Skin conditions can affect people of all ages. They range from dry skin to skin rashes to inflammatory skin conditions (like eczema and rosacea) to skin cancer and more. Remember, your skin is a large organ (covering 16 to 20 square feet in surface area), and its main job is to protect your body and organs from the surrounding environment.
Read on to learn more about signs and symptoms, causes, and treatment options for several common skin issues.
There are many different types of skin conditions. The following list is not an exhaustive one, as there are thousands of skin conditions.It’s also worth noting that skin conditions don't fall into discrete categories, and some of the conditions below fit into multiple groups.
The following categories are a good start in understanding the conditions that can affect your skin.
Inflammatory Skin Disorders
Inflammation in the skin can lead to symptoms like dry, rough, itchy areas, breakouts, flushing, raised plaques, and more. Skin disorders in this category include:
Acne Clogged pores (tiny openings in the skin that release sweat and oil) can lead to acne lesions like pimples and pustules.
Dry Skin Dry skin can be the result of inflammatory skin disorders like eczema or psoriasis, as well as environmental factors like cold or dry weather.
Eczema This is also called atopic dermatitis; patches of skin become red, itchy, and scaly.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa Painful lumps can form under skin with hidradenitis suppurativa. They’re often in the armpits or in the thighs and groin — and cause abscesses that can lead to scarring.
Hives A common type of skin rash, hives is triggered by food, medications, insect stings and bites, and more.
Lichen Planus This is an inflammatory skin disorder that causes itchy, violet-colored bumps and plaques dotting wrists, lower back, and ankles.
Psoriasis Red, scaly plaques develop on the scalp, body, or face in psoriasis, an autoinflammatory condition.
Rosacea Red, thick, pimple-covered facial areas are hallmarks of this disease.
Skin Rash There are many types and causes of skin rashes, including hives, contact dermatitis, eczema, as a symptom of viral conditions, among others.
Skin Infections
Skin infections are caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. Some examples of skin infections include:
Overexposure to UV light (sunlight) can cause photodamage and sunburn, which can speed up premature skin aging, and lead to skin cancer.
Scarring can occur after skin heals from an injury, such as a cut or burn. Scars can also occur as a result of inflammatory acne lesions. Sometimes, skin heals with excess tissue, forming a keloid scar.
Autoimmune Skin Diseases
An autoimmune condition occurs when the immune system malfunctions and attacks healthy body tissues. The skin can be one of those tissues. Such conditions include (among many others):
Dermatitis herpetiformis (which is a complication of celiac disease)
There are both cancerous and noncancerous (benign) types of skin growths.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. About 1 in 5 people will have skin cancer at some point in their life. There are various types of skin cancer, including:
Melanoma is a potentially deadly form of skin cancer.
Nonmelanoma skin cancer is the most common type of skin cancer and includes basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
Noncancerous skin growths include those like seborrheic keratosis, skin tags, lipomas, and epidermal cysts. They are benign, though some people may decide to have them removed if they are bothersome or for cosmetic reasons.
To the untrained eye, skin conditions can look similar to one another, which is why it’s so important to see a dermatologist, a doctor who specializes in skin, for a proper diagnosis.
Here are some pictures of these common skin conditions.
Acne
Can appear as white bumps (whiteheads), black bumps (blackheads), or small or large bumps that may contain pus.
Eczema
Red, dry patches, which may ooze or bleed, are hallmark signs of eczema.
Psoriasis
Appears as thick, red skin with silvery-white scales on elbows, knees, scalp, trunk, palms, and soles of feet. Skin may itch or bleed. Nails may also be involved, appearing thick, pitted, or ridged.
Rosacea
Facial redness, acne-like bumps, visible blood vessels, and irritated eyes can show up as symptoms of rosacea.
Dermatitis
Occurring anywhere on the body and varying depending on skin color, dermatitis appears as dry, cracked, scaly skin, a swollen rash, blisters that ooze, small red bumps, or dandruff.
Skin Rash
Rashes take on many forms and shapes and can be a combination of dryness, blistering, blotchy areas, flakiness or scaling, welts, swelling, and redness.The above photo shows a poison ivy rash.
