Tretinoin which comes in either gel or cream form is mostly used on the face as directed on the label, usually once a day before bedtime. The directions for use are as follows: First, clean your face and wipe it dry. Second, apply a pea-sized amount of cream while using just enough to cover your entire face lightly. Be careful to avoid your nostrils, mouth, and eyes when applying the product. Third, wash and rinse and then wash your hands after use. Do not use in large amounts or more often than directed.

Excessive use will not give you better or faster results; instead, it will only increase the risk of side effects or other complications. Moreover, do not use this product on eczema, sunburn, and most other serious skin conditions that it isn’t supposed to treat, because it might just aggravate them. The results from this medication are gradual, with the first signs of improvement only noticeable within the first six months of continued treatment. If used for acne, there’s a possibility that the condition might worsen at first before improving.

If you have pre-existing skin disorders, allergies, and whatnot, it’s important to inform your doctor or pharmacist about them before beginning tretinoin treatment. If you are prone to sunburn, then you probably should not be using this product in the first place, because it actually increases your skin’s sensitivity to the sun. If you choose to continue taking this medication regardless, then it would be prudent for you to limit your sun exposure and avoid sun lamps. Also wear protective clothing and use sunscreen when outdoors.

If you’re an expecting mother, then this medication should only be used when needed. You should also discuss with your doctor the advantages and disadvantages of undergoing tretinoin treatment if you’re pregnant or planning to be pregnant. It is currently not known if tretinoin passes into breast milk, so further medical consultation is advised before breastfeeding while under treatment.

Inform your doctor or pharmacist of any prescription or nonprescription medicine you may be currently taking or have taken in the past, including amiodarone, isotretinoin, tetracyclines or guinolone antibiotics, sulfa-drugs, or phenothiazines, because they all increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun, and a double dose of any of those drugs and tretinoin can cause grave, sunlight-related problems to your skin.

Using tretinoin can cause scaling, stinging, itching, burning, peeling, and drying of the skin for the first several weeks as your body adjusts to it. If any of those side effects persist or worsen, discontinue use of the product and consult your doctor promptly. If you begin to experience crusting, swelling, or blistering of the skin and the darkening or lightening of your skin color, then contact your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible in order have these serious symptoms treated.

There are varying symptoms related to eczema. The common factor, itchiness, is often accompanied by a rash of varying degrees and rashes which bear little or no resemblance to each other. Reddish to brown or even gray looking patches may cover the skin in either an isolated area or completely cover the body. The itching of any of the described rashes tends to be quite severe, especially at night while the body is attempting to rest. Many small raised bumps may appear. If these bumps are scratched, they tend to ooze a clear liquid and the crust over, sometimes scarring. The skin can become thick and scaly, cracking with subtle movement. The skin is often left very sensitive to all sensation form the combination of intense itching and scratching.

The rashes can form anywhere on the body, but there are a few telltale places that they tend to almost always gather. Behind the knees, the neck, ankles, wrists, face, and the upper chest are the most frequently affected areas. It is not uncommon to find scaling around the eyes and excessive crusting at the corners of the eyes. It is also rather common for eczema to flare up in repetitive cycles, although the cycles may break for long periods of time, even years. Scratching keeps the cycles of outbreaks frequent and long term.

There are certain actions which can create a worsening symptomatic situation, which can often help in the diagnosis, if need be. Harsh soaps, cleansers, solvents, dust, sand, man made synthetic fabrics, low humidity, abrupt temperature fluctuations, sweating, stress, drying of the skin, lengthy hot baths or showers, and cigarette smoke are all triggers that create a worsening of the symptoms of eczema.

There is no clear cut cause for eczema. Most dermatologists and physicians believe that eczema starts off as regular dry and itchy skin, but the immune system over reacts and creates an impossible situation for the sufferer. There is an obvious connected link between eczema and allergies or asthma, especially in young children. Children who tend to suffer from eczema are three times more likely to develop asthma as they grow.

A visual examination of the skin is the only reliable test, along with patient medical history, for determining eczema. There is no formal test and a skin culture is worthless, as eczema does not show up as a virus or an infection. Most physicians take a personal and family medical history and do routine physical examinations to determine the presence of eczema.

