Xerosis is the medical name for dry skin, and it is a very common skin condition that can occur at any age, however it tends to worsen as we grow older.  By the time we are 40, many people need to use a good moisturizer every day to combat xerosis of skin.  Extremely dry skin that does not improve with moisturizer may develop into a rash called dermatitis that can require prescription topical medication to treat.  Our very dry climate in Colorado significantly increases the chance for frequent and severely dry skin which can make it much harder to stay moisturized.  Very dry skin often becomes very itchy and can be a source of significant discomfort, and frequent scratching will only worsen Xerosis and should be avoided.

Xerosis & Dry Skin Treatment in Colorado Springs

There are a few steps that you can take to treat dry skin or Xerosis. Moisturizing is often the first step that we recommend to patients for dry skin treatment. Moisturizers come as creams or lotions for the face and as ointments, creams, lotions, or oils for the body.  Sometimes a topical steroid or an alternative topical prescription medication may be required in addition to a good moisturizer fro Xerosis treatment.  These medications would be prescribed by your dermatologist to help relieve itch, redness, and any swelling or thickening of dry skin.  Frequent hand washing or the use of antibiotic soaps may dry out the skin even more, so it is recommended to only use gentle moisturizing soaps.

It is also recommended to not use hot water for bathing as this will remove your skin’s natural oils more quickly.  Use warm or lukewarm water instead and limit time in the bathtub or shower to about 5 minutes or less.  Using a moisturizer immediately after bathing is recommended, and an ointment will be more effective when the skin is still damp.  A lotion or cream should be used later in the day if the skin is very dry.  A humidifier at home can help to provide more moisture, which can lessen the effects of dry skin, and applying cool cloths may soothe itchy dry skin that is agitated.

We encourage you to refer to our handout with instructions for taking care of dry skin which contains many helpful tips for taking care of your skin in our dry climate.  You can find other helpful information handouts on our patient resources page.

If you are suffering from Xerosis of skin and looking for professional dry skin treatment options in Colorado Springs or Monument, CO, contact us today. Our staff of Board-Certified Dermatologists can help create a Xerosis treatment plan that is specific to your unique needs.

The post Xerosis of Skin(Dry Skin) appeared first on Summit Dermatology.

Warts are benign growths on the skin that appear due to infection with a common virus called the human papillomavirus (HPV).  This virus is contagious, and it more easily enters through cracked or broken skin.  Warts are usually rough, skin-colored bumps with little black dots, but the appearance can vary based on several different types of wart:

1. Common warts: most often on the fingers of children and teenagers
2. Plantar warts: usually on the bottom of the feet and can be painful to walk on
3. Flat warts: typically in clusters with numerous little flat bumps on the skin
4. Filiform warts: a narrow projection from the skin like a small finger

Warts can go away on their own, but this can take several years.  Treatment at home might include non-prescription medications like salicylic acid or prescription medication like 5-fluorouracil, often covered with tape.  Frequently, in-office treatments are required to remove stubborn warts, which can include:

1. Cryotherapy: usually liquid nitrogen spray
2. Cantharidin: from the blister beetle
3. Chemical peels
4. Electrosurgery and curettage
5. Excision
6. Immunotherapy

Warts are one of the most common conditions seen in our clinic, and we are very happy to offer various treatment options to help clear this condition.

The post Warts appeared first on Summit Dermatology.

Athlete’s foot, also called tinea pedis, is caused by a dermatophyte fungus that infects the top layer of skin on the soles of the feet and between the toes.  It is a form of ringworm that is specifically located on the feet. Infection of the toenails with dermatophyte fungus, called onychomycosis, is often present along with tinea pedis.  Athlete’s foot often results in flaky skin, cracking, and itchiness on the bottom of the feet and between the toes.

This skin disease is contagious and can be spread easily from skin-to-skin contact or from contact with a surface such as a gym, indoor pool deck, or shower floor, since the fungus can survive for a long time off the body.  Treatment is important to limit spread of the disease and to prevent infection of others, but it is very common for this disease to recur on the feet or in between the toes in the future even after successful treatment.