Shingles
A rash with small fluid-filled blisters or vesicles that forms a single stripe around one side of the body or face is a hallmark sign of shingles.
Vitiligo
Milky-white patches appear most often on the hands, feet, arms, and face. Hair may lose pigment and turn white in the same areas.
Alopecia Areata
Round or oval patches of hair loss occur on the scalp, beard area, eyebrows, or eyelashes in alopecia areata.
Cellulitis
Look for skin redness, a sore or rash, or a patch of skin that looks stretched and glossy.
Keratosis
Keratosis comes in many forms, including seborrheic keratosis (shown here), which appears as a wart-like growth on the skin that’s white, tan, brown, or black.There is also actinic keratosis, which appears as rough, scaly patches or bumps on the skin and can turn into squamous cell skin cancer (it's considered a “precancer”).
Hives
Hives look like raised red or skin-colored bumps and are itchy. When pressed in the center, hives turn white.
Skin Infections
Symptoms of skin infections vary, but they generally appear with rashes, swelling, and redness.The image here shows an athlete’s foot infection.
Dry Skin
Dry skin looks rough, has flaking or scaling, dullness, and bleeding when severe.
Skin Cancer
Melanoma
Changes in the size, shape, or color of a mole or lesion, a new growth on skin, a sore that doesn’t heal, or a spot that itches or bleeds may indicate a melanoma.
Basal Cell Carcinoma
A shiny, skin-colored translucent bump, a lesion with dark spots, or a flat, scaly patch can all indicate basal cell carcinoma.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
There are many symptoms of this type of skin cancer, including a rough, reddish, and scaly area, open sore, and wart-like growth.
Skin symptoms often involve redness, itchiness, or rashes. Both skin conditions that are benign and more serious can mimic one another and share similar features, which is why having one of these symptoms is not indicative of a specific condition.
Signs and symptoms include:
Acne-like bumps
Burning
Lumps
Discolorations
Inflammation
Itching
Redness
Rashes
While many of these symptoms can be addressed at home, new or changing growths on the skin require a call to your dermatologist, says Tyler Hollmig, MD, the director of laser and cosmetic dermatology at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School.
The same goes for skin problems that are painful (like a painful lump) or that impact your quality of life (for instance getting in the way of movement or sleep): Call your dermatologist. And if you have symptoms like fever or joint pain that occur along with a skin problem, like a rash, see a healthcare professional.
Many factors can cause skin conditions. Below are some of the larger categories of issues that contribute to problems with the skin. What’s more, many of these causes and risk factors overlap.
Many causes of common skin conditions fall into the following categories:
Allergies You can have an allergic reaction to medications, foods, plants, and more that causes a reaction on your skin like skin rashes, itch, or hives.
Irritants Things that are irritating to the skin, including soap, detergent, cosmetics, or cleaners, can cause an eczema-like reaction on the skin.
Genetics Many skin conditions, including acne, are more likely to run in families — and your genes play a role in that.
Diseases Underlying chronic diseases show up on your skin and can have symptoms that affect the skin — sometimes even as an initial symptom. One example is diabetes, which can appear as darkened spots on your legs, velvety patches of skin, sores, and more.
Immune System Dysfunction If the immune system becomes overactive, you may develop an autoimmune condition, some of which affect the skin.
Each skin condition has its own causes and risk factors. Here are three examples:
Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States. It is linked to age (teens, young adults, adult women), hormonal changes (puberty and pregnancy), genetics, and certain medications.
Eczema is a chronic, itchy skin disease caused by a combination of genes and triggers in the environment, like cigarette smoke, the weather, clothing, and personal care products.Risk factors include a personal or family history of eczema, as well as having allergies or asthma.
Rosacea Marked by blushing and flushing of the skin, rosacea can affect anyone, especially young to middle-aged adults, those with fair skin or hair, individuals with a family history, and women during menopause.
Many skin conditions (particularly the more common ones), such as a rash, can be diagnosed by your primary care provider. But dermatologists — doctors who specialize in diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions — are the experts for any skin concerns.
