Your skin is very delicate which means that you need to take extra caution when caring for it. As the skin covers almost your entire body and provides a protective layer for your internal organs, your skin is constantly exposed to the external environment. The most common problems that people face when it comes to skin disorders would be eczema and acne while there could be more serious conditions like skin cancer.
Skin Disease Prevalence
Almost everyone would face a type of skin order at one point or another. This is more prevalent among Asians due to the air which is more polluted as well as the regular diet which involves a lot of oil and salt which are known to cause acne. There are several types of fungal skin infections like ringworm, athlete’s foot and viral skin infections like shingles which can occur throughout the various stages of life. Meanwhile, teenagers and young adults will experience acne through the hormonal changes when they reach adolescence. In fact, it has been recorded that 20% of acne would occur in adults and could go on for many years.
Prevention is better than cure
Skin diseases usually happen due to poor hygiene and some sort of infection. This means that you will be at risk of contracting skin disease if you come in contact with someone who does. As such, you must ensure that you have a regular practice of washing your hand as frequently as possible in order to prevent any risk of skin infections. Ensure that you are aware of the correct method of washing your hands and body. Use skin care products that have Vitamin D which can help to facilitate healthy skin cells.
Diagnosis
Your doctor will usually carry out certain types of tests to ascertain the extent of your problem. This is to determine if it is some kind of allergy, bacterial or fungal skin infections or even more serious conditions. To do this, skin tests will be carried out to check if they are benign or malignant growths to seek further treatment. Besides that, a patch test might be carried out to check skin allergies where certain allergens are applied to the skin to find out how your skin reacts to them. If a benign skin disorder is found, then skin biopsies will be performed in which the skin is removed and sent to the lab for emanation while a culture might be carried out to identify the cause of an infection which could be a virus, bacteria or fungus.
Symptoms of Skin Diseases
The most obvious symptoms of a skin disorder can be easily seen as it can usually be seen with the naked eyes or felt. If you notice an abnormal patch or redness on the skin, you should seek medical treatment immediately. However, if you notice any irregularities, then they could be a sign of a skin disorder. This includes any bumps that are red or white in colour or a rash that could be itchy. If you have a rash which is not itchy, you should have it checked as well. Other irregularities include peeling skin, ulcers and scaly skin.
Medication
Skin conditions are usually treated using certain types of cream and drugs that are taken orally. This includes antibacterials like clindamycin which is prescribed to prevent infection in the skin. Antifungal agents like terbinafine and ketoconazole is used to treat ringworms while creams that has benzoyl peroxide is used to treat people with acne problems while eczema is treated using corticosteroids.
Home Remedies
There are all types of home remedies that can help to prevent skin diseases. Generally, these remedies have been used for decades which can help to reduce your risk of such diseases by maintaining good skin health. Ice can be used to reduce inflammation while aiding in the blood circulation in your body. In your daily dietary practice, you should ensure that you are taking a lot of Vitamin C which helps in facilitating healthy skin cells. Lemon juice is rich with Vitamin C which has strong antioxidant properties that can help to protect your skin from damage by free radicals. Besides that, you can try to use cinnamon and honey which can be mixed into a paste before applying on the skin condition. Another option you can go for is to use turmeric which has been practiced for generations to heal wounds and other skin conditions.
Skin diseases are among some of the most common types of health problems people face especially in the current environment. People from all walks of life are constantly exposed to all types of extreme weather conditions. As the air becomes more polluted, the skin is exposed to thousands of bacteria and viruses which would lead to skin problem and diseases.
Many types of skin diseases
Collectively, there are many types of skin diseases and related problems that range from mild rashes and itches to more severe cases which would require long-term medication while there are the extreme cases that could eventually lead to death.
Skin diseases contributed to almost 1,000 deaths in Malaysia every year. This has been quite the trend for more than a decade now. Although skin diseases are not usually fatal, being in this position means that it has caused the death of more Malaysians as compared to more known diseases like dengue fever.
Common types of skin diseases
The most common types of skin disorder is acne or known as ‘pimples’. Such problems are usually harmless which cause blackheads, whiteheads and inflamed red cysts.
Other types of known skin problems include
- cold sores
- Psoriasis
- Eczema
- Hives
- mouth ulcers.
In some cases, there are more severe types of skin disease like Scumpox or known in short as herpes while skin cancer is one which would send chills down anyone’s spine.
Facts of skin diseases
In most cases, skin diseases are highly contagious which could be easily transmitted through touch and exchange of bodily fluid. Once a person contracts a type of skin disease, it would take many years to fully recover as it would be quite complicated to cure.
Skin diseases in Malaysia are common especially in places where the people are exposed to bacteria and where the air can be relatively polluted. Exposure to certain types of insecticides or pesticides could be a major cause for this type of disease as well. Therefore, it is very common to find that most Malaysians who are suffering with any form of skin diseases are focused around the agriculture and production industries.