Complications resulting from eczema may include darkening and scarring of the skin, especially when the patient can not resist the need to scratch. Infection may result as a result of intense scratching, usually impetigo. When the skin becomes leathery and ill colored in one specific area, this is known as neurodermatitis. Severe cases of eczema can result in complications involving the eye. When there is obvious eye complications involved, the patient should seek immediate health care from a physician.

Eczema is treated with three basic goals in mind; relieve the itching, reduce the inflammation, and prevent the reoccurrence. There are several methods of treatment, although finding the right one can be a long and brutal challenge. Corticosteroid creams and ointments can often relieve the itch and reduce the inflammation. Oral antihistamines are often prescribed to help alleviate the itch or if long term use of a corticosteroid cream is causing long term side effects, such as thinning of the skin and stretch marks or infection. Medications to control the inflammation and to prevent future flare ups can run the risk of serious side effects.

Phototherapy, or light therapy, is a common first choice for patients who have a difficult time with medication. While phototherapy has been proven effective, it has also been proven to have significant potential side effects, including skin cancer. The most important aspect of controlling eczema is avoiding obvious and known irritants. Something as innocent as a down comforter can keep a patient in agony for months even after the comforter has been replaced. Knowledge about triggers is power against the battle of eczema.

One can also try Aristocort medication against Eczema

The signs and symptoms of acne are obvious, as it appears a blemishes and tiny infections on the skin’s surface. Acne can attack in the form of white heads which are a symptom of the hair follicle becoming clogged with normal oil secretions and dead skin cells. They are called white head because the infectious pus inside creates a white surface on the top of the pimple.

Blackheads are very similar to a whitehead, only instead of whitening the skin surface stays open and darkens, creating a tiny black spot on the surface of the skin. It is rare for blackheads to swell and become raised from the surface of the skin, although it can happen.

Pimples are an infection of the hair follicle, often surfacing as a raised, red and swollen bump on the surface of the skin. Pimples are the most common form of acne.

Cysts are more painful, more noticeable and last longer than any other form of acne. They are very thick lumps that linger just below the surface of the skin. The infection associated with a cyst is deeper in the hair follicle. They tend to be quite large and can swell, redden, and often rupture under the skin’s surface if squeezed.

While there are numerous theories and old wives’ tales about why pimples and acne occur, the most accurate cause is bacteria. Bacteria that is unique to the skin builds up beneath the surface of the skin, and sometimes with the help of oil secretions and irregularly large amounts of dead skin cells, cause an infection inside the pores. Despite what many patients were told as children, premature sex, stress, masturbation, and chocolate do not cause acne.

Hair follicle cells and pores are the only ones that are affected by acne. Pores that are involved in sweat production do not typically become infected. This is because the hair follicles deliver and secret oils that can become trapped in the skin’s pores and cause a plug. A plug is what clogs the pore in the first place producing the infection around it.

Hormones, bacteria build up, medications, and heredity do contribute to cases of acne. In an otherwise healthy individual who is not medicated with acne causing medications, eliminating the bacteria from the pores once or twice daily can effectively clear up the acne, although small and tolerable break outs may occur during hormonal changes such as pregnancy or menstruation.

Risk factors for acne can include, entering adolescence, women and girls experiencing hormonal changes anywhere from two to seven days before the onset of menstruation, pregnancy, and patients who use cortisone and other medications. Friction in the skin, irritating the skin with abrasive chemicals or harsh cleansers, irritation caused by sun exposure, family history, exposing the skin to oily and greasy substances, such as car grease, cosmetics, and cleaning agents can also contribute to the development of acne.

There are no physical complications from acne, although the emotional, psychological, and social complications can be tremendous. Patients with severe acne tend to have self esteem problems, regardless of their age. Acne can feel like a gigantic statement of isolation.

Acne treatments are generally aimed at reducing bacteria, clearing out dead skin cells and advancing the speed at which skin cells reproduce, and reducing oil production. Treatments that focus on all three combination causes are the most effective.

Topical treatments, such as over the counter washes and lotions can be effective at clearing up mild to moderate acne. Lotions and topical treatments that contain benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and lactic acid are considered most effective. In generalized acne polls, the vast majority used either a combination of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide or benzoyl peroxide alone found the most effective acne treatments.

Some acne will not respond to over the counter topical treatments and require a dermatologist to evaluate their skin and prescribe prescription medications to treat acne. Medications such as Differin and Tretinoin can be prescribed by a physician. Many topical treatments, even prescription strength medications will cause the skin to worsen before it improves.

