An organism that lives on or in human skin and takes nourishment from its human host is considered a skin parasite. Some organisms, such as mosquitoes, fleas and bedbugs, get nourishment from biting a human but do not actually live on or in the...
Parasites are organisms that get their nutrients and shelter by feeding on other organisms. In the case of human skin parasites, the tiny creatures scavenge on skin cells and blood. Some tunnel and burrow into the skin, while others find a meal,...
Skin is the largest organ in the human body. As the body's external barrier, skin comes into contact with a host of parasites that live on and thrive off of it. Some of these parasites are passed from person to person through touch, while others...
A rash is a condition of irritation or inflammation of the skin. Rashes have many forms with some being flat or scaly, and others being red, raised or blistery. They might be confined to a small area of the skin or spread over most of the body. A...
Direct skin contact with poison oak results in contact dermatitis. The sap of the poison oak plant contains an oil called urushiol that causes an allergic reaction in humans. The symptoms of an allergic reaction to poison oak is an itchy rash with...
The human skin is composed of three different layers. Known as the integumentary system, the skin is considered an organ, the largest of the body. Without it, living would be impossible. It holds moisture in the body, regulates temperature, acts...
Small red bumps on your skin are usually no cause for panic. One of the most common causes of small red bumps on your skin is keratosis pilaris, a harmless condition that often affects patches of skin.
If you've spent some time in a bathtub, hot tub or swimming pool, you've probably noticed that your fingers are wrinkled, like raisins or prunes. Once you're out of the water, you may notice that your skin loses its wrinkles pretty quickly. The...
Scabies is a common contagious skin condition caused by Sarcoptes scabiei, a microscopic mite, that burrows into the upper skin layer to drop its eggs. On human skin, scabies looks like a rash or blisters. It can also appear as pimples or small...
Skin tags are common, benign growths that protrude from the skin. If you have a tendency to develop skin tags, you may notice that they tend to develop in the folds of skin. The growths commonly appear on the neck, eyelids, armpits, torso, under...
The skin is made up of three layers: the epidermis, dermis and fat layer, also known as the subcutaneous layer. All layers combined protect the body's muscles, nerves, internal organs and blood vessels. Each layer of skin performs a specific task....
Most humans carry parasites on their skin. Parasitic organisms live on a host from which they take their nourishment. Human skin parasites live on or in the skin. Some organisms, such as mosquitoes, fleas and bedbugs, get nourishment from biting a...
Keratin is a fibrous structural protein found in human skin, hair and nails. It is also part of the animal kingdom and found in birds, retiles, amphibians and mammals. It used in hair care products, animal feeds and fibers for textiles. The end...
Heliocare is a sun protectant in the form of a capsule that is manufactured by Pharmacy Direct Ltd. of New Zealand. Pharmacy Direct says the supplement's antioxidant properties will protect the skin from sun-related aging by reducing skin changes...
Titanium oxide, better known as titanium dioxide, is a physical sunscreen that reflects UV light before it can damage your skin, according to MayoClinic.com. It is a common ingredient in sun protection creams. It has a white appearance when...
Ringworm is a highly contagious fungal infection that lives off of a host and that passes from person to person either through direct contact, through contact with an infected object, or through contact with an infected pet or infected soil. The...
Like every organ of the human body, the skin needs vitamins and other nutrients to maintain optimal health. One of the most important vitamins for the human skin is vitamin E. There are several uses of this vitamin that can help improve physical...
Potassium chloride is one of the most versatile chemical compounds available. It is the ingredient used in most salt substitutes. Medically, the National Institutes of Health writes that it is used as a supplement for people who are...
After you see the sagging skin on bellies of people who rapidly lost a bunch of weight, you may feel less motivated to lose pounds. It seems that you'd be trading one cosmetic issue for another. Some good news is that you don't have to worry about...
Vitamin E is a lipid-soluble molecule that has been used in skin treatments and cosmetics for many years. However, studies on the efficacy of vitamin E for the treatment of specific conditions are often contradictory. The strongest evidence...
Radiation refers to a process through which energetic particles move from one place to another in the environment. Different types of radiation fall into two basic categories: ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation contains high...
Pomegranate, a fruit with a hard, reddish outer shell and small red, edible seeds inside, has a long history of use in traditional medicine around the world and appears in many skin care products and dietary supplements. Rich in various beneficial...
The human itch mite infects people of all ages, social classes and races the world over. The American Osteopathic College of Dermatology estimates that more than 300 million people become infested with the human itch mite each year. The...
Cholecalciferol, also known as vitamin D3, is the most common and absorbable form of vitamin D. Human beings naturally absorb D3 through sunlight exposure, but sedentary, indoor lifestyles prevent millions of people from getting adequate levels of...
Jojoba oil, pronounced "ho-ho-ba," is an essential oil that is extracted from the seeds of the jojoba tree. In actual fact, jojoba is not strictly an oil, but is instead what is known as a wax ester, a compound chemically similar to sebum, the oil...
Collagen is an important structural protein. About 1/4 of the body's proteins are collagen, according to the Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics. Collagen gives human skin its elasticity. When collagen breaks down, skin begins to...
Mosquitos pierce human skin with their mouths and feed off the blood of humans. In addition, they deposit saliva into human skin that invokes a response from the human immune system, according to MayoClinic.com. Mosquito bites cause redness,...
A 2005 article in Mutation Research ("Melanogenesis: a photoprotective response to DNA damage?") explains that the body darkens the skin in response to UV light in order to protect the skin cells from becoming damaged. Ultraviolet light (UV light)...
Staphylococcal bacteria are significant human pathogens, causing a broad array of infections, which range in severity from mild to potentially life-threatening. Different forms of Staph exhibit a propensity for causing specific types of...