What Condition is Your Skin In? Quiz

Answer: Eczema

There are a number of symptoms associated with eczema, including red, itchy skin, dry skin, raised bumps and scaly skin. It often occurs in children but can appear at any age. It is also long-lasting, with flare-ups happening from time to time. It can be accompanied by hay fever.

There is no cure for it but mild soaps and moisturizers can alleviate the symptoms. It's a genetic condition whereby the skin cannot protect itself from irritants or bacteria.

Answer: Rosacea

Rosacea is another chronic condition that impacts the skin. It can affect people from all walks of life but mostly is seen in fair skinned individuals or people who blush easily. It is a treatable condition but, if left untreated, the redness that is seen over the cheeks and nose can spread, pimples can develop and the nose can become swollen and bulbous.

It usually occurs in individuals over thirty years of age and has a negative impact on people's self-confidence and self-esteem due to the very visible nature of the issue.

It can be treated through medication, laser therapy and lifestyle changes as there are certain things that trigger a flare-up depending on the individual, such as caffeine consumption or exposure to sunlight.

Answer: Melasma

Melasma is actually a very common skin condition that affects women much more than men and pregnant women the most. The brown freckle like spots appear most commonly on the face but can also appear on the arms, neck and back. Melasma is worse during summer months and mostly appears on parts of the body that are exposed to the sun.

It is also more prevalent in darker skinned people or people who tan easily. It's not cancerous or harmful and it doesn't hurt or cause irritation. For some people it is simply there while they are pregnant and for others it is a long-lasting chronic condition.

It is caused by hormones and either ultraviolet light or infrared radiation, which is why it is worse in summer months. There are other possible causes that include genetics, soaps, makeup, medication, LED screens and because of all these varied possible causes it is quite difficult to treat.

Answer: Vitiligo

The loss of color in the skin can affect small patches, larger patches, one side of the body, just the face and hands or anywhere in between. It usually appears before the age of thirty and affects all skin colors although it is more visible on people with darker skin.

It's not contagious or life-threatening but it can lead to problems with eyesight, hearing and psychological issues. The cause of it might be related to family history, an event that triggers it such as stress or an autoimmune issue.

Some of the treatments include medication, light therapy, and skin grafting. If the condition has impacted a large portion of the skin, depigmentation of the remaining color might also be an option.

Answer: Psoriasis

This is another chronic disease characterized by red, itchy scaly patches. These patches are typically on joints like knees and elbows. There is no cure for this uncomfortable condition. It is a condition that flares up, being an issue for weeks or months at a time, then going away or going into remission.

It is an autoimmune condition whereby skin cells grow too rapidly, rise to the surface of the skin and then fall off. Alcohol, stress, injury or infection can all cause flare-ups. There are five different types of psoriasis including plaque psoriasis, which is the most common type.

Answer: Warts

These small growths on the skin are part of the human papillomavirus family. The are noncancerous and often found on hands and feet. Not everyone who comes into contact with the virus gets a wart as it does depend on the person's immune system. People who have eczema, who bite their fingernails or have cuts on their skin are more prone to getting warts.

They are extremely contagious though and can even be spread through towel use. They are harmless but can be painful or embarrassing. Not treating them means they could spread or get larger and there are a number of different ways to get rid of a wart including over the counter gels. You can actually get rid of plantar warts on your feet using duct tape, although it is a lengthy process!

Answer: Actinic keratosis

Also called solar keratosis, this skin condition grows over time and usually impacts people over the age of forty. It is caused by prolonged exposure to the sun and symptoms include rough patches of skin, bumps on the skin, wart-like structures and itching, burning or bleeding.

It impacts a few spots throughout the body, including the neck, face, ears and scalp. Actinic keratosis has a five to ten percent chance of turning into a type of skin cancer if left untreated. The patches are removed either through medicated cream, laser therapy, freezing or scraping.

The best prevention is to wear sunscreen and avoid exposure to the sun.

Answer: Cold sores

This group of tiny little blisters, that are painful, is caused by the herpes simplex virus. You can catch the virus by coming into contact with someone who has it and the onset of cold sores can be triggered by things like stress or fever. Cold sores mostly show up on the inside or outside of the mouth and can cause a burning or tingling sensation.

They can also be accompanied by headaches, sore throat and stomach upset. Cold sores usually heal themselves within one or two weeks but the process of healing can be sped up by taking antiviral medication.

Answer: Cradle cap

Although it looks pretty gross, this condition is not painful or harmful. It is characterized by a buildup of oily or crusty scaly patches on the scalp of newborns. Thick scales can develop that are hard to remove. It is quite common in newborns and isn't cause for alarm as it does usually go away by itself. To help, daily scalp washing with a mild shampoo is recommended.

Although hard not to do this, good advice is to not try to scratch the patches off as that will irritate the baby's scalp and could cause more harm.

It is not caused by poor hygiene - in fact it's not really known what causes it. It is also not contagious.

Answer: Peeling skin syndrome

This disorder is rare and is characterized by continuous, although typically painless, peeling of the outermost layer of the skin. In some cases there is redness, blistering and itching that accompany the shedding. It is sometimes seen from birth and sometimes develops in childhood.

The condition can impact the entire body or just the extremities (the hands and feet). It affects males and females equally. To date, specific gene codes have been reported as causing this syndrome. Treatment includes creams and Vaseline or petroleum jelly, which alleviate the symptoms.