Honest Information. Better Health.

Understanding Hair Loss -- The Basics

Hair is made up of a protein called keratin that is produced in hair follicles in the outer layer of skin. As follicles produce new hair cells, old...

Congenital Hypotrichosis

Hypotrichosis is the term dermatologists use to describe a condition of no hair growth. Congenital atrichia or papular atrichia is a unique conditi...

Vitiligo and Loss of Skin Color

Vitiligo is a condition in which white patches develop on the skin. Any location on the body can be affected, and most people with vitiligo have wh...

Sunburn

When you get a sunburn, your skin turns red and hurts. Despite health warnings about sun damage, many of us still subject our skin to the sun's bur...

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a common skin disorder that forms thick, red, bumpy patches covered with silvery scales. Rashes may itch and skin may become cracked a...

Skin, Pruritus, and Itching

Pruritus simply means itching. Finding the cause of the itching and treating any underlying skin disease is the first step in solving pruritus.

What is a Pilonidal Cyst?

Most doctors think that ingrown hairs are the reason for many of them. Pilonidal means 'nest of hair,' and doctors sometimes find hair follicles in...

Molluscum Contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum is a common viral skin infection. Molluscum contagiosum causes either single or multiple raised, pearl-like bumps (papules) o...

Moles, Freckles, and Skin Tags

Moles occur when cells in the skin grow in a cluster instead of being spread throughout the skin. A mole or freckle should be checked if it has a d...

Hives and Your Skin

Urticaria, also known as hives, is an outbreak of pale red bumps or welts on the skin that appear suddenly. Fresh foods cause hives more often than...

Cysts, Lumps, Bumps, and Your Skin

Cysts that do not respond to other treatments or reoccur can be removed surgically if they cause troublesome symptoms. A cherry angioma is a smooth...

Rashes

Rashes are abnormal changes in skin color or texture. We don’t know for sure what causes atopic eczema, but the condition often affects people with...