Antibiotic creams are used to speed the healing of wounds and prevent infection. According to familydoctor.org, a website managed by the American Academy of Family Physicians, most minor wounds will heal without the use of an antibiotic cream, but...
Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics. These medicines can be administered in various forms, including topical treatments for minor cuts or scrapes. Some are a combination of medicines that work together to promote healing, reduce or...
Ingrown hairs occur when you pull skin back during shaving or tweezing. As skin tightens, the cut section grows into the surface as opposed to penetrating through the open area of a follicle. According to MayoClinic.com, hair structure plays an...
A hangnail often makes its presence known when you snag it on a sofa or your clothing and it hurts. Hangnails are bits of dead skin that occur when the surrounding skin, referred to as the cuticle, dries out. Hangnails may also result from nail...
An injured toenail bed can cause serious problems. For instance, you're at a greater risk for infection and the nail might fall off. Even worse, if the damage to the toenail bed is severe, the nail may never grow back. If you have merely injured...
Knowing how to treat a wound, cut or scrape is important in order to help yourself or someone else should an emergency arise. According to Case Western Reserve University, serious complications like infection and delayed healing can easily occur...
The skin is the body's largest organ, but it is also its most easily damaged due to its role as the first line of protection for the body. Fortunately, the skin also has a high capacity to heal itself and so most aspects of wound care focus on...
It's usually best to avoid popping pimples at all costs, but sometimes, especially in the case of whiteheads, they can be popped by the slightest touch. In these cases, you'll need to take extra care in helping the popped pimple heal. As long as...
Cuts on the inside of the nose are problematic. They're in an enclosed space with no light and little air. Worse, your sinus system keeps sending out mucous full of bacteria and other infectious nasties to flow right over the cuts. They're hard to...
Curly pubic hair is more prone to forming razor bumps and ingrown hairs, according to Columbia University's Health Services. When the clipped hair curls back into the skin, it forms an irritated red bump known as pseudofolliculitis. If the hair...
Acne can be an unsightly, embarrassing outbreak of inflamed, infected follicles that generally occurs on the face, chest, back and neck. Once acne is treated and begins to heal, the skin forms small scabs on the follicles to allow them to heal...
Erythema multiforme is a skin condition that can occur as a result of an infection or an allergic reaction. It is not known exactly why it occurs, but the current thinking is that it is a result of blood vessel damage that in turn leads to skin...
Razor bumps, also known as pseudofolliculitis barbae, are actually caused by ingrown hairs and commonly occurs on the face. The razor bumps are caused by hairs growing back into the skin. Because this condition is usually caused by very curly...
The seeds of the hot pepper contain a compound called capsaicin, the active ingredient in many medicines and pain rubs, according to MayoClinic.com. Handling the seeds straight from the pepper can produce intense burning and pain sensations. To...
No one likes pimples. They make your skin red, irritated and painful and can be unsightly. When you get huge pimples, you may even experience scarring. All pimples occur for the same reason: too many dead skin cells and too much oil mix together...
Bed bugs are small, wingless parasites that typically feed on humans at night. Bed bug bites cause small, itchy welts to appear on the skin because your body has a mild allergic reaction at the bite area. Sometimes, this allergic reaction can be...
Ingrown toenails can occur when one or both sides of your toenail break through and grow into the soft skin of your toe, resulting in irritation, pain, swelling or infection. Ingrown toenails can develop quickly and on any toenail. They can be the...
An ingrown hair occurs when a hair is trapped in a follicle. The condition is also often referred to as a razor bump as it often occurs due to shaving. This type of bump is itchy, unpleasant to look at and may become infected without proper...
Folliculitis is an infection of the follicle of the hair. The follicle is the skin pocket where the hair grows from. When the facial hair follicles gets infected, such as by bacteria, the result can be redness, itching or raised bumps with a...
A blood filled pimple is usually caused by trauma done to the skin, such as squeezing or pinching a pimple. The trauma, according to Lymphedema People, ruptures the underlying blood vessels, causing the pimple to pool with blood and lymph fluid....
Ingrown fingernails occur when the edge of a fingernail grows into the skin surrounding it. The usual cause of ingrown fingernails is improper trimming of the nail, although nail biting or an injury to the hand that tears the nail can be the...
Razor bumps are very common for men with coarse or curly hair who decide to shave their heads. An estimated 30 to 40 percent of African American men who shave their heads might experience razor bumps, also known as pseudofolliculitis barbae....
An ingrown toenail occurs when the edges of your nails grow into your skin. As the nail digs into your skin, you'll likely feel pain and notice the area is red and swollen. The big toe is most prone to this condition. Improper cutting of the...
Your hands suffer greatly due to winter weather, contact with chemicals or even too much time in water. The result of these abuses is dry skin with splits that are painful and can open the door to infection. The older you are the more quickly this...
Acne occurs when hair follicles become clogged. Once blemishes heal, some individuals experience lingering scabs. A scab is really the middle of the recovery process in which the body covers the wound to allow it to heal from within....
According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common and effective ways to remove a tattoo are surgical excision, laser treatment and dermabrasion. Laser treatment breaks up the pigment molecules in your tattoo, which are then cleared away by your immune...
Skin tags are painless skin growths that tend to occur in the folds of skin. These benign growths are common in those who are diabetic or overweight, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Occasionally, skin...
The inside of your nose has many tiny blood vessels that allow your nose to detect smells, tastes and sensations. These blood vessels are very easily irritated, which can often lead to nose bleeds. Winter's cold temperatures and dry air increase...
Blackheads, or comedones, are the first stage of acne. They appear as small bumps embedded into the pores of your skin and are normally blackish or yellow in color. Blackheads usually develop when your skin produces too much sebum (oil) and plug...
Abscesses are puss filled cavities that result from a variety of infections or injuries. Learn more about abscesses, including symptoms and treatments, in this video.