Providers diagnose a skin condition using several tools, such as:
History-taking Your family history and a description of your symptoms will provide important information about what may be going on.
Physical Exam Dermatologists look at and touch areas of concern. They may use tools like a dermatoscope to help them see the shape and color or other revealing details about the skin problems.
Skin Biopsy If problems like infections or cancer are suspected (or need to be ruled out), providers can remove a sample of your skin, and send it to a lab to be tested.
Skin Infection Testing After a provider removes material from the skin, it can be tested in a lab with culture or black-light tests to identify an infection.
Allergy Testing Tests like patch or prick tests can be used to identify allergens that are causing skin reactions.
Some skin conditions can be treated at home, while others require the guidance of a dermatologist. There are so many tools and options for treating skin conditions.
OTC Skin Care Products
These are skin-care products that you can purchase at a drugstore, department store, specialty store (like Ulta or Sephora), or online. Some examples may include petroleum jelly, hydrocortisone cream, topical moisturizers, or salicylic acid acne washes.
This category is large, so it may be helpful to consult with a provider like a dermatologist for their recommendations that are targeted to your skin type and concern.
Medication Options
In certain situations, a dermatologist might prescribe medication, which can be both topical or oral. For example, a topical retinoid or oral prescription drug may be prescribed to treat acne.
For certain skin conditions, such as psoriasis, medications (like risankizumab [Skyrizi] or apremilast [Otezla]) that target the immune system may be prescribed to calm down the chronic inflammation that’s underlying the disease.
Nonsurgical Skin Procedures
Lasers, ultrasound devices, radiofrequency devices, phototherapy, peels, and other treatments can also be used for some conditions ranging from acne to psoriasis. Depending on your skin concern and treatment goals your doctor may or may not recommend these procedures.
These are available in-office and often require a series of treatments for maximum results.
Surgery
Surgery may be recommended for certain skin conditions. One common surgery is surgical removal of skin cancers, in which the cancerous tissue, along with healthy tissue surrounding it, is removed by methods like shaving or scraping.
Complementary and Integrative Therapies
Complementary treatments can help people manage their skin conditions. Such therapies can include vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and herbal supplements, as well as procedures like light therapy, topical solutions (such as tea tree oil and coconut oil), and more.
Although some of these complementary treatments may be beneficial, many of them need more evidence to demonstrate that they help. Some may also cause side effects like burning and stinging and may lack safety data. For that reason, it’s important to talk to your provider about complementary treatments you may be interested in.
You can’t prevent all skin conditions, but there are healthy skin practices that are recommended.
Practice safe sun habits. Wear sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) on exposed skin daily, and reapply as needed. In addition, do not use tanning beds, which increase the risk of skin cancer. Get an annual skin check at a dermatologist’s office so any skin cancer can be detected in its early — and more treatable — stages.
Develop a skin-care routine that works for you. Know your skin type (sensitive, normal, dry, combination, or oily) so you can choose products that are best for your skin.
Be gentle on skin. Wash your skin with a mild cleanser and water that is not hot, and moisturize regularly.
Follow healthy lifestyle habits. Things that are generally good for your health, also tend to be good for your skin. Things stress management, adequate sleep, and a healthy, balanced diet can all help skin, too (more on this below).
See a dermatologist regularly. A dermatologist can provide guidance on what skin-care options are right for you, both over-the-counter and prescription products. Should you have a skin concern, such as a rash, wart, or suspicious mole, you can also make an appointment to see them for potential diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Hollmig also recommends that everyone have a full-body skin exam annually to check for skin cancer.
If you have a skin condition, the most effective thing you can do is follow the treatment recommended by your provider. In addition, the lifestyle changes below will support good skin health.
Make Changes to Your Diet and Nutrition Intake
For certain skin conditions this is critical. Take celiac disease, for instance. For some with celiac, gluten causes a burning, itchy, blistering rash called dermatitis herpetiformis. Treatment of this condition includes a strict gluten-free diet.
