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| FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (Dermatology) |
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| Question 1 |
My 8 year old son often develops small ( 1-2 cm in size ) and very faint white patches on his cheeks and forehead. They are seen for a week to ten days and subside on their own. Recently only one of them has become more white, and can be clearly seen. It also is not subsiding on it's own. What could the problem be ? (R.J.W, Madras) |
| Answer 1 |
The way you have described the problem, the diagnosis appears to be that of Pityriasis alba , an extremely common and benign skin condition encountered in children. It often ( but not always ) is associated with the habit of eating mud or excessive exposure/play in the sun and dry skin. A mild steriod ointment - clobetasone butyrate should take care of the condition. It is to be applied twice a day for 10-15 days. In case the problem persists a course of antiworm tablets may have to be given too. |
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| Question 2 |
I am a 16 year old girl and have in the last month developed quite severe and obvious darkening of my knuckles and the finger joints. Hoping that it would disappear by itself in few weeks time, I tried no treatment excepting applying cold cream . What is the cause and what do I do ? (Trupti, Baroda) |
| Answer 2 |
Darkening of the knuckles and finger joints is likely to be suggestive of Vitamin B12/Folic acid deficiency. If no other features of deficiency are present ( sore tongue, anemia, dark nails etc. ) then the condition is not worth worrying. Any good B complex and Folic acid tablets ( Becosules and Folvite ) with dietary modification will take care of your problem. |
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| Question 3 |
Recently only I eyed a few grey hairs on my 11 year old son's scalp. I am really worried as to how can such a young boy develop grey hair. What could be the reason ? Will it develop further ? My husband who is 43 does have grey hair but not extensively . I hope there is a suitable remedy. (N.V, Bombay) |
| Answer 3 |
A few isolated grey hair at a young age should not be a cause for any worry , if the child is hale, hearty and healthy in other aspects. Any damage to the hair root may cause the hair to become grey. Unfortunately this process inevitably is irreversible- ie a hair follicle producing grey hair will keep on producing grey hair. These few hairs should not be confused with the greying associated with ageing - and there is no reason for them to develop further. Clipping them short will be the only remedy. The belief that this will further increase the growth rate is absolutely baseless and unscientific. |
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| Question 4 |
I am a young business executive 32 years of age and had a problem of pimples in the past. Though the pimples have subsided with a occasional one now and then a few scars have remained. What do I do to remove them ? (A K V , Baroda) |
| Answer 4 |
Scars which remain after acne has healed are called 'ice pick' scars. They are very small depressions usually seen on the cheeks. In case there are quite a few of them - and cosmetically unacceptable the only solution is a minor surgical procedure called dermabrasion undertaken by plastic surgeons. No medicines/ointments can eliminate this problem. |
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| Question 5 |
The house maid working with us has some skin problem since 3-4 years. The problem is chiefly on her elbows and arms. She scratches a lot and often there is oozing from them. She is not willing to take any treatment because of some family problem. She often plays with and handles my children. Is the condition infectious. Will my children catch it ? (M S, Bhopal) |
| Answer 5 |
She is most likely to be suffering from some form of eczema. Though the eczema by itself is not infectious the oozing state indicates there is some added infection over and above the eczema. That infection can be caught by your children, and not the eczema. |
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| Question 6 |
I just delivered a baby girl 3 months back. Since last week , I have noticed excessive loss of hair. This I have noted when I comb my hair, or on my pillow in the mornings or just whenever I run my hand through them. At this rate I am afraid I shall soon go bald. Please help, and suggest some solution urgently . (I V , New Delhi) |
| Answer 6 |
Loss of hair after delivery is a natural thing. Medically it is called Post Partum Telogen effluvium. All the scalp hair have a definite cycle - growth , resting and shedding. What happens during pregnancy is that the shedding stage is decreased because of the hormonal changes in the blood leading to retention of hair which were normally to be lost. All this extra hair are now shed after delivery giving an impression of excessive hair loss. This is only a temporary phase and subsides on it's own without any treatment. |
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| Question 7 |
My 12 year old son has been diagnosed as case of fungal infection of the scalp ( Tinea Capitis ). He is having loss of hair in a small patch with itching and peeling of skin. It seems to be slowly spreading. The doctor has precribed Gresiofulvin tablets (250 mg ) to be taken for atleast 2-3 months.Is it safe for a 12 year old to take drugs for such a long time ? Is there any alternate solution ? (K P , Mt. Abu) |
| Answer 7 |
Tinea Capitis is one such condition which neccesitates such a long therapy (fungal infection of nails require 6-12 months treatment). If the boy tolerates Gresiofulvin well there need not be any long term side effect, though a blood /liver examination may be undertaken as per the doctors advice in between. It is imperative that the whole course be completed according to the doctors instructions. Stopping short may lead to the recurrence of the condition wherein the whole treatment will have to be started afresh. Gresiofulvin is the best available therapy at present. |
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| Question 8 |
I am a mother of two girls aged 5 yrs and 10 months. Recently I saw a small white patch about 4 cm in size on the abdomen of my younger daughter. It doesn't appear to be increasing in size nor is there any itching. There is absolutely no such history in my or my husbands family. What could the white patch be ? I am extremely worried that she might develop leucoderma. (P J , Bombay) |
| Answer 8 |
Any white patch anywhere on the body need not always be leucoderma. And looking at the baby's age and assuming that the patch is not milky white , the diagnosis of birth mark (nevus achromicus ) should more likely come to the mind. It is a wrong concept that a birth mark should be present at birth. Some of them often develop quite late. However the patch may have to be examined periodically to assess it's future. |
