Common Skin Conditions
Infections, infestations, chronic skin disease and skin cancer
| Condition | Key signs | Care |
|---|---|---|
| Cellulitis | Spreading red, warm, tender skin; fever | Mark the border with a pen to track spread; elevate; antibiotics |
| Herpes zoster (shingles) | Painful blisters in a band on one side of the body (one dermatome) | Antivirals within 72 h; pain control. Contagious to people without chickenpox immunity until crusted. Localized, normal immune system, fully covered: standard precautions. Disseminated, or any shingles in an immunocompromised patient: airborne + contact. Shingrix: 2 doses for adults ≥50 (≥19 if immunocompromised) |
| Impetigo | Honey-colored crusts (children) | Topical or oral antibiotics; contact precautions; keep nails short |
| Scabies | Intense itching, worse at night; burrows between fingers and wrists | Permethrin neck down, left on 8–14 h, repeat in 1 week; treat all close contacts at once; wash linens hot or bag for 3+ days. Itching can last weeks |
| Head lice | Itching; nits on hair shafts near the scalp | Pediculicide; nit comb; wash bedding hot; bag items 2 weeks |
| Psoriasis | Thick red plaques with silvery scale (elbows, knees, scalp) | Topical steroids, vitamin D creams, phototherapy, biologics; not contagious |
| Atopic dermatitis (eczema) | Dry, itchy patches; flexures in older children | Moisturize right after bathing; avoid triggers; topical steroids |
Skin cancer
- Basal cell: most common; pearly bump; rarely spreads.
- Squamous cell: scaly, crusted lesion; can spread.
- Melanoma: most deadly. Check moles with ABCDE: Asymmetry, Border irregular, Color varied, Diameter >6 mm, Evolving.
Sun safety
- Broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF 30+; reapply every 2 h and after swimming.
- Shade, hats, sunglasses; avoid midday sun.
- No tanning beds.
- Monthly skin self-checks; extra care with photosensitizing drugs.
Memory hook
Shingles stays on one side because it follows one nerve. Scabies itch is worst at night, and the whole household gets treated at the same time.