, in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, etc.

– There are two options: seborrheic dermatitis or seborrheic form of psoriasis, which is just how it manifests itself on the scalp. To clarify the diagnosis, you need to go to a dermatologist. By the way, there is not a single skin disease that would not be affected by stress and the state of the nervous system, they all react with an exacerbation.

– There is hardly any connection with the dress. A blister occurs with urticaria, then outwardly it resembles redness, as with a nettle burn or a mosquito bite, and passes quickly. Such a reaction can be to an external or internal factor, sometimes it is not possible to establish the cause. Often, urticaria appears on nerves or as an allergic reaction to medications.

– To prescribe treatment, you first need to determine if there is a fungal infection. To do this, it is necessary to pass a simple analysis, in which a piece of the nail, after appropriate processing, is examined under a microscope. A change in the nail can be caused by certain skin conditions without infection or trauma. If a laboratory test finds fungal elements, a biochemical blood test needs to be done, and only after that an antifungal drug is prescribed by mouth, which is taken for about three months. And baths, ointments, etc. are not serious. By the way, laundry soap has very pronounced alkaline properties and in itself can cause exacerbation.

– Most likely, it is tinea versicolor. To confirm the diagnosis, you need to pass an analysis for a fungal infection. When treating, antifungal sprays and ointments really help, but if the rash constantly reappears, then the drug is prescribed internally for one to two weeks. And further. You seem to have low acidity in your sweat, so you need to acidify your skin. Squeeze a little lemon into a bowl of water two to three times a week after the water treatment to keep the water slightly acidic, and irrigate the areas where the spots appear. Then they will not appear again.

– Erysipelas appears from the introduction of bacteria into the skin – beta-hemolytic streptococcus A. Ideal conditions for their penetration are microcracks on the legs against the background of metabolic disorders, for example, in atherosclerosis or diabetes mellitus. Therefore, it often occurs in people in old age, especially in women. And the most common cause is fungal infection of the nails and feet. At the very beginning of my career, I worked in the erysipelas department of the infectious diseases hospital, and there 99,9% of patients had fungal infections of the skin and nails of the feet. Therefore, along with the treatment of erysipelas, it is imperative to carry out a full-fledged antifungal therapy. In this case, the erysipelas can be completely cured with antibiotics.

– Often psoriasis begins with the elbows, there is even an expression “duty plaques.” And the change in nails is a “symptom of a thimble”, when you can see characteristic pinpoint notches on each nail – also a sign of psoriasis. True, this disease usually appears at a young or middle age. Psoriasis affects about three percent of the world’s population – in fact, hundreds of millions of people. Unfortunately, there is no cure for psoriasis, but now there are many methods that can be used to induce remission when there are no rashes for a long time, months or even years. With psoriasis, cells have an increased rate of division, which is why the upper layer of the skin does not have time to keratinize. Today there are ointments and remedies that slow down cell division by affecting the immune system. The latest innovation is genetically engineered biological drugs. They are easy to use, one injection is given every two or four weeks or three months, and nothing else is needed. They are quite expensive, but in Moscow patients with severe forms of psoriasis, for example, psoriatic arthritis, when all joints are affected, are provided with these medicines by the Moscow Department of Healthcare free of charge. It is beneficial for patients to be in the sun. If it is not possible to go on vacation to the south, you can be treated with devices that emit ultraviolet rays, and take photosensitizers, which increase the skin’s susceptibility to ultraviolet light.

– Don’t panic. Not all moles can degenerate into oncological diseases. If you rip off an ordinary mole, nothing happens. The danger can arise if an atypical mole, the so-called dysplastic nevus, is permanently, chronically injured or removed. Such moles should not fall under the shoulder straps, bra underwires or belt, tight belt at the waist. If you have injured a mole, be sure to see a dermatologist to clear up the questions. For prophylaxis, check your moles once a month, especially large and medium ones.

– You should go to a dermatologist if you are worried about any sensations in the area of ​​the mole, itching, pain, or the mole has somehow changed, increased, brightened, darkened, reddened, inflamed. Doctors-dermatologists take in specialized state dermatovenerologic dispensaries, and in Moscow – in the Moscow Scientific and Practical Center for Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology and its branches in all administrative districts of the capital. In order to get an appointment, you do not need to take a referral from a local therapist, just the patient’s desire and the presence of an OMS insurance policy.