The skin is our largest organ and the only one that changes every 27 days to protect us from infections. Over the course of your life, your skin will shift a lot, sometimes in ways you didn’t expect. While we can do our best to pay attention to the changes that occur, having a working knowledge about the three most common skin conditions is a great place to start. Here’s how rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema differ, and what you need to know about them.
Rosacea
Rosacea is a skin condition that causes the face to flush red and oftentimes is accompanied by red bumps and visible blood vessels. Other possible symptoms can include bloodshot eyes, enlarged pores, stinging or burning skin, and a swollen nose. While rosacea is most commonly found on the face, it can also show up on the neck, chest, and upper back.
There are four different kinds: erythematotelangiectatic rosacea, papulopustular rosacea, phymatous rosacea, and ocular rosacea. Although they all present on the body slightly differently and with varying degrees of severity, rosacea is nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact, Medical experts still don’t know entirely what causes the skin condition. What we do know, however, is that genetics play a role in developing rosacea — talking with your family about their experience with the condition can help predict your own.
Eczema
Similarly, eczema is another common skin condition that has no cure. It is more common than rosacea and the most prevalent symptoms associated with it are itchiness, irritation, and dry skin — all of which are manageable. The skin condition appears in a few ways; most commonly it looks like red patches, small, raised bumps, cracked, scaly skin, and raw, sensitive, swollen skin.
The condition is related to the skin’s ability to provide protection from environmental factors which is caused by a gene variation that prevents protection, leading to flare-ups all over the body. While the skin condition typically presents around age five, eczema can occur at any age, and any severity, even if a previous flare-up was years prior.
Many people can go for significant periods of time without any eczema episodes, while others find triggers like dry weather to factor into their flare-ups.
Psoriasis
Finally, is psoriasis. Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes skin cells to develop 10x quicker than they should. The result of this abnormal growth is patchy, red bumps covered in white scales that are often painful or itchy. While it can show up anywhere on the body, it typically appears on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back. The lesions are not contagious or infectious.
Traditionally the disease presents itself between the ages of 15 to 35, and your immune system and genetics play major roles in its development. The first onset of psoriasis and subsequent flare-ups are sometimes caused by triggers such as stress, certain medications, or other infections in the body.
Ready to Address Your Skin Concerns?
Although none of these skin conditions are curable, they are all treatable. If you have further questions about diagnosis or treatment give us a call at (727) 545-3376 or book your appointment online today.