CONSULTATION NOTES

CONJUNCTIVITIS

Conjunctivitis is a common condition that causes redness and inflammation of the thin layer of tissue that covers the front of an eye. It is often referred to as 'red eye.

Other symptoms of conjunctivitis include; itchiness, watering and sometimes a sticky coating on the eyelashes. 

It can be caused by three main things. The first being a bacterial or viral infection. The second being an allergic reaction to a substance such as pollen or dust mites. And the final thing being the eye coming into contact with something that can irritate the conjunctiva such as shampoo or chlorinated water.

Usually conjunctivitis heals up itself within a few days to weeks, but there are certain eye drops you can get to help speed up the healing process.

DANDRUFF

Dandruff is a common skin condition that causes dry white or grey flakes of dead skin to appear in the scalp or hair Your scalp may be dry and itchy and the flakes may be noticeable. It is not contagious as it is caused by shredded skin that the body continually sheds as new skin cells are formed.

Certain things can make dandruff worse such as; 

- over use of hair products

- emotional stress

- washing your hair too much or too little 

The main treatment is anti-dandruff shampoo but you can also be put on a short course of steroid lotion

ACNE

Acne is a common skin condition that affects most people at some point in their lives. It causes spots to develop on the skin, usually on the face, back and chest. The spots can range from surface blackheads and whiteheads - which are mild - to deep, pus-filled pustules and cysts - which can be severe, painful, long-lasting and scarring.

Keeping your skin clean is very important if you have acne and moisturising is also a must. Although acne can't be cured, it can be controlled with treatments provided by doctors and GP's.

Acne is commonly linked to the changes in the hormone levels during puberty, but can start at any age. Acne is common in teenagers and younger adults. About 80% of people between the ages of 11 and 30 will be affected at some point in their life by acne.

PSORIASIS

Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes red, flaky, crusty patches of skin covered with silvery scales. These patches normally appear on your elbows, knees, scalp and lower back, but can appear anywhere on your body. Most people are only affected with small patches but in some cases, the patches can be itchy and sore.

Psoriasis affects around 2% of people in the UK and can start at any age. However, it most often develops in adults under 35 years old. Psoriasis is a long-lasting disease that usually involves periods where you have no symptoms at all or mild symptoms, followed by periods where the symptoms are severe.

People with psoriasis have an increased production of skin cells. Skin cells are normally made and replaced every three to four weeks, but in psoriasis this process only lasts about a week. Th resulting build up of skin cells is what creates the patches associated with psoriasis. It is thought to be related to a problem with the immune system. It usually runs in families.

There is no real cure for psoriasis but with a range of treatments, it can be controlled and can improve the appearance on the skin.

WARTS

Warts are small lumps that often develop on the skin of the hands and feet. Warts vary in appearance and may develop singly or in clusters. Some are more likely to affect particular areas of the body. Warts are non-cancerous, but can resemble certain cancers. Most people experience warts at some point in their life.

Warts are caused by an infection with the human papilloma virus. This virus causes an excess amount of keratin, hard protein, to develop in the top layer of skin. The extra keratin produces the rough, hard texture.

Warts aren't contagious, but they can be caught by close skin-to-skin contact. The infection can also be transmitted indirectly from contaminated objects or surfaces. 

Most warts are harmless and clear up without treatment. The length of time it takes a wart to disappear will vary from person to person. It may take up to two years for the viral infection to leave your system and for the wart to disappear.

Common treatments include:

- salicylic acid

- cryotherapy (freezing the skin cells)

- duct tape

- chemical treatments

ECZEMA

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is the most common form of eczema. It mainly affects children, but can also affect some adults.

Eczema is a condition that causes the skin to become itchy, red, dry and cracked. It is a long-term condition in most people, although it can improve over time, especially in children. The most common areas that get infected are:

- backs or fronts of the knees

- outside or inside of the elbows

- around the neck

- hands

- cheeks

- scalp

People with eczema usually have periods when symptoms are less noticeable, as well as periods when symptoms become more severe. It usually runs in families and also develops alongside other conditions, such as asthma and hay fever. Soaps, detergents, stress and the weather can have an affect on eczema.

There is no cure for eczema but it can be treated over time with different treatments such as:

- self care techniques, such as reduces scratching and avoiding triggers

- emollients (moisturising treatments)

- topical corticosteroids 

About one in five children in the UK have eczema. It can improve significant, or even completely clear up, in some children as they get older. 

IMPETIGO

Impetigo is a common and highly contagious skin infection that causes sore and blisters. It is not usually serious and often improves within a week of treatment. There are two types of impetigo:

- Non-bullous impetigo, which typically affects the skin around the nose and mouth, causing sores to develop that quickly burst to leave a yellow-brown crust

- Bullous impetigo, which typically affects the trunk, causing fluid-filled blisters to develop that burst after a few days to leave a yellow crust.

Both types of impetigo may leave behind some red marks when the crusts have cleared up, but these will usually improve over the following days or weeks.

Impetigo is not usually serious but can sometimes have similar symptoms to more serious conditions such as cellulitis so it's important to get a correct diagnosis. 

Impetigo is caused by bacteria infecting the outer layers of skin. The bacteria can infect the skin in two main ways:

- through a break in otherwise healthy skin, such as a cut, insect bite or other injury

- through skin damaged by another underlying skin condition, such as scabies or eczema.

Once someone is infected with the bacteria, the infection can be spread easily through close contact, such as through direct physical contact, or by sharing towels or flannels. 

Impetigo usually gets better without treatment in around 2 to 3 weeks, but treatment is often recommended because it can reduce the length of the illness to around seven to ten days and can lower the risk of the infection being spread to others. The main treatments prescribed are antibiotic creams or antibiotic tablets. These usually have to be used for around a week. 

During treatment, it's important to take precautions to minimise the risk of impetigo spreading to other people or other areas of the body, such as by:

- not touching the sores whenever possible

- washing your hands regularly

- not sharing flannels, sheets or towels

- staying away from work, school, nursery or playgroup until the sores have dried up or treatment has been continuing for at least 48 hours.