The following is a list of suggestions for how to prevent Athlete’s foot:

1. Wear flip flops or sandals when walking around the gym locker room, in a public shower, in an indoor pool area, or in a hotel room.
2. Keep your feet dry.  It can be helpful to wear sandals or flip-flops when it is hot outside and your feet might get sweaty in shoes and socks.
3. Wash your feet every day with soap and dry them completely.
4. Wear socks made of fabric that quickly wicks moisture away from the skin.  Change your socks every day or more often if they become wet.
5. Alternate the shoes you wear each day if possible.  Make sure your shoes are dry before you put them on.
6. Using a medicated foot powder like Zeasorb-AF on your feet before putting socks and shoes on can help a lot.
7. Using a disinfectant spray in your shoes periodically can help.
8. Do not share towels, linens, or shoes with someone else.
9. Wash and change your towels often.
10. Clean your shower floor with a bleach-based cleaner frequently.

The post Tinea Pedis – Athlete’s Foot appeared first on Summit Dermatology.

Skin tags are common benign growths on the skin that appear as if they are dangling or hanging off the skin.  They develop in both men and women, and more can appear over time. They are typically skin colored but can be darker, and they can range in size from very small (1 mm) to relatively large (5 cm).  Skin tags are most often found in skin fold areas and areas of high friction (armpits, neck, groin). Other skin lesions that may resemble a skin tag or have a tag-like shape form can include seborrheic keratoses, molluscum contagiosum, or moles.

Skin tags tend to be more numerous on obese people and in people with type 2 diabetes.  It is thought that when people become more resistant to the insulin in their body and they start producing higher levels of insulin, it acts as a growth factor that induces the formation of skin tags.  In this setting, numerous skin tags may be found in association with another skin condition called acanthosis nigricans, which causes thickening and darkening of the skin in the armpits, around the neck, and in the groin. If you believe you are suffering from acanthosis nigricans, contact Summit Dermatology to discuss acanthosis nigricans treatment options. 

There are several ways to approach skin tag removal.  If they are small and numerous, the easiest and most effective way to remove them would be for your dermatologist to freeze them with liquid nitrogen.  If there are fewer and if they are slightly larger, snipping them off with scissors is the best treatment option. If a skin tag is very large and has a stalk with a blood vessel inside, electrocautery may be necessary.  

If you are interested in skin tag removal options, or treatment for acanthosis nigricans, contact the Board Certified Dermatologists at Summit Dermatology to schedule a consultation at our Colorado Springs or Monument office.

The post Skin Tag Removal appeared first on Summit Dermatology.

Skin cancer is very common and can occur in people of all ages.  There are different kinds of skin cancer.  Some types are more common than others, and some have the potential to be more dangerous than others.  Sun exposure is a common risk factor for most types of skin cancer, but even areas of the body that do not get sun exposure can develop cancer.  It can appear under a nail, on the genitals, inside your mouth, in the back of your eye, or on your lip.

Skin cancer is one of the easiest types of cancer to find in most cases since it can be seen when it appears.  Checking your skin to help find a cancerous growth early is important because it is often highly treatable if found early.  It is important to look closely at all of your skin and to have a friend or partner check your back and scalp, and the most important thing to notice is any change or new growths on the skin.  Characteristics of a skin cancer may include:

• A new or changing mole, especially if it looks different than your others
• A pink, shiny, dome-shaped growth
• A red, scaly patch
• A sore that is painful, itchy, burning, growing, or just not healing
• A brown or black streak in a nail

If you are concerned about a new, changing, or non-healing spot on your skin, it is recommended that you see your dermatologist right away.  In most cases, skin cancer is easier to treat when caught early, and it is often harder to treat or more concerning if allowed to grow for too long.  A dermatologist may be concerned about skin cancer right away by looking, but proper diagnosis always requires a skin biopsy.  All or part of the skin growth may be removed by your dermatologist for examination under the microscope by a highly trained pathologist, and often a second treatment is required after the biopsy depending on the information it provides.  Depending on the type of cancer, treatment may be very simple and localized to the area of growth on the skin, or it may be more involved and aggressive.  Some treatments are surgical, some include a topical medication, and some involve chemotherapy if an aggressive skin cancer has spread.  The following are common forms of skin cancer, each with different standards for treatment:

• Basal cell carcinoma
• Squamous cell carcinoma
• Melanoma

We are highly trained to provide you with the appropriate diagnosis and treatment for skin cancer.  Although much of the sun exposure risk for a new skin cancer has likely occurred earlier in life, we highly recommend regular and appropriate use of sunscreen, sun protective clothing, and avoidance of direct midday sun as much as possible.

The post Skin Cancer appeared first on Summit Dermatology.

