Dermatosis is a broad term for skin diseases with diverse conditions and it is not specific to one disease.

It includes any irregularity or lesion on the skin. It occurs due to infections and irritation.

Types of Dermatoses are:

Genetic Dermatoses:

It occurs from genetic/inherited mutations.

E.g. Ichthyosis, epidermolysis bullosa

Infectious Dermatoses:

It is caused due to bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.

E.g. Impetigo, herpes simplex, ringworm, scabies

Neoplastic Dermatoses:

It involves the growth of abnormal skin cells.

E.g. Melanoma, basal and squamous cell carcinoma

Inflammatory Dermatoses:

It is caused due to inflammation of the skin.

E.g. Eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis

The main symptoms of dermatoses are:

Redness, Swelling

Discoloration of skin

Nodules/lumps

Itching, Pain

Scaling/flaking skin

Eczema is seen in 10% to 20% of cases in children and 1% to 3% in adults. While psoriasis affects 2% to 3% of the global population.

Acne vulgaris is common skin condition that affects 85% of individuals worldwide. Many people have cold sores or genital herpes from herpes virus.

Higher skin cancer cases are observed in sun-exposed regions such as Australia, New Zealand, North America, and Europe.

Skin diseases cause discomfort, distress, and social stigma that affects patient personal life.

Atopic dermatitis shows Th2 immune response. Filaggrin gene mutations give weak skin barrier to produce allergens and inflammation.

Immune response in psoriasis causes inflammation and keratinocyte proliferation. Keratinocyte dysfunction causes skin scaling and thickening.

Autoantibodies attack desmoglein in skin cells and causes adhesion loss and blisters. Inflammatory response worsens tissue damage.

Genetic mutations disrupt keratinization causes skin barrier dysfunction, increased water loss, and infection vulnerability.

Causes of dermatosis are:

Genetic Factors as:

Eczema

Psoriasis

Hereditary Factors as:

Ichthyosis

Gene Mutations

Environmental Factors as:

Contact Dermatitis

Allergens and Irritants

Acne Vulgaris

Environmental Triggers as:

Diet

Skin Cancer

UV Radiation

Infectious Agents as:

Impetigo

Cellulitis

Herpes Simplex Virus

Dermatophytes

Candida

Severe diseases with large lesions need intensive treatment for improvement.

Early-onset skin conditions are chronic in nature thus difficult to treat.

E.g., eczema and psoriasis

Emotional stress can worsen skin conditions and treatment outcomes.

Dermatosis affects individuals of all age groups from infants to adults.

Systematic Examination

Assessment of primary and secondary lesions

Nail Examination

Scalp Examination

For acute dermatoses:

Severe itching, pain, redness, and swelling

For chronic dermatoses:

Long-lasting, recurrent with remission and exacerbation

Patients should identify and avoid triggers including allergens and irritants.

The goal is to control symptoms, promote healing and minimize recurrence to manage chronic condition.

The treatment phase is divided into topical, oral and systemic therapy.

Topical treatments include use of:

Corticosteroids are used in the treatment of eczema, psoriasis, and contact dermatitis.

Antibiotics and antifungal agents are used to treat impetigo and tinea.

Systemic treatments include use of:

Oral corticosteroids are indicated to treat severe eczema and lupus erythematosus.

Immunosuppressants are indicated to treat psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.

Dermatology, General

Patients should identify and avoid triggers including allergens and irritants.

The goal is to control symptoms, promote healing and minimize recurrence to manage chronic condition.

The treatment phase is divided into topical, oral and systemic therapy.

Topical treatments include use of:

Corticosteroids are used in the treatment of eczema, psoriasis, and contact dermatitis.

Antibiotics and antifungal agents are used to treat impetigo and tinea.

Systemic treatments include use of:

Oral corticosteroids are indicated to treat severe eczema and lupus erythematosus.

Immunosuppressants are indicated to treat psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.

Dermatology, General

Tretinoin:

It decreases cohesiveness of keratinocytes in sebaceous follicles for easy removal of acne.

Dermatology, General

Clotrimazole:

It binds with phospholipids to change the permeability of fungal cell membrane.

Dermatology, General

Clindamycin:

It binds with the 50S ribosomal subunits of susceptible bacteria to prevent elongation of peptide chains.

Dermatology, General

Prednisone:

It controls the rate of protein synthesis to suppress migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and stabilizes lysosomes.

Dermatology, General

Cryotherapy is used to treat benign skin lesions, warts, and precancerous lesions.

Phototherapy is indicated to treat psoriasis, eczema, and vitiligo.

Chemical peels and microneedling techniques are popular due to their effectiveness.

Dermatology, General

In the initial diagnosis phase, evaluation of medical history, physical examination and diagnostic test to confirm diagnosis.

Pharmacologic therapy is effective in the treatment phase as it includes use of topical corticosteroids, antifungals, antibiotics and therapies.

The regular follow-up visits with the dermatologist are schedule to check the improvement of patients along with treatment response.