Skin disease, which is generically known as dermatosis in the medical world, can cover all parts of the human body. Dermatosis is often thought of as one and the same as dermatitis, which refers to skin inflammation. While the two terms are related, they are not identical and have different symptoms and treatments. Most dermatoses are not contagious but inorder to fully understand and treat them, adequate research and study must be done.



There are other systematic diseases that manifest their symptoms through the skin, including measles and rubella, among others, but such diseases are not classified as dermatoses. The more common examples of skin diseases are acne, athlete's foot, and eczema. Other known examples are herpes, skin cancer, psoriasis, impetigo, skin tags, sunburn, scabies, pruritis, ulcers, and fifth disease or slapped face disease.

There are a number of factors that may cause skin disease. Some skin diseases are triggered by the absorption of a particular material through the skin. Others are caused by failure to use the appropriate protection gear for the skin, like gloves, aprons, overalls, and many others, and this can result in light rashes and irritation or serious poisoning.

One kind of skin disease that is popular among everybody regardless of age and sex is acne vulgaris, also known simply as acne. As a skin disease, acne is caused by changes in philosebaceous units, which are basically skin structures that consist of a hair follicle and are related to the sebaceous gland. Acne can be manifested in both inflammatory and non-inflammatory forms. Pimples, spots, blemishes, and zits are just a few of the common names of acne.

According to research, over 85% of teenagers experience acne, confirming reports that this kind of skin disease is most common during adolescence, with the face and back as the usual thriving area. In some cases, adolescent acne continues into adulthood, generally diminishing over time and appearing again every now and then. In this aspect, acne is said to be unpredictable, with no exact way of telling when they will disappear entirely and for good.

Unlike other skin diseases, the main effects of acne are psychological, as manifested by the reduced self-esteem or self-confidence of the sufferer. That is why there are hundreds of products - from medical to alternative - these days that claim to have the power to cure acne. Caution must be exercised in choosing treatments.

Athlete's foot, also known as Tinea Pedis and refers to the disease and not the organism, is another kind of skin disease, one that is a parasitic fungal infection that occurs in the epidermis of the human foot and is more common in males than in females. Many dermatophytes or fungi can cause athlete's foot, one of which is the fungi species tinea curis or jock itch. This skin disease usually affects the spaces between the toes, but can also appear in extensive patterns on the bottom and sides of the foot in severe cases.

Eczema is a skin disease that is characterized by the inflammation of the upper layers of the skin and includes dryness and stubborn rashes that may be swollen, red, itchy, flaky, oozy, and even bleeding. While scarring is rare, a sufferer of eczema can have temporary skin discoloration from healed lesions.