| Ichthyosis: Facts and Treatments
|
Untitled Document
|
Ichthyosis: Facts and Treatments
What the term Means?
Ichthyosis is a skin disorder, which usually starts in infancy or childhood. This relates to continuous and severe dry skin problems. It is generally hereditary condition but may develop in later life too. Children may inherit this disease from their parents as other genetic conditions.
Ichthyosis is a condition, which hampers with smooth and normal skin renewal process. In ordinary and normal condition, new skin cells come to the skin surface and replace the old cells. In turn old cells shed off the surface. But in case of Ichthyosis, this is not a smooth process. The balance of new and shed off cells gets disturbed. What happens is either excessive new skin cells are produced or old cells do not shed off from skin surface at the time of separation. It results in accumulation of skin cells in the form of dry thick flakes, which keep adhered to skin and give appearance of fish scales.
Impact of Ichthyosis
Despite all other concerns, people find it cosmetically unsightly. It is not a contagious skin disorder. But it has more serious concerns like it hampers with skin’s ability to protect against diseases, regulate body temperatures and prevent dehydration. The mildest and the most common form of this disorder is Ichthyosis Vulgaris.
Symptoms of Ichthyosis
Though basic symptom is presence of dry skin cell flakes but there is difference in pattern of flaking due to kind of gene abnormality. In Ichthyosis, skin is dry over the surface but not on the skin inside of the joints, face or groin area.
You can notice symptoms of hereditary Ichthyosis at the time of birth or in early childhood.
General symptoms of Ichthyosis can be following:
1 Patients usually have extreme dryness over the whole skin surface or only at limited area. Skin is thick and flaky.
2 Skin is mildly itching all the time.
3 There is unpleasant body odor because bacteria and fungus get accumulated between and under the surface of the flakes.
4 There is collection of wax in ears reducing hearing ability.
5 Winter conditions make worse for Ichthyosis as climate is dry.
6 Patients with Ichthyosis are prone to allergies like eczema, asthma or nasal problems.
Can Ichthyosis be prevented?
Mostly Ichthyosis is genetic condition; it can last lifelong. If it has erupted in adulthood along with disease, it clears up with treatment of disease. These symptoms can be controlled. Ichthyosis cannot be prevented because of its genetic deficiency.
Treating Ichthyosis
Doctor recognizes it by examining the skin and considering the symptoms. Doctor may take help of skin biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. Genetic testing is another way to confirm the diagnosis.
Ichthyosis can be managed well with good skin care and regular effective treatment. After childhood, some forms of Ichthyosis get improved. Skin becomes red or develops fever, which is possible because skin in this condition is not effective in resisting infections.
Ichthyosis cannot be cured but it can be managed. The main course of treatment is towards keeping the skin moisturized and helps easy removal of dead skin cells, which form scales over the skin. For this purpose, exfoliation of skin is very important. These methods help to keep away dryness, cracking a, scaling and build of skin. It is advisable to apply moisturizing creams, lotions and ointments to keep the dryness in control. Patients should apply moisturizer the skin just after bathing and should exfoliate their skin on daily basis.
Sometimes when condition is too severe, doctors prescribe oral medicines like acitretin or isotretinoin to reduce scaling. Although there is no danger to life because of this condition but patients have to take proper care of their skin unavoidably.
Some skin care tips for Ichthyosis :
1 To lock the maximum moisture on the skin, apply moisturizing lotion or cream just after bathing; it is recommended to apply it with in three minutes of bathing.
Exfoliate dead skin by gentle scrubbing by pumice stone. It should be done on wet skin to remove thick crusty skin.
2 Brush through the wet hair to remove the flakes from the scalp.
3 There are effective lanolin creams available, containing urea, alpha hydroxy acids and lactic acid to exfoliate and moisturize the skin.
|
|