In other instances, a balanced, varied diet is important, but this is more of a supportive role in skin health rather than a treatment. The Mediterranean diet, for example, is a plant-based diet that may reduce inflammation in the body, which may benefit inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis.
And in other cases, avoiding certain triggering foods can keep symptoms at bay. If you have acne, reducing refined grains and added sugars in your diet may clear your skin.
A dermatologist can provide insight and direction as to whether or not dietary changes have been shown to make a difference for your condition.
Get Regular Exercise
Exercise does a couple of really great things for the long-term health of your skin: It reduces stress and is associated with better sleep. Those two factors may play a role in helping you manage certain skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Set and Stick to a Sleep Schedule
Poor sleep is not only linked to the severity of skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis, but these conditions can also cause discomfort and itching that impair your ability to sleep. That’s why your sleep habits are an important part of the conversation when it comes to treating and managing skin conditions.
Following good sleep hygiene practices, like following a sleep schedule and sleeping in a cool, dark room is helpful, but if skin symptoms are also keeping you up at night, talk to your doctor.
The answer to this is variable. Some skin conditions, such as autoimmune skin conditions or those that are chronic, can be lifelong; though with proper treatment, they can be managed well.
Some conditions are very serious and can be life-threatening, such as melanoma skin cancer, or may come with a risk of scarring like hidradenitis suppurativa.
Others are benign and go away on their own, like chafing, or stick around on your skin without causing problems (like a skin tag).
Still, because some skin conditions can be very serious, it’s important to get guidance from a dermatologist to identify possibly serious conditions and talk about the best approach for treatment, says Hollmig.
“The skin really is a window into our internal health, so there are many systemic diseases, including cancer, that are first visualized on the skin. A dermatologist can identify something on the skin that can potentially lead to an important and lifesaving diagnosis,” he says.
If you are concerned, call your dermatologist. “Dermatology staff are trained to listen for certain buzzwords, such as if you have a new black mole growing on your arm, and they will get you in quickly if there is an immediate concern,” says Hollmig.
A range of complications can crop up with regards to having and treating skin conditions. What you may be at risk for depends on your specific condition, and you can learn more through a conversation with your dermatologist.
Some of the more common complications linked to skin conditions include:
Allergies, including food allergies and hay fever are complications of atopic dermatitis (eczema). A compromised skin barrier allows allergens into the skin, which promotes an immune system reaction that may lead to the development of allergies.
Cancer because sun exposure (and resulting sunburn) is considered one of the most significant risk factors
Chronic health problems, such as an increased risk of heart disease may occur due to the inflammation associated with skin diseases like psoriasis.
Depression and anxiety are associated with conditions like acne due to the visible appearance of acne lesions or the scars they may leave behind.
Infections can be more likely when the skin barrier is compromised, making it more vulnerable to bacteria and fungi.
Pain can be a problem in many diseases like atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, shingles, herpes, and ulcers.
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation (discoloration)
Scarring can occur due to skin conditions like acne as well as as a result of treatment of diseases like skin cancer removal surgery.
Skin redness is a common symptom of conditions like rashes, acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and others.
Sleep problems may be caused by skin conditions that cause itching like eczema.
If you have a skin condition of any kind, trust that you’re in good company. Here are some statistics from the American Academy of Dermatology on some of these common skin conditions:
Acne affects 50 million Americans each year.
One in 10 people will develop atopic dermatitis (a type of eczema) in their lifetime.
Nearly 8 million people in the United States have psoriasis.
Sixteen million people in the United States have rosacea.
Traditionally there have been gaps in dermatological treatment of skin of color, according to research. Several reasons contribute to this, including a lack of diversity and training and education in skin of color among healthcare professionals, as well as socioeconomic factors.
In addition, research also suggests that there may be gaps in care, as patients with skin of color may be less likely to receive dermatological care or be prescribed certain medications to treat and manage their skin conditions.
Skin conditions encompass thousands of problems and diseases that can affect the skin. Many of these are not harmful, some are distressing, and others are dangerous and potentially life-threatening. Establishing a relationship with a dermatologist (skin doctor) can help you keep your skin healthy and get you the appropriate treatment when there’s a problem.