A seborrheic keratosis is a common non-cancerous growth on the skin that usually first appears in middle age, but as early as 25 or 30 years old.  They are often called “barnacles of aging” or “age spots,” but we prefer to call them  “wisdom spots.” People can have just one or can have very many of these growths.  They can range from flat and tan to slightly raised and skin colored, to very thick, dry, and warty.  They can also be very dark brown and with a waxy smooth surface.  These harmless but often unwanted skin growths are very common on the scalp, temples, back, neck, arms, and back of the hands.  They never occur on the palms or soles.

Seborrheic keratoses seem to run in families, especially with the tendency to have many.  Sun exposure may play a role in causing seborrheic keratoses, but this has not been well established

Treatment may include:

• Cryosurgery with liquid nitrogen
• Electrosurgery and curettage
• Shave biopsy/removal, especially if there is concern for adjacent skin cancer

The post Seborrheic Keratosis appeared first on Summit Dermatology.

Seborrheic dermatitis is a very common skin disease that causes redness as well as white or yellow greasy or dry scale.  This condition is long-lasting in adults once it begins, which often is between 30 and 60 years of age.  It also appears in infants as cradle cap, but this usually goes away on its own within a few months.  Sometimes babies can get seborrheic dermatitis in the diaper area or on other areas of the body, but this also clears by 6 months to 1 year of age.

In adults, seborrheic dermatitis tends to appear where the skin is most oily:

• Scalp
• Ears (in and around)
• Eyebrows and eyelids
• Sides of the nose
• Around the mouth
• Central and upper chest
• Upper back

Although seborrheic dermatitis is very common, there are several medical conditions that can increase the risk and severity of this skin condition.

Seborrheic dermatitis is often easily diagnosed by your dermatologist without the need for further testing, although there are several less common skin conditions that can mimic its appearance.

Since part of what causes seborrheic dermatitis is the skin reacting to yeast that lives on all of us, treatments that target this yeast are an important part of treatment for this condition.  In adults, these often include dandruff shampoos and prescription antifungal cream medications.  Sometimes these are combined with anti-inflammatory medications such as a mild topical corticosteroid.  Vaseline ointment can actually worsen this condition and is not recommended.

For cradle cap in infants, it is often recommended to just use baby shampoo to gently soften the flaky scale on the scalp and use a comb or brush to remove the softened scale.  The condition will resolve by 6-12 months of age.

The post Seborrheic Dermatitis appeared first on Summit Dermatology.

Scabies is an itchy rash that develops with infestation of the skin by a microscopic mite called the human itch mite.  This eight-legged mite burrows in the very top layer of the skin, feeds there, and lays eggs giving rise to increasing numbers of mites if left untreated.  The mite can be transferred to other people and is spread by direct skin-to-skin contact. Rarely, mites can be picked up from infested bedding, clothing, or furniture, but the mites only survive up to 3-4 days off of a human.  Anyone can get scabies. If it is the first time for someone to get this infestation, it may take 2-6 weeks for the itchy rash to develop. If someone has had it before, itching may develop within 1-4 days of a new infestation.

Sign and symptoms of scabies infestation include:

• Rash: little red bumps, and sometimes little burrow lines in finger webspaces
• Itching: This is the most common symptom and is usually worst at night.
• Sores: Intense scratching can lead to sores from breaking open the skin.
• Thick dry crusts: A severe type called crusted scabies or Norwegian scabies can cause thick, dry, crusty buildup on the skin.  This most often affects elderly in nursing homes or people who are immunosuppressed. This is a highly contagious form of the disease.

Scabies can cause a rash in the scalp of infants and young children, but in adults the mites rarely cause rash above the neck.  Hands, arms, groin and genitalia, and the lower back and lower abdomen are very common places for the rash to appear.

A dermatologist will likely suspect the diagnosis of scabies upon visual inspection and gathering of information through questions, but a skin scraping of some of the lesions of the rash will help to make the definitive diagnosis using a microscope in the office.  Your dermatologist will treat scabies with either a prescription cream, lotion, or pill medication. The person diagnosed along with everyone who has had close contact with that patient will all require treatment, even people without any signs or symptoms. Scabies can be transmitted back and forth in a household if everyone is not appropriately treated at the same time.  Your dermatologist will give you specific instructions for how to take the medication and when everyone should be treated. Along with treatment for clearing the infestation, other medications may be used to calm the symptoms, which include antihistamines, pramoxine or menthol lotion, or a corticosteroid cream. Lastly, it is important to wash all bedding, towels, and clothing with very hot water and to vacuum your entire home on the day of treatment.  All of this should be repeated with treatment is repeated according to your dermatologist’s instructions.