Antibiotics are sometimes prescribed for severe acne cases, although antibiotics may need to be taken long term and used in conjunction with topical treatments. Antibiotics are aimed at clearing the bacteria that causes acne. A medication known as Isotretinoin can be very effective at clearing up even the worst acne, but carries a high level of risks of side effects, including birth defects. Women who are of average reproductive age are required to participate in FDA monitored programs to be sure that their program does not allow for pregnancy while undergoing treatment. High cholesterol and triglycerides are other potential side effects. Isotretinoin is rarely used despite its effectiveness for this reason.

There are surgical procedures available to help diminish the appearance of acne scars, although not all patients will benefit. Skin that is easily scarred may actually become worse with some cosmetic surgical procedures.

Coping with acne can be very difficult, for teenagers and adults alike. Finding a dermatologist or a topical treatment that works can be life changing. Finding ways of coping with acne can be nearly impossible, and a strong support system and people who validate the patient on an emotional level can make a significant difference.

Not all patients will have identical symptoms of psoriasis. Some patients will experience reddening of the skin, which are then covered by silver scales and flakes of skin. Other patients may experience dry skin that cracks and bleeds while others may find their skin inflamed skin that appears swollen and scaly. While some adults will experience small scaled spots, this is most commonly found in children with psoriasis. Additional symptoms may include stiff joints, swelling of the skin and joints, burning, itching, soreness, as well as thickened finger or toe nails with pits or ridges marring the nail. Psoriasis can become disfiguring or disabling.

Psoriasis is caused by an immune system that has mistakenly identified the skin as under attack. In the blood stream a specific type of white blood cell known as a T cell is responsible for fighting infection as well as healing wounds. The T cell attacks the healthy skin cells in the same way that it would heal a wound and try to prevent a wound from becoming infected. The immune system kills off healthy skin cells faster than the body can get rid of them, causing discomfort, pain, thickening, scaling, and cracking and bleeding of the skin’s surface.

Risk factors for psoriasis seem to be poorly linked to the majority of cases with the exception of family history. There seems to be an almost undeniable genetic link in patients with psoriasis. Some patients may be considered an appropriate risk for psoriasis if they have another medical condition, especially one that involves an overactive or confused immune system, a high level of stress, obesity, and cigarette smoking.

In nearly all cases, psoriasis can be diagnosed with a physical examination as well as patient complaints. It is visually easy to recognize. However, for the cases which require further in depth determination, a biopsy may be taken. A small percentage of psoriasis cases mimic other skin conditions including lichen planus, neurodermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, or pityriasis rosea.

Just as the severity of psoriasis can vary greatly from patient to patient, so can the complications associated with this skin disease. Complications may include stress, depression, infection related to chronic itching and scratching, fluid imbalances and electrolyte imbalances for more severe cases, as well as a low self esteem.

Treating psoriasis is generally a two step process, one treatment aimed at calming and redirecting the immune system and the other aimed at soothing and smoothing the skin’s surface. Psoriasis is difficult to treat due to the unpredictable nature of the disease. Suppressing the immune system for long periods of time is generally not considered safe practice, and over time the body can develop a resistance to most psoriasis treatments. Prescription medications that weaken the immune system are typically used for flare ups and serious attacks. There are prescription topical creams that help the skin lose the plaqued build up skin cells, as well as re-hydrate the skin and offer it a more normal environment. Vitamin D analogues help to reduce the skin’s inflammation and promote healing. Topical retinoids developed specifically for the treatment of psoriasis attempt to normalize the DNA activity within the skin cells to reduce the symptoms associated with psoriasis. Patients with mild psoriasis have found that light therapy (exposing the skin to either natural or artificial forms of sunlight) have had very positive effects while treating psoriasis.

Daily baths with bath oils, Epsom salts, and other bath treatments can help the skin slough off the dead skin cells as well as soothe the skin’s discomfort. Covering the areas which are affected by psoriasis during sleeping hours helps to prevent bleeding and can help improve the redness and scaling associated with psoriasis. The application of cortisone as well as the purposeful avoidance of psoriasis triggers can also make a significant difference in the flare ups and their severity. Patients should be made aware that drinking alcohol can eliminate the effectiveness of their psoriasis treatments.