When asked what the largest organ in the human body is, many people guess the liver, the brain, the intestines or even the lungs. But the truth is that the largest organ you have is actually your skin. Your skin protects your internal organs from injury, regulates body temperature and contains nerve cells that create the sense of touch.
In order to better understand skin conditions, you should understand the structure of the skin itself. There are three layers that make up the skin, the epidermis, the dermis and the subcutis.
The epidermis is the outer layer of skin and is, itself, made up of three layers; the basal layer, the keritinocytes and the stratum corneum. The stratum corneum is the very outermost layer of skin and is made up of dead cells that have been shed from the underlying keritinocytes and basal layers. The keritinocytes produce what the skin needs to protect the body. The basal layer forms new keritinocytes. The epidermis also contains melanocytes, which produce skin pigment (melanin).
The dermis is the middle layer of skin. It contains hair follicles, sweat glands, blood and lymph vessels and receptors for pain and touch. The dermis also contains collagen, which gives the skin strength and resilience.
The subcutis contains a combination of collagen and fat. The subcutis acts as an insulating layer and stores nutrients.
There are hundreds of types of skin conditions that can affect any layer of the skin. Each of these skin conditions has their own particular set of causes, symptoms and treatments.
The most common benign (non-cancerous) skin conditions are acne, eczema, rosacea and psoriasis.
Acne is typically seen on the face, neck, chest, back and shoulders. It occurs when pores in the skin are clogged and bacteria begins to grow, causing inflammation. Treatment of mild to moderate acne is generally the use of a topical medication that is applied directly to the skin. In the case of moderate to severe acne, your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics. There are also cosmetic procedures that can reduce the appearance of acne scarring. The treatment of the most severe cases of acne may benefit from the use of Accutane. The side effects of Accutane can be quite serious and is therefore strictly regulated by the FDA. If you and your doctor decide to try Accutane, you should be followed closely in order to minimize the negative effects of these potentially serious side effects.
Eczema, also called dermatitis, is an allergic condition that causes the skin to become red, swollen and itchy. Eczema occurs in the epidermal layer of the skin due to the keritinocytes becoming less tightly connected, allowing external triggers greater access to the inner layers of skin, causing inflammation and itching. Although there is no cure for eczema, there are some things that you can do to reduce your symptoms. Identifying what triggers your eczema outbreaks is the most useful thing you can do to control your symptoms. Anything that comes in contact with your skin can trigger an outbreak. Stress can also be a factor in eczema. If you cannot determine the cause of your eczema outbreaks, your doctor may prescribe medications that help to control the inflammation and the itch.
Rosacea is sometimes confused with acne because it causes reddened, inflamed skin in the dermal layer of the facial skin, which may include bumps or pimples. The cause of rosacea is not currently known. Medical treatment for rosacea involves the control of symptoms with prescription medication such as oral antibiotics and topical medications. Laser treatments can also be effective in reducing the appearance of blood vessels that cause the reddening of rosacea.
Psoriasis is a lifelong skin condition in which the cycle of skin cell growth and regeneration is too rapid, which results in thick scaling and dry, itchy, sometimes painful, red patches on the skin. Many researchers believe that this increased rate of skin cell growth has a genetic component in which the immune system is mistakenly triggered. People with psoriasis can experience alternating periods of lessening and worsening of their symptoms throughout their lives. There is no cure for psoriasis, but topical and systemic treatments are available that can help to control your symptoms. Everyone with psoriasis responds differently to treatment, so it may take some trial and error for you and your doctor to find a successful treatment regimen.
There are several forms of cancerous skin conditions. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, or carcinoma, in the United States. The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Melanoma is a less common form of skin cancer, but is the most serious form.
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. Basal cell carcinoma causes malignant (cancerous) growths in the basal layer of the epidermis. When detected early, most basal cell carcinomas are relatively easy to treat. Some basal cell carcinomas, such as those that haven’t been treated early, are resistant to treatment and can grow to involve the skin, bone and cartilage in the surrounding area. Luckily, basal cell carcinoma generally doesn’t metastasize and usually isn’t life-threatening. Treatment for basal cell carcinoma can include various methods of removal of the lesion, topical chemotherapy, and radiation and laser therapy. Photodynamic therapy, in which a light sensitive agent is applied to the skin cancer, allowing the skin cancer to be destroyed using a powerful light source, may also be available if you have a number of superficial basal cell carcinomas.
Squamous cell carcinoma occurs in the upper layer of the skin and is usually caused by chronic sun overexposure. Other causes of squamous cell carcinoma include skin that has been injured in certain ways, chronic inflammation of the skin and medical conditions that suppress the immune system. If detected early, squamous cell carcinoma is fairly easy to treat. If left untreated, they can cause disfigurement and are more difficult to get rid of. While most squamous cell carcinomas only affect the surrounding areas of tissue, some can metastasize and become life threatening. Treatment of squamous cell carcinoma can include various methods of removal of the lesion, radiation, laser therapy and photodynamic therapy.
Melanoma is a cancerous tumor that begins in the melanocytes in the epidermal layer of the skin. Melanoma is easy to treat if caught early, but if left untreated may spread to other parts of the body making a good outcome less likely. Melanoma causes the most deaths of all skin cancers, causing thousands of deaths every year. In the case of thin, localized melanomas, surgical removal is the most common treatment. When deciding upon melanoma treatment, the doctor will also evaluate your lymph nodes to determine if the melanoma cells may have spread to other areas of your body. If the malignant cells are found in the lymph nodes, adjuvant (additional) treatment such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy may be given as well.
If you have a skin condition or a skin lesion that hasn’t been formally diagnosed by your doctor, you should make an appointment for it to be evaluated even if you feel that you are able to control it yourself with home or over-the-counter treatments. Some skin conditions can be symptoms of other underlying diseases, which may need treatment or further evaluation. Any unusual skin lesion should be evaluated by your doctor to be certain that it isn’t cancerous.
For more information, please visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin
The American Academy of Dermatology
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