The post Scabies appeared first on Summit Dermatology.

Ringworm is the common name given to a skin disease called tinea, which is caused by a dermatophyte fungus that lives on the top layer of skin.  The word describes the typical appearance of the rash, which is usually a ring-shaped red rash that is raised along the outside edge and is scaly.  This disease has different names for different parts of the body that can be affected, including:

This skin disease is contageous and can be spread easily from skin-to-skin contact, such as head-to-head contact between children, but for adults it is more often spread from shower floors,  gym locker rooms, or by petting a dog, cat, or farm animal with ringworm. Your risk for getting ringworm increases if you live in a hot, humid environment, sweat heavily, engage in a contact sport like football or wrestling, live in close quarters such as military or dorm housing, share towels, clothing, or razors, and are obese or have diabetes.

A dermatologist often recognizes ringworm just by looking, but a diagnostic test such as a skin biopsy, a gentle scraping of scale, or a clipping of a nail is often necessary to clarify the diagnosis before starting treatment.  Treatment is important because tinea can become much larger and spread to other body areas if left untreated. Treatment will also help prevent spreading to others. Treatment for this condition may include an antifungal cream, ointment, or pill medication depending on the type, extent, and location of the dermatophyte infection on the body.  Many of these medications are safe for children. There are also medicated powders that can help prevent a new appearance of ringworm in an area that is more often sweaty and prone to repeat infection (groin, feet).

The post Ringworm – Tinea appeared first on Summit Dermatology.

Living in our beautiful state of Colorado has many advantages, but there are also drawbacks in terms of the common skin rashes that occur due to our climate. Living at our altitude in a sunny climate, we have a high degree of sun exposure. This can make some rashes worse. However, for many skin conditions, sunlight actually helps.  This is the case with psoriasis, which is somewhat less common in our climate than in other parts of the country. Because of this, sometimes the onset or appearance of psoriasis may be less obvious here in Colorado. We are happy to help diagnose your condition and provide the appropriate skin rash treatment. 

Other skin conditions that appear as new rashes are often worse and more frequent in Colorado due to our dry climate.  There are many factors that can dry our skin. Early on this can result in xerosis, which is dry itchy skin. This can worsen and become eczema or dermatitis. 

Dry skin does not maintain the natural barrier that is present on well moisturized/hydrated skin. This breakdown of the barrier allows particles from the environment into deeper layers of skin.  This can cause irritation and inflammation. There are various forms of dermatitis that appear primarily as a result of dry skin, one of which is called nummular dermatitis.  This causes coin-shaped areas of rash, often on the legs, which can be confused by many people for psoriasis or ring worm. Certain types of dermatitis can specifically affect the hands or the feet, and some of these are worse in our dry climate.  People who have atopic dermatitis also tend to have more difficulty controlling the appearance of rashes on the skin in our dry climate. As we get older, our skin doesn’t maintain a moisture barrier as well as it used to, so these dry skin rashes may become more frequent.

Ringworm doesn’t come from a worm, but is a type of fungal infection that makes a scaly red circle on the skin. Sometimes this can be confused with nummular eczema. We can help identify which you have, and treat your skin rash appropriately

As we age, we also start to experience changes in our skin texture, changes with our pores and follicles, and changes in how our immune system interacts with our skin.  A very common skin rash that appears as small acne-like bumps on the chest or the back is called folliculitis. There are many different causes for folliculitis, and one of our Colorado Springs or Monument dermatologist can help determine the best folliculitis treatment for you.  Another very common rash that tends to come on in the middle of life for many people is seborrheic dermatitis. This usually presents with redness and dry flakiness of the face, especially in the eyebrows, along the sides of the nose, or around the ears.

Skin Rash Treatment in Colorado Springs & Monument, CO

This is a very small list of some of the most common skin rashes that appear in the population of Colorado Springs & Monument, CO.  There are a vast number of conditions that can affect the skin and appear as a rash.  Many times this is something specifically affecting the skin, but other times what is seen on the skin might be a sign of something going on inside the body.  Sometimes this might be something dangerous or life threatening.

At Summit Dermatology, we are proud to put our training and expertise to work in helping to correctly diagnose and treat any common skin rashes that may appear on your skin. Contact us today at our Colorado Springs or Monument location to schedule a skin rash treatment consultation. 

The post Common Skin Rashes appeared first on Summit Dermatology.