SEBORRHOEIC DERMATITIS

This is a common skin inflammation which affect the sebaceous gland rich areas of the skin.
It is also known as eczema.
It is called cradle cap in infants.
It can be aggravated by psychological stress and change of season
There is evidence of a relationship between seborrhoeic dermatitis and intestinal yeast
( candida)

CAUSES
The exact cause is not known but it is believed that it is related to a fungus called melasseizia

RISK FACTORS
 Parkison's disease
 Weakened immune system
 HIV
 Other medications ( chlorpromazine)

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS

 Skin flakes ( dandruff on scalp, hair, eyebrows, beard and mustache)

 Redness
 Itching

MEDICAL MANAGEMENT

 Corticosteroid creams to reduce inflammation such as hydrocortisone, clobetasol.

 Antifungal creams such as ketaconazole and fluconazole to control fungal growth.
 Antihistamines like citrizen may be used to reduce itching

NURSING MANAGEMENT
 Promote health skin by encourage the patient to adopt the use of medicated soaps to
decrease skin irritation

LEPROSY
It is a chronic disease that mainly affects the skin and peripheral nerves

It is also known as Hansen's disease

It has an incubation period of 5-7 years.

CAUSES
It is caused by mycobacterium leprae, an acid fast bacteria.

MODE TRANSMISSION

 Droplets from untreated infected person

 Contact
 Breastfeeding & transplacentally

PREVENTION AND CONTROL

 BCG is partially effective for protection against leprosy

 Chemoprophylaxis (single dose rifampicin) for contacts of leprosy patient
 Early detection and treatment to reduce transmission.

CLINICAL MMANIFESTATION

 Thickening of peripheral nerves

 Signs of damage to the nerves

- loss of sensation in hands or feet

- weakness of muscles of hands, feet and face

CLASSIFICATION FOR TREATMENT

Classification is made based on number of patches ( skin lesions) and results of skin smear
examination.

 Paucibacillary - when there are 1 to 5 lesions

 Multibacillary - when more than six lesions are found

MEDICAL MANAGEMENT
Leprosy is treated with Multi drug therapy (MDT) which is the use of a combination of 2 or 3
anti leprosy drugs to treat leprosy.

Paucibacillary

6 blister packs

Rifampicin 600mg once a month

Duration; 6 months

Multibacillary

12 blister pack are given

Rifampicin 600mg once a month

Clofazimine 300mg once a month, Clofazimine 50mg every day

Dapsone 100mg every day

Duration: 12 months

ALLERGIC CONDITIONS
This is a condition where skin becomes irritated because the immune system reacted to a
substance.

HIVES

This is an allergic reaction to something you have swallowed or come in contact with which
causes the release of a chemical in the body called histamine in an attempt to defend itself
against infection.

It is also called urticaria

They vary in size and appear anywhere in the body

CAUSES

 Some drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen,penicillin

 Food
 Insect sting

PREVENTION

Avoiding any exposure to allergens

MEDICAL MANAGEMENT

 Antihistamine eg citrizen to reduce itching

NURSING MANAGEMENT

 Prevent drying of skin which can aggravate itching through vasolidation by encouraging
the patient to bath with Lukewarm water

DERMATITIS

Inflammation of the skin that produces a red and itchy rash caused by an allergic reaction

Contact dermatitis
Inflammation that is caused by contact with an irritant or an allergen.

CAUSES

 Irritants - these are substances like detergents, shampoo

 Allergens - these substances often affect only the area that came in contact with the
allergen like perfume, antibiotic creams

CLINICAL MANIFESTATION

 Red rash
 Itching
 Scaly skin

MEDICAL MANAGEMENT

 Corticosteroids to soothe the rash

 Antihistamine to relieve the itching

NURSING MANAGEMENT

 Promote health skin by encouraging the patient to adopt skin care routine to decrease
skin irritation.
 Prevent dryness of skin by encouraging the patient to avoid bathing with hot water
which can cause vasodilation thus aggravating itching.