The A-Z of Skin Trouble
How well do you know the skin you’re in? Sure, you might pluck and preen and polish it to perfection. But what happens when something peculiar pops up. Would you know a fungal rash from a shaving rash?
Not all skin problems are created equal. Keep your grooming game up, and most will go as quickly as they came. Some will hang around like Wenger at Arsenal. Which isn’t always a good thing now, is it?
Here’s a handy A to Z to help you begin to understand the constellation of skin complaints. But, hey, we’re clever, but we’re not a doctor. So if in doubt, go show your strange little rash to your GP. It might just make their day. And it might get you back to your beautiful self in no time.
Acne excoriée
If you’re the type to constantly pick your spots - this could be the unsightly outcome: scars and pits caused by squeezing, picking and scratching your zits.
Bites
Mosquitoes, ticks, midges and even bedbugs can leave a red mark when they bite – a rash can develop due to allergic reaction.
Callus
A localised thickening of the skin caused by repeated trauma or friction. Been overdoing it at the gym? No doubt your calluses will be paraded with pride.
Detergent rash
If you’re allergic to detergent, a red itchy rash known as contact dermatitis can develop as your body reacts to your newly-laundered clothes. Being clean. Not all it’s cracked up to be, eh?
Eczema
An itchy and uncomfortable skin rash - doctors still don’t know fully what triggers it, but it can be exacerbated by allergens such as nickel, perfumes, hair dye and soap.
Fungal infection
Ringworm is a common and very contagious facial fungal skin infection, often in hairy areas like the scalp or beard. That’s why we love shaving so much.
Genital herpes
The gift nobody wants to get. It’s a lifelong, recurring skin condition with lesions and blisters around the genitals. The HS1 herpes virus causes the less-worrisome cold sores around the mouth.
Hay Fever
Some people have an allergic reaction to pollen on their skin and break out in hives, raised red skin eruptions that turn white when pressed.
Impetigo
A highly contagious and common bacterial skin infection: the skin breaks out in sores or blisters.
Jock Itch
A surface fungal infection on either side of the body where the thigh joins the abdomen- often spread by athlete’s foot. Wear your flip-flops in the showers, boys.
Kawasaki disease
A disease in which blood vessels become inflamed. A blotchy red rash can spread to the face.
Lyme disease
A bacterial infection spread by tick, often lurking in long grass in summer. A red circular skin rash develops around the bite.
Measles
Flat red spots that begin on the face and spread downwards to the neck, trunk and limbs. Caused by a virus.
Nummular dermatitis
Itchy coin shaped spots on the skin, perhaps caused by dry skin. They’re usually raised from the surface, and can be caused by using soap or detergent that’s too drying.
Orange skin
We’re not talking a WAG tan, but the dimples you get on orange peel. It’s caused by poor drainage of the skin, and can leave the skin thick and pitted.
Psoriasis
Red, flaky, crusty and often painful areas of scaly skin, it’s caused when new skin cells are made too quickly, and build up in layers. It’s not contagious.
Quiche
For those with egg allergy, quiche and other egg-containing products can cause a rash – and even trouble breathing.
Rosacea
Redness and swelling of the face, with small inflamed bumps, caused by abnormal blood vessels.
Shaving rash
Red, bumpy skin after shaving, caused by ingrown hairs and inflammation. We'll have a specific article dropping on this subject in Jack's Journal very soon.
Tattoos
Skin infection or inflammation can follow tattooing, and laser removal is your best bet for getting rid of those horrible inky dinks you got in an ill-advised moment.
Urticaria
A red, raised itchy rash caused perhaps by allergy, bites, stress or cold weather. They’re commonly known as hives, and breakouts can last a few hours before fading.
Vitiligo
When skin loses its pigmentation and becomes white, caused by the immune system killing pigment-producing cells: skin may look pink if blood vessels are visible.
Warts
Small lumps of skin caused by around 100 strains of the human papillomavirus - the virus causes thickening of the top layers of skin.
Xanthelasma
Yellow lumps of fat under the skin, commonly near the eyes.They’re caused by high levels of cholesterol in the diet.
Yeast infection
Tinea versicolor infection is caused by a yeast that lives naturally on the skin. It forms discoloured spots, which are not contagious but can look unpleasant. Steroid creams can help.
Zoster infection
Shingles is caused by the Zoster virus: A stripe of blisters forms on the skin. It’s a painful outbreak of the same virus that causes chickenpox, which can lay dormant in the body.