The human immune system is programmed to fight any foreign substance entering our body. In this process, the immune system produces a number of antibodies and activates blood cells called eosinophils. Sometimes the chemicals produced in this process by body cause symptoms of allergy. These symptoms can be sneezing, runny nose, watering and itching of eyes, hives, rash, swelling of lips & face, breathlessness, attack of asthma.
In today’s world skin and other allergies have evolved as lifestyle disorders due to pollution, contamination and stress. You can be allergic to certain substances by birth or develop allergy to them over the years. Allergies have become common in all age groups. The allergy producing agents also known as allergens are not harmful, occur freely in environment and do not bother most people they come in contact with. But they may induce mild or severe allergic reaction to persons who are susceptible for allergies. Some common allergens are foods, cosmetics, fragrances, plantations, sun light, dust. One can be allergic to one or multiple allergens at the same time. Common allergic disorders are:
Dr Priyanka specialises in skin allergy treatments with her years of experience in treating such conditions. At LiveYoung Skin & Hair clinic, we offer a thorough consultation and comprehensive allergy testing for patients suffering from skin allergies to known and unknown allergens and a treatment protocol aiming at rapid and sustained allergy control.
Skin is the protective covering of our body and gets exposed to multiple pathogens throughout the day. Skin infections are common in adults as well as children. Patients with other health issues such as diabetes, immunity disorders are more prone to get various skin infections. Various skin infections are as follows:
Various bacteria pre-existing on the skin surface or from the environment can cause skin infections such as, impetigo, cellulitis, folliculitis, furuncle, abscess, cutaneous tuberculosis, leprosy. These can occur over skin of face/body/scalp/nails or over genital area. These can be effectively treated with oral and topical medicines.
Molluscum, viral warts, measles, chicken pox, herpes zoster, oral and genital herpes are some of the common viral skin infections. They may present as rash/ eruptions or tiny ulcers. They are treated with antiviral therapy and some of them need removal by lasers.
Fungal infections of the skin are very common in summer season due excess sweating and in rainy season due to humidity. Ringworm (Tinea) can occur on face, scalp, body or over genital area. Athlete’s foot, candidiasis in mouth or genital organs are another common fungal infections. Nail fungal infections are seen commonly with diabetics, people working in wet environments where hands or feet are immersed in water frequently. These are effectively treated with anti-fungal therapy. Laser treatments for body and nail fungus area also very effective and give early clearance of infection specially in cases of steroid cream modified fungal infections which become resistant to regular anti-fungal medicines. In chronic nail fungal cases where almost whole nail is involved and deformed, nail avulsion surgery is the treatment of choice.
Lice, scabies, creeping eruptions are common parasitic skin infections. Lice can occur at hair/body or genital area. Scabies presents as severe itching mainly at night and tiny red eruptions on body/ genital area or web spaces of fingers. Patient and his close contacts need to be treated simultaneously in parasitic infections, otherwise chances of recurrence are high.
Venereal diseases or sexually transmitted infections such as chancroid ulcers, syphilis, gonorrhoea, genital warts, genital molluscums, genital herpes, chlamydia, HIV can be effectively treated with accurate diagnostic methods used by Dermatologists. These need treatments of both partners to prevent further recurrences or worsening of the infection.
At LiveYoung Skin & Hair Clinic, detailed history, dermatoscopic examination, cultures for bacteria, fungus, confirmatory blood tests, skin biopsies are used as diagnostic tools for confirmation of diagnosis and type of skin infection. Oral & topical medications, radiofrequency surgery for removal of warts, molluscums, laser treatments for skin and nail fungal infections are some of the effective treatment modalities followed at our clinic.