Common Adult Skin Problems Slideshow: Shingles, Hives, and More

 

Got Skin Problems?

 

Is your skin itching, breaking out, covered in a rash, or playing host to strange spots? Skin inflammation, changes in texture or color, and spots may be the result of infection, a chronic skin condition, or contact with an allergen or irritant. You can learn to recognize common adult skin problems. Yet, while many are minor, they may signal something more serious, so always consult a doctor for proper diagnosis.

Shingles (Herpes Zoster)

 

Shingles starts with burning, tingling, or very sensitive skin. A rash of raised dots develops into painful blisters that last about two weeks. Shingles often occurs on the trunk and buttocks, but can appear anywhere. Most people recover, but pain, numbness, and itching linger for many -- and may last for months, years, or the rest of their lives. Treatment with antiviral drugs, steroids, antidepressants, and topical agents can help.

Hives (Urticaria)

 

A common allergic reaction that looks like welts, hives are often itchy, and sometimes stinging or burning. Hives vary in size and may join together to form larger areas. They may appear anywhere and last minutes or days. Medications, foods, food additives, temperature extremes, and infections like strep throat are some causes of hives. Antihistamines can provide relief.

Psoriasis

 

A non-contagious rash of thick red plaques covered with white or silvery scales, psoriasis usually affects the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back. The rash can heal and recur throughout life. The cause of psoriasis is unknown, but the immune system triggers new skin cells to develop too quickly. Treatments include medications applied to the skin, light therapy, and medications taken by mouth, injection or infusion.

Eczema

 

Eczema describes several non-contagious conditions where skin is inflamed, red, dry, and itchy. Stress, irritants (like soaps), allergens, and climate can trigger flare-ups though they're not eczema's exact cause, which is unknown. In adults, eczema often occurs on the elbows and hands, and in "bending" areas, such as inside the elbows. Treatments include topical or oral medications and shots.

Rosacea

 

 

Often beginning as a tendency to flush easily, rosacea causes redness on the nose, chin, cheeks, forehead, even the eyes. The redness may intensify over time, taking on a ruddy appearance with visible blood vessels. In some cases, thickened skin, bumps and pus-filled pimples can develop. Rosacea treatment includes medications as well as surgical procedures such as laser therapy, dermabrasion, and electrocautery to reshape affected areas.

Cold Sores (Fever Blisters)

 

Small, painful, fluid-filled blisters on the mouth or nose, cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus. Lasting about 10 days, cold sores are very contagious. Triggers can include fever, too much sun, stress, or hormonal changes such as menstruation. Antiviral pills or creams can be used as treatment, but call your doctor if sores contain pus, there is spreading redness, you have a fever, or if your eyes become irritated.

Melasma ('Pregnancy Mask')

 

 

Melasma (chloasma) is characterized by tan or brown patches on the cheeks, nose, forehead, and chin. Although usually called the "pregnancy mask," men can also develop it. Melasma occurs in half of all women during pregnancy. It may go away after pregnancy but, if it persists, can be treated with prescription creams and over-the-counter products. Use a sunscreen at all times if you have melasma, as sunlight worsens the condition.

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Banish the Bags Under Your Eyes

Tired of being told you look tired? Here's how to get rid of eye bags, puffiness, dark shadows, and circles

Noticing bags or dark circles under your eyes ? You're not alone.

Good news: There are fixes for under-eye flaws. The first step is figuring out just what the problem is.

Morning-After Puffy Eyes

Seasonal allergies, a cold, a sinus infection: These are some of the things that can lead to water building up under the eye."We have the thinnest skin around our eyes, so it's the area that's most influenced by the in-and-out flow of fluids," Goldburt says.

A dinner heavy with salty food or a night of crying while watching a tearjerker movie can also cause morning-after puffiness. The reason is osmosis. "Water always travels from areas in the body where there's low salt concentration to tissues where there's more salt, Goldburt explains. That principle holds true whether the salt comes from tears or from soy sauce.

Simple Fixes for Under-Eye Bags

Addressing the underlying cause will help treat these temporary eruptions of puffiness.

Here are steps to try:

1. Treat hay fever, if that's the problem. There are non-sedating, over-the-counter allergy medications that may help. If you have or suspect hay fever, talk with your doctor about how to treat it (whether or not it's affecting your eyes' appearance).
2. Switch your sleep position. Your sleep position may be contributing to under-eye bags. Thanks to gravity, sleeping on your side or stomach can encourage fluids to collect under your eyes. If you're a side sleeper, you may notice a heavier bag on the side you sleep on. Goldburt advises her patients who wake up with puffy eyes to sleep on their back and add an extra pillow under their head.

