Skin Conditions Overview

These conditions result in fluid-filled lesions that may be small or large. Small lesions are known as vesicles while larger blisters are called bullae. Blisters may occur in only one area or spread across several areas of the body.²⁶

Examples of blistering skin conditions include:²⁶

• Bullous pemphigoid
• Poison Ivy
• Shingles (varicella zoster)
• Toxic epidermal necrolysis

Human skin pigmentation, or skin color, results from several factors, such as genetics, UV radiation exposure, immune disorders, infections, and some medications. Skin pigmentation disorders are usually classified into two major groups:²⁷

• Hyperpigmentation: There’s excessive or abnormal pigmentation
• Hypopigmentation: The pigment of the skin is reduced

Some of the most common skin pigmentation disorders include:²⁷

• Addison’s disease
• Albinism
• Melasma
• Post-inflammatory hyper- or hypopigmentation
• Vitiligo

Folliculitis results from an infection caused by bacterial, fungal, viral, or parasitic sources. Signs of the condition include pustules and inflammation surrounding hair follicles. Acne, a noninfectious form of folliculitis, may cause inflammation of the pores of the skin.²⁸

In some cases, the immune system mounts an attack against healthy cells inside the body. When this occurs, it results in conditions known as autoimmune diseases or autoinflammatory syndromes or diseases.²⁹

Examples of inflammatory skin conditions include:²⁹

• Allergic contact dermatitis
• Eczema
• Psoriasis

Also called a rash, dermatitis is an area of irritated or swollen skin. In some cases, rashes develop into patches, raw skin, or blisters. Rashes are often a symptom of other medical problems. Some grow quickly, while others develop over a period of several days.³⁰

Contact dermatitis is a very common rash that causes symptoms such as redness, itching, and sometimes small bumps on the skin. It occurs when the skin encounters irritants or allergens, such as certain chemicals or poison ivy.³⁰

Atopic dermatitis is the most common form of eczema. It causes dry, itchy skin and rashes on the body in areas such as the face, hands, feet, and inside the elbows and behind the knees.³¹

Benign skin lesions are any non-cancerous growth that develops on the skin. People of any age can develop this type of skin condition. Some of the most common benign skin lesions include cysts, freckles, keloids, moles, seborrheic keratosis, and skin tags.³²

Unlike benign skin lesions, malignant skin conditions are cancerous. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. The main types of skin cancers are:³³

• Basal cell carcinoma
• Melanoma
• Squamous cell carcinoma

Some people develop certain skin conditions while pregnant — these conditions are usually categorized in three ways: those resulting from benign, hormone-related changes to the body; pre-existing conditions; and pregnancy-specific skin conditions.³⁴

There are several common skin conditions that can appear during pregnancy, such as:³⁴

• Atopic eruption of pregnancy
• Hyperpigmentation
• Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy
• Striae gravidarum (stretch marks)

It’s also possible to develop a skin condition if you have a vitamin or mineral deficiency, or if you don’t ingest enough protein. For example, a disease called acrodermatitis enteropathica may result from zinc deficiency or too little zinc in the diet or poor absorption of zinc. A vitamin A deficiency may lead to phrynoderma, while a vitamin C deficiency may cause scurvy.³⁵

Doctors remove a sample of affected skin for further testing in a laboratory.

This test shows if the skin changes color when pressure is applied with a glass slide or spatula. Some skin conditions turn different colors, such as red or yellowish-brown, when doctors perform this test.

Doctors apply small samples of common and suspected allergens to an area of skin to see if there’s a visible reaction. If any allergen causes a skin reaction, such as redness, bumps or itching rash, the person may be allergic to that substance.

During this test, doctors scrape part of the affected skin off for examination under a microscope. This is usually performed if doctors suspect fungal infections or a problem like scabies.

This test helps doctors identify skin conditions caused by viruses, which produce small blisters when active. The doctor removes the top of a blister and then obtains some of the fluid that’s inside. Then the fluid is examined in a laboratory or under the microscope.

An ultraviolet light known as a Wood light is projected onto the skin. The light makes certain types of bacteria, yeast or fungi glow. A Wood light can also make some conditions such as vitiligo more visible.