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| Question 9 |
I am a 18 year old college going girl. My two older sisters had moderate to severe acne when they were my age. Now they are almost free of the trouble. However I dread pimples like anything. Please advise in detail as to what I should do to prevent them. I am willing to do anything and am very desperate. (N.K, Bombay) |
| Answer 9 |
The very style in which you have formatted the question indicates you to be a fit candidate for acne. Such tension and stress is absolutely counterproductive. Acne is too minor a thing to be worried about so much. Keeping your face clean and washing it 4-5 times a day ( not with soap everytime) is basic to an acne free face. Not handling it much, not using harsh cosmetics is the next step. Plenty of fluids ( juices or just even plain water) in addition to a nutritious diet is also mandatory. Nutritious diet would mean green leafy vegetables, salads, plenty of fruits etc. Next would be rest. Though it would look insignificant sufficient sleep/rest is must for a healthy skin. And finally as mentioned earlier a relaxed, stress free life with a positive mental outlook. Now, despite all this, there still might appear some pimples ( you can't change your hereditary makeup ) - at such a time a mature outlook is required to minimise the duration of the problem. Trying every possible means to get rid of the problem - pricking them etc. will take you nowhere. |
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| Question 10 |
My father in law is 49 years old and is a known case of psoriasis. Though his problem subsides with treatment, it recurs again after a gap of say 5-6 months. Is the condition hereditary ? Is it infectious ? What precautions do I take so that my children don't get it ? Has any new therapy come up which my father in law can try ? (Manini, Bombay) |
| Answer 10 |
Psoriasis is one condition where medical science is still struggling to find a permanent cure, though there are drugs available to control it to a great extent. The most recent being mometasone Furoate ointment which your father in law can try under the supervision of his skin specialist. The condition is definitely not hereditary and nor is it infectious. No special precautions need to be taken for your children. |
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| Question 11 |
My 58 year old mother has had the problem of cracked heels since ages. It is especially more severe in winters when they bleed and pain a lot. She has tried numerous treatments but of no avail. Though the complaints decrease a little it has never disappeared completely. What do you advise ? (Mrs GBS, Chandigarh) |
| Answer 11 |
Cracked heels is the sum result of improper feet care, bad walking habits and an overweight body ( not always ). More long standing the problem, the more time it takes to treat it. Strictly following the mentioned treatment should relieve your mother's complaints to a large extent in a month or two's time. Soaking feet in warm water (to which a few crystals of potassium permanganate have been added) for 5-10 minutes twice a day followed by a scrub with pumice stone , yet followed by an application of a salycilic acid preparation with a mild steroid is the simple treatment regimen. In addition wearing socks and not walking barefoot is also mandatory. If your mother can follow this simple treatment regularly and religiously for 30-40 days there is no reason why her long standing problem should not disappear. |
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| Question 12 |
What are small white irregular spots in the nails due to. I am a 25 year old married female. I sometimes get as many as 5-6 of them in 2-3 nails ( or even more ) and then they disappear for months together. There is no other associated complaint as pain or itching. My dietary habits too are regular and I have a relaxed life style. Could it be because of calcium or vitamin deficiency? (MG, Agra) |
| Answer 12 |
Acquired punctuate leukonychia - the condition described by you is extremely common condition. Only in a minuscule population is it associated with some general diseases or poisoning. In a vast majority however the whitening is either spontaneous - without any cause or due to some minor trauma, For eg - manicure etc. No treatment is required as it cannot be considered a disease. That the condition is sign of vitamin or calcium deficiency is baseless. |
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| Question 13 |
I am a 19 year old athlete having a long standing problem of 'athlete's foot' - fungal infection of the toes. It is restricted to the space between the third-fourth and fifth toes in both feet. I take meticulous care of my feet still the problem is persisting. I have also tried antifungal creams and powders . but of no avail. How do I proceed to get rid of this problem ? (S.P , Indore) |
| Answer 13 |
The root cause of athlete's foot is excessive perspiration in that region in addition to improper cleaning habits. Start with a good antifungal, antibiotic combination ( antibiotic is must as pure antifungal will take care of the fungus only while the invariably associated bacterial infection will keep flourishing ) and apply regularly for 1-2 months. Continue the treatment even if you feel that the problem has subsided. In addition dry each web space individually after a run or whenever the feet get wet and apply the dusting powder frequently. Try to keep your feet naked for as many hours as possible in the day. |
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| Question 14 |
My husband 34 years of age recently had an attack of Herpes. He was in a miserable condition during the attack,but now the pain has decreased. The rash is also healing slowly. From where could he have caught this dreaded disease. I have heard that it is a sexually transmitted disease. What precautions should he take for the future ? (Suman, Jaipur) |
| Answer 14 |
You have not specified where exactly did the rash occur. There are basically two types of Herpes. Herpes Zoster occurs on the face, trunk, arms or legs and Herpes simplex around the the lips or on the genitals ( called Herpes Progenitalis). Both are quite different in their presentations, course, treatment and future prognosis. While Herpes Zoster is not an STD and occurs only once in a lifetime, Herpes Progenitalis is an STD with a recurrent course. For Herpes Zoster no specific precautions need to be taken in the future. But for Herpes Progenitalis any stress, fever, trauma etc. can precipitate an attack during which intercourse has to be avoided at all costs. |
