Acne is a skin condition resulting in inflamed skin pores and the appearance of pimples and blackheads. It is caused when your skin pores are clogged by dirt and oils. It most often affects teenagers but can affect people of all ages. The best...
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...
Hiking is an enjoyable way to spend a day in the great outdoors, taking in the beauty of nature. But if you develop a heel blister, hiking can quickly become a real pain. Heel blisters occur due to the friction of your sock or shoe against the...
"Bare-knuckle boxing" is a term that describes both an ancestor of modern sport boxing, and any fight sport where the participants fight without benefit of glove and head protection. In most important aspects, training for bare-knuckle boxing will...
When an injury that cuts the skin takes place in the body, fibers in the skin known as fibroblasts immediately spring to action, working to repair the damaged or cut area of skin. For smaller cuts, the repaired area may not be noticeable; however,...
The skin protects us from the outside world and forms an important barrier to infection. Wounds cause an opening in the skin that bacteria can use to penetrate into the deeper tissues of the body. Skin wounds can be due to trauma or from surgical...
Some acne sufferers have more than just acne to contend with--they also have to deal with residual brown or purple spots that emerge after blemishes clear. These ugly marks are not scars, though they can take up to a year to disappear, according...
An ingrown toenail occurs when one corner of the toenail grows into the skin. Because the ingrown nail cuts into the skin, an infection can occur at that site. An infected ingrown toenail will be sore, red and swollen, possibly with blood and/or...
Cuts, scrapes, bruises or skin conditions like eczema often allow bacteria to enter the soft tissue of the skin. Certain bacteria like streptococcus and staphylococcus enter the skin and begin multiplying. This results in a red, swollen area that...
Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a viral infection caused by the virus varicella-zoster, which causes chickenpox. As with most viruses, there is no cure. Once you contract a virus, you may experience a round of symptoms, and, even when...
Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a viral infection caused by the virus, varicella-zoster. Varicella-zoster is the same virus that causes chickenpox. As with most viruses, there is no cure. Once you contract a virus, you may experience a...
Exposure to the sun or cold weather, dry air in your home, medications or medical conditions can cause chapped lips, also called cheilitis. The condition can worsen and result in painful cracking and fissures in the lips. While recommendations to...
Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a viral infection caused by the virus, varicella-zoster. Varicella-zoster is the same virus that causes chickenpox. As with most viruses, there is no cure. Once you contract a virus, you may experience a...
Acne pimple treatments should be both strong both gentle. Staff physicians at the Mayo Clinic warn acne patients that skin already under assault by acne must be treated gently, but the treatment has to be strong enough to kill the bacteria that...
It is believed that one main reason for the development of keloids is underlying infection. The scar tissue is over-produced to keep the infection contained and away from healthy tissue. Therefore, while it is always an excellent idea to take good...
Ingrown hairs are common and can occur anywhere on the body, though they are much more common on areas where you shave. Having an ingrown hair in your armpit can be uncomfortable, itchy and even painful. However, you can treat and remove ingrown...
Emergencies cannot be planned and can happen at anytime, in anyplace and to anyone. Having a first-aid kit readily available can make a vast difference in reducing the severity of an injury or even saving someone's life. It's not always necessary...
A blister commonly results from friction or burns, according to the Mayo Clinic. A blister can appear almost anywhere on the body, but may emerge on the foot when shoes are bothersome. You can avoid developing a foot blister by choosing footwear...
When you are wounded, it is imperative to cleanse the wound gently and thoroughly to prevent infections. To further help ensure bacteria does not attack and infect a wounded area, antibacterial skin creams can help keep the affected area bacteria...
Sometimes cracked lips are a result of extreme weather conditions, allergies or the common cold. If lips are sore, painful and bleeding, it could be indicative of a more serious condition. People with an illness like cancer, HIV or an...
Wounds come in a few different varieties. Some are due to trauma or injury. Others are planned surgical wounds. Regardless of what caused the wound, it constitutes a break in the skin and opens up the body to infection. According to the book...
Scarring is a natural process that occurs as the body heals from the wounds caused by surgeries, accidents or diseases. Although natural, scars can cause self-consciousness when they are pronounced or when they occur in readily visible places....
Patients may be concerned about scars after surgery. Scarring takes place as part of the natural healing process, as the body produces collagen to replenish skin at the site of an incision. Scarring can be reduced by some simple techniques while...
Antibiotic eye drops are given to treat infection or to prevent infection after eye procedures. Different types of drops are used for different conditions. Antibiotic eye drops are available only as prescription medications. It’s...
Diabetes mellitus is a serious metabolic disease resulting from the body's inability to produce enough insulin, leading to high levels of glucose in the bloodstream. A diabetic foot ulcer is an open wound that does not heal properly. It forms as a...
Chapped lips are more than just annoying, they can be downright dangerous. The tiny cracks and fissures in the lips can harbor bacteria and cause infection. Once you've cured your chapped lips, prevent a recurrence by continuing to apply lip balm...
Staph, or staphylococcus, is bacteria with more than 30 different types, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Staphylococcus aureus is one specific type of staph that causes most staph infections like skin infections, pneumonia,...
Fleas are oval-shaped, wingless insects capable of jumping a long distance. Flea bites occur when fleas suck the blood from the skin of humans by using their sharp-edged jaws to break the skin. Fleas tend to live on cats and dogs, however, when...
Ingrown hairs are hairs that do not grow straight from the hair follicle. The bending of the hair follicle results in inflammation and pus filling the follicle. This can be a painful and recurring condition that requires treatment, most commonly...