Changing your sleep position takes some getting used to, says Goldburt, a self-described "former eye-bag sufferer" and stomach-sleeper herself. Still, she says, "The earlier you start changing your sleep position, the better, because after a few years under-eye bags can became permanent."

Other everyday habits, including rubbing your eyes frequently, going to bed with makeup on, and excessive drinking, can contribute to under-eye bags, too. "Sleeping in eye makeup can irritate your eyes, causing fluids to pool," Goldburt says. Heavy alcohol drinking causes dehydration . That weakens the delicate skin around the eyes, making it more likely to sink into a pouch.

Eye bags are very common, and are usually not related to your health. But if your bags appear suddenly and you're not suffering from allergies, a sinus infection, or a cold -- and they don't ease up when you try the lifestyle steps mentioned above -- it's a good idea to see your doctor. Some thyroid or kidney problems can cause under-eye fluid retention, notes New York dermatologist Craig Austin, MD.

Dark Circles

When dark shadows or bags linger, the cause typically is not something temporary, like a few too many cocktails. It might be something you've inherited. Pigmentary issues that cause under-eye discoloration are common among people of Asian or African descent. Age also contributes to dark circles. With age, the skin around the eye thins, exposing the tiny blood vessels that lie just below.

Still, you can do something about it.

If you pull the skin sideways and the darkness turns blotchy, that's evidence the problem is caused by excess pigment in the area, says Joseph Eviatar, MD, a New York ophthalmic plastic surgeon.

Most often, dark circles aren't about changes in the color of the skin at all. Instead, they're created by a loss of volume in the area around the eye. That exposes the orbital bone, creating a hollow trough that shows up as a dark circle. With the delicate eye area one of the first spots to reveal signs of aging, this can happen as early as the late 30s or 40s.

What can you do?

Makeup can help conceal dark circles. Hiding dark circles with concealer is simpler than you may think, says New York makeup artist Kimara Ahnert. Choose a concealer that matches your skin tone. If you have mild discoloration, pick a liquid formula. If your shadows are more prominent, go for more coverage with a cream or cake concealer. Lightly pat the concealer on from the inner corner of your eye to just past the outer corner.

Other, more expensive options, including treatment with IPL or intense pulse light, can help by destroying those pigment cells and smoothing the skin. A series of four IPL treatments is typically needed to see improvement. Skin lightening creams that contain hydroquinone or kojic acid may also diminish the darkness.

These fixes are less successful when the dark circles are caused by extremely thin skin. "That's really difficult to treat," Eviatar says. "Eye creams that contain caffeine may help a bit because they constrict the underlying blood vessels."

Prevention and Quick Fixes

Here are four things you can do -- without surgery -- to help keep your eyes looking youthful.

1. Don't smoke, and always apply a sunscreen around the eye area. Smoking and exposure to UV rays both weaken collagen and cause premature wrinkling and sagging.
2.  Apply a moisturizer to the eye area nightly. "You don't need to spend a lot," Goldburt says. "Almost any drugstore moisturizer will provide the hydration you need.
3.  Add a prescription retinoic acid -- the vitamin A cream that goes by the generic name tretinoin -- to your daily skin care regimen. "It's the single best thing you can use to prevent wrinkles and improve existing lines," Goldburt says

To calm puffy eyes, place cold spoons, slices of cucumbers, chilled tea bags, or even a package of frozen peas under your eyes. The cool temperatures -- rather than any special properties of cucumbers or peas -- reduce swelling. And, yes, placing a hemorrhoid cream under your eyes might help get rid of puffs, too. "We have patients who swear by it," says Brent Moelleken, MD, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, "but we suggest a retinol eye cream instead."

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6 Best Foods You're Not Eating

Some foods are so healthy they star on every nutrition expert’s list of super foods. But often missing on those lists are some underrated gems that can definitely upgrade your diet.

We tapped nutrition experts to find out their favorite underrated fare. They only selected whole foods that are familiar, widely available, affordable, and nutrient-rich -- and that taste great.

Here are their top picks.

1. Beans and Lentils

Beans and lentils really are nutrition superstars -- rich in protein, fiber, complex carbs, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc.

Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, author of Read It Before You Eat It, says healthy foods like beans and lentils defy the recommendation to only shop the perimeter of the grocery store. "There are hundreds of essential foods like beans and lentils lining the shelves in the center aisles that should not be overlooked."

Beans are versatile and easy on your wallet, and Taub-Dix suggests you can lower the sodium in canned beans by approximately 40% by thoroughly rinsing the beans in water.

Elisa Zied, MS, RD, author of Nutrition at Your Fingertips, says, "Eating a diet rich in legumes can help promote weight loss and has been shown to lower LDL [low-density -- "bad" -- cholesterol] and raise HDL [high-density -- "good" -- cholesterol]," .  

Toss these nuggets into soups, stews, salads, grain medleys, or greens, or create a veggie dip, like hummus made from chickpeas, by pureeing beans and adding your favorite seasoning.

2. Watermelon

Watermelon is everyone’s favorite summertime fruit. But because it is so naturally sweet, some people avoid it because they think it's high in sugar.

Elizabeth Ward, RD, author of Expect the Best, says watermelon should be a staple in everyone’s diet. "It is fun to eat, sweet, juicy, low in calories, and chock full of vitamins C and A, potassium, and lycopene. Because it is so high in water, it helps meet fluid needs."

A bonus is that the thick peel keeps pesticides far from the flesh, earning it a spot on the Environmental Working Group's "Clean 15"  -- the produce with the least pesticide residue.

3. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are often thought of as high in calories and carbs because they are so naturally sweet. But don’t let that fool you.

Heather Mangieri, RD, says, "Sweet potatoes are nutritional all-stars and one of the best vegetables you can eat. Not only are they a great source of beta carotene, vitamin C, fiber, and potassium, but this highly underrated vegetable is so versatile it can be enjoyed with very few extra calories or embellishment."

She suggests topping a slow-baked sweet potato with a sprinkle of cinnamon, applesauce, and crushed pineapple. Or try topping it with black beans and salsa. Other options: Mash it or slice it into fries and oven bake then until golden brown.

4. Red Cabbage

Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, physician and registered dietitian, votes for the cruciferous vegetable red cabbage.

"[It's] a great source of fiber; vitamins A, D, and K; folate; and lots of trace minerals with only 22 calories in one cup chopped," Gerbstadt says. "Rich in antioxidants, this veggie can boost cancer-fighting enzymes. You can eat it raw, cooked, sweet, savory, stand-alone in a dish like coleslaw, or added to almost anything from soups, to salads, casseroles, sandwiches, burgers, and more."

She suggests keeping a head of red cabbage in your crisper to inspire creative ways to add more color and nutrition to your meals.

5. Canned Tomatoes

Fire-roasted petite diced tomatoes are a staple in the pantry of Georgia State University professor emeritus Chris Rosenbloom, PhD, RD. "Everyone thinks fresh is best but cooking tomatoes helps release some of the disease-fighting lycopene so it is better absorbed," Rosenbloom says.

A study in the 2009 Journal of Clinical Oncology shows that a diet rich in tomatoes may help prevent prostate cancer and that lycopene, a strong antioxidant, may also help prevent other types of cancer. Of course, many other lifestyle and genetic factors also affect cancer risk.

Stock your pantry with canned tomatoes for pizza, spaghetti sauce, and home-made salsa, or toss a can into soups, stews, casseroles, greens, or pasta dishes. And if your power goes out, "canned foods are a lifesaver," Rosenbloom says.

If canned tomatoes are not your favorite, how about low-sodium vegetable juice? Sheah Rarback, MS, RD, nominates vegetable juice that has been around for a long time with only 140 mg of sodium and that is an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium.

6. Plain, Nonfat Greek Yogurt

There are many yogurts on the market, and plain, nonfat Greek yogurt is a standout.

All yogurts are excellent sources of calcium, potassium, protein, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12. What distinguishes Greek yogurt is its thicker, creamier texture because the liquid whey is strained out. Also, it contains probiotic cultures and is lower in lactose and has twice the protein content of regular yogurts.

Judith Rodriguez, PhD, RD, says, "Skip the extra sugar calories found in most yogurts and pump up the protein by choosing Greek yogurt." She adds that it contains twice as much protein, "which is great for weight control because it keeps you feeling full longer."

Rodriguez suggests pairing the tart yogurt with the natural sweetness of fresh fruit or your favorite whole grain cereal.