Wrinkles
are a by-product of the aging process. With age, skin cells divide more slowly, and the inner layer, called the dermis, begins to thin. The network of elastin (the protein which causes skin to stretch) and collagen fibers (the major structural proteins in the skin), which support the outer layer, loosen and unravel, causing depressions on the surface. With aging, skin also loses its elasticity, is less able to retain moisture, oil-secreting glands are less efficient and the skin is slower to heal. All of these contribute to the development of wrinkles.
Dandruff
Skin cells that grow and die off too fast are the cause of dandruff, but doctors do not know why this happens. One possible cause is a fat-eating fungus calledPityrosporum ovale, which is present in most people but to excess in dandruff sufferers. This fungus lives on the scalp of most healthy adults without causing any problems. Sometimes its numbers grow out of control and it feeds on the oil made by hair follicles. This causes irritation, which leads to an increase in skin cell shedding.
Female Pattern Baldness
Mistakenly thought to be a strictly male disease, women make up a significant percentage of American hair loss sufferers. Forty percent of women have visible hair loss by the time they are age 40, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Hair loss in women can be absolutely devastating for self image and emotional well-being.
The American Hair Loss Association recognizes that hair loss in women is a serious life-altering condition that can no longer be ignored
Male Pattern Baldness
The male pattern baldness (MPB) form of androgenetic alopecia (there is also afemale pattern baldness) accounts for more than 95% of hair loss in men. By age 35, two-thirds of American men will have some degree of appreciable hair loss and by age 50 approximately 85% of men have significantly thinning hair. About 25% of men who suffer from male pattern baldness begin the painful process before they reach 21.
Contrary to societal belief, most men who suffer from male pattern baldness are extremely unhappy with their situation and would do anything to change it. Hair loss affects every aspect of their life. It affects interpersonal relationships as well as their professional life. It is not uncommon for men to change their career paths because of hair loss. Read more about hair loss.
Premature Gray Hair
"Premature graying is genetically determined for the most part," David Bank, MD, tells WebMD. Bank is director of the Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic, and Laser Surgery in Mount Kisco, N.Y. "Graying is natural. We all do it eventually."
When more than half the hair is white by age 40, though, this is considered "premature."
Bank also points out that head hair grows more actively than body hair. So the head can go gray while other hairy parts remain your normal color. Correction: Your former color. Read more about the ABCs of premature graying hair.
Telogen Effluvium
Telogen effluvium (TE) is probably the second most common form of hair loss dermatologists see. It is a poorly defined condition; very little research has been done to understand TE. In essence though, TE happens when there is a change in the number of hair follicles growing hair. If the number of hair follicles producing hair drops significantly for any reason during the resting, or telogen phase, there will be a significant increase in dormant, telogen stage hair follicles. The result is shedding, or TE hair loss.
Yellow Dandruff
If dandruff flakes are greasy and yellow, the probable cause is the skin condition known as seborrheic dermatitis; seborrhea is usually associated with redness as well. Dry, thick lesions consisting of large, silvery scales may be traced to the less-common psoriasis of the scalp. These scaly conditions become a hazard only if you scratch to the point of causing breaks in the skin, which can place you at greater risk for infections, particularly from staph and strep bacteria.
Dysplastic Nevi (Atypical Moles) Close-Up
Dysplastic nevi are moles that are larger than average (larger than a pencil eraser) and irregular in shape. They tend to have uneven color with dark brown centers and lighter, uneven edges. These moles tend to be hereditary (passed on from parent to child through genes). People with dysplastic nevi may have more than 100 moles and have a greater chance of developing melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer. Any changes in a mole should be checked by a dermatologist to detect skin cancer.
If the mole is found to be cancerous, and only a small section of tissue was taken, the dermatologist will remove the entire mole by cutting out the entire mole and a rim of normal skin around it, and stitching the wound closed.
Pigmented Nevi
Pigmented nevi (moles) are growths on the skin that usually are flesh-colored, brown or black. Moles can appear anywhere on the skin, alone or in groups. Moles occur when cells in the skin grow in a cluster instead of being spread throughout the skin. Moles may darken after exposure to the sun, during the teen years and during pregnancy.
In most cases, health care professionals can diagnose birthmarks based on the appearance of the skin. If a mole exhibits potentially cancerous changes, abiopsy may be performed.
Actinic Keratosis (Solar Keratosis)
Actinic keratoses are lesions on the outer skin layer caused by too much exposure to the ultraviolet rays of sunlight. They are also the beginnings of skin cancer, most often appearing after age 40. In some areas where climate is mild year-round -- like Florida and California -- these lesions appear in much younger people, even teenagers.
People with fair skin, blond or red hair, and blue or green eyes are most at risk of developing these rough, scaly "bumps." A history of burning rather than tanning also increases risk. If not treated, these bumps can develop into a more serious form of skin cancer.
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer and accounts for more than 90 percent of all skin cancer in the U.S. These cancers almost never spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. They can, however, cause damage by growing and invading surrounding tissue.
Light-colored skin and sun exposure are both important factors in the development of basal cell carcinomas. About 20 percent of these skin cancers, however, occur in areas that are not sun-exposed, such as the chest, back, arms, legs, and scalp. The face, however, remains the most common location for basal cell lesions. Weakening of the immune system, whether by disease ormedication, can also promote the risk of developing basal cell carcinoma.
Cutaneous Horns
The cutaneous horn appears as a funnel-shaped growth that extends from a red base on the skin. It is composed of compacted keratin (the same protein in nails). The size and shape of the growth can vary considerably, but most are a few millimeters in length. Squamous cell carcinoma is often found at the base. It usually occurs in fair-skinned elderly adults with a history of significant sun exposure.
Less Common Skin Cancers
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