Dr. Asma Parveen

Athlete's foot is a common form of a fungal infection. It most commonly occurs between the toes and is medically known as tinea pedis. The most common cause are sweaty feet which when enclosed inside a tight-fitting shoe for a prolong time leads to this condition. The most common symptom of athlete's foot is a scaly rash which causes itching and burning on your foot. It is a contagious disease and is most commonly spread through towels or clothing of people who have that disease. It can also be spread through the floors which people with athlete's foot walk on. Here is everything you need to know about athlete's foot.

Causes:

1. Dirty wet socks inside covered shoes: As mentioned earlier, athlete's foot is a contagious disease which originates from wearing dirty wet socks inside covered shoes. 
2. Infection: You may also get it by coming into contact with an infected person or their towels and/or clothing. Even walking on the same floor as they walk on may cause an infection.

Symptoms: 

1. Scaly red rash: There is usually a scaly red rash in between the toes when you have athlete's foot.
2. Itching: There will be severe itching throughout the persistence of this disease especially when you first take off your shoes.
3. Blisters and ulcers: This is not a very common symptom of athlete's foot. However, blisters and ulcers do occur on certain types of athlete's foot.
4. Chronic dryness and scaling: This occurs on the soles of the feet and then slowly starts spreading upwards. These symptoms only occur on the type of athlete's foot known as moccasin. Due to this, athlete's foot is often mistaken for eczema and sometimes even dry skin.
5. Spreading to the hand: Athlete's foot always starts in your legs and in some cases spread to your hands as well. The likelihood of athlete's foot spreading to your hand is increased if you scratch or pick at the areas of the foot infected.

Treatment:
There are three stages of treatment and these depend on the severity of the infection.

1. Over-the-counter medicines: In the first stage of treatment, the doctor will simply prescribe over-the-counter antifungal ointments, sprays or powders.
2. Prescription medications: In the next stage of treatment, prescription medications need to be applied to your feet.
3. Antifungal pills: If nothing else works, only then should antifungal pills be prescribed.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Skin aging is a gradual process, but multiple factors, including stress and less sleep, expedite the aging process. Skin aging manifests itself in the form of wrinkles, sagging, discoloration and other visible effects. Such changes become more apparent as soon as one reaches late thirties or early forties, but early onsets are now very common too, which can be caused by a number of factors.

There are many ways by which skin aging can be prevented. Let us have a look at the following: 

1. Eat healthy: Having a nutritious balanced diet can make a tremendous positive impact on your skin. Consumption of food items that are rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients is essential. It is also important to drink lots of water and fluids to stay hydrated. Junk food and sugary drinks should be avoided as it negatively affects skin health.
2. Avoid sun exposure: This is the most basic way of reducing the rate of skin aging and slowing down the process. While going out in the day cannot always be avoided, it is important to keep the skin covered with clothing, hats and sunglasses.
3. Always wear sunscreen: This provides protection from the harmful rays of the sun (known as UVA and UVB). Making a habit of constantly applying sunscreen on all exposed parts of skin plays an important role in preventing skin aging. It is also necessary to use the right products, which should have an SPF rating or 30 or more.
4. Exercise regularly: Keeping fit through regular workouts and exercise improves the circulation of blood in the body and consequently, the supply of blood and oxygen to the skin. This keeps the skin healthy and young and prevents early onset of wrinkling and aging.

There are several other ways of preventing skin aging such as avoid smoking, avoid the use of too many products and cosmetics, getting enough sleep, and always keeping skin cleansed and moisturized. Following these simple ways can effectively make your skin look younger and slow down the aging process. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Sebaceous cysts are also called as epidermoid cysts are characterized by the formation of small bumps beneath the skin, which are, however, noncancerous and can appear anywhere on the neck or face. Usually arising from sebaceou s glands, sebaceous cysts are often harmless and take a long time to grow and develop. They normally do not cause any severe problems as such, but if they tend to be bothersome and painful, then you consult a doctor for treatment and diagnosis.

Signs and symptoms of sebaceous cysts include:

1. Small, round bumps found underneath the skin.
2. Formation of a thick, yellow, pungent-smelling material that may or may not leak from the cysts.
3. Formation of small blackheads clogging the opening of the cyst.
4. When inflamed, the area turns reddish in color and may swell up.

Causes behind it
Sebaceous cysts develop when the sebaceous glands or ducts are either damaged or clogged. Sebaceous glands generally secrete keratin and sebum, oils which are responsible for coating the hair and skin. Whenever they get blocked, these fluids accumulate, resulting in the formation of cysts. Whenever they get damaged, the cysts burst open and keratin oozes out as a thick and yellow fluid. Blockage or damage can occur because of any of the following reasons:

1. Cuts, scratches and surgical wounds.
2. Skin conditions like acne.
3. Genetic problems like Garner's syndrome.
4. Cell damage because of surgery.
5. A deformed gland or duct. 

A few factors which may make you more vulnerable to growing sebaceous cysts:

1. If you have a history of acne.
2. If you receive injuries to the skin.
3. If you are past the age of puberty.
4. If you have rare genetic disorders.

If the cysts trouble or bother you in any way, you should consider receiving treatment as they can cause further problems in the near future. These may include:

1. Boil-like infections.
2. Genital discomforts such as problems in urinating.
3. Even when it is not infected, a cyst can get inflamed causing a lot of pain and uneasiness.
4. Sebaceous cysts can, in extremely rare cases, lead to skin cancer.