As there are many different types of skin diseases, it is not possible to identify one specific method to minimize the risk. The best method to do this is to keep the body clean at all times. Wash or sanitize before coming in contact with hazardous material while ensuring a healthy lifestyle are the best practices. Avoid crowded places and more so in places where one could risk contracting skin disease viruses.
Skin diseases and choosing the right skin Specialist in Malaysia
If you have any skin disorder, you can apply over-the-counter cream which you can buy from all pharmacies. If the condition persists, then you should see your family physician which will be able to give you further advice on what to do. In most cases, if the condition is quite normal and could be just an allergic reaction, you will be given a cream but if your doctor ascertains that it might be something more serious, you might be referred to a specialist known as a dermatologist. This is a doctor who specializes in treating of the skin, nails hair and the related body parts.
Who are they exactly? A dermatologist (or very fondly called skin specialists) basically is the doctor who is medically qualified to treat skin problems. The services include treating mild conditions like acne to more complicated ones. This could include conditions like eczema, psoriasis and even acne scars.
So, what should you look for before deciding on your skin specialist? Below are some tips:
- Qualification – You should enquire if the doctor graduates from a renowned medical school and not one who has a GP licence
- Cost – It is perfectly fine to ask about the cost of your treatment before deciding
- Products used – Some clinics have specific products that they use. These outlets even sell them. If you are uncomfortable with that, find someone else
Choosing the best and most affordable Skin Specialist
Take note that not only the best dermatologists can be found at private clinics. Like any other medical field, you can find one in the public, private and semi-private sectors. The big difference here really is in the price.
Naturally, you will expect to find that private clinics will be more expensive, depending on the doctor and the treatment. This could just be a small percentage of the cost if you have a similar treatment in the public clinic.
Before deciding who you should work with, you must first carry out your own research. You might not want to go through something which you are totally unprepared for. After all, its always better to have some knowledge of the treatment you are going to apply on your skin before doing it.
- Online research – There are thousands of sites across the world that will give you all the information you need. This is one of them. List down medical terms that you are not aware of and then find out more or you can ask the doctor when you meet
- Offline research – There will always be people who underwent your current ordeal. With social media, this is made all the easier. Ask them about their experience and see how you might want to engage the doctor on your condition
List of Skin specialists and dermatologists in Malaysia
Below is the list of doctors and skin specialists in Malaysia:
Skin Specialist Clinics
You can start by checking out specialist clinics. These are experts who are focused on treating your skin conditions and they do not offer services for other treatments. Hence, you need to be sure what you are in for. They include:
- Klinik Pakar Perubatan P & R – Dr Prasanna Kannan Kutty
- Gan Skin Specialist Clinic – Dr Gan Ain Tian is quite a renowned skin specialist who operates along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
- Klinik LP Tan Skin Specialist – Dr Tan Lay Peng
- Chew Skin Specialist Clinic – Dr Chew Hon Nam
- The Skin Centre – Dr Lim Tou Chai & Dr Steven Chow Kim Weng
- Ting Skin Specialist Clinic – Dr Ting Hoon Chin
- Sachedev Skin Clinic – Dr Harbajan Singh Sachdev
- Klinik Kulit Kuala Lumpur – Dr Low Bin Tick
- Chang Skin Clinic – Dr Chang Chee Khong Nathan Skin & Laser Centre – Dato Dr P S Nathan
- Skin Specialist Clinic – Dr Mohd Noh Idris
- Klinik Pakar Kulit – Dr Low Peck Gan
- Klinik Dr Ko
- Dr Ruban Skin & Laser Clinic – Dr Ruban Satkuna Nathan
Public Clinics and Medical Centres
UKM Medical Centre
- Dr Adawiyah Jamil
- Dr Mazlin bt Mohd Baseri
University of Malaya
- Dr Rokiah Ismail
- Dr Wong Su-Ming
Hospital Kuala Lumpur
- Dr Chang Choong Chor
- Dr Dawn Ambrose
- Dr Ng Ting Guan
- Dr Noor Zalmy Azizan
- Dr Azura bt Mohd Affandi
- Dr Noorlaily bt Mohd Noor
Private Hospitals
Pantai Medical Centre Bangsar
- Dr Lim Tou Chai
- Dr Steven Chow Kim Weng
- Dr Nazirin Ariffin
Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur
- Dr. Allan Yee Kim Chye
- Dr. Gan Ain Tian
Contact us now on how we can help you with Skin Diseases. +60126725888(SMS or whatsapp for international)
References
http://www.thehealthsite.com/beauty/home-remedies-for-tanned-skin-pimples-acne-scars-unwanted-hair-burn-scars/
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/medications-skin-conditions
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/guide/skin-problems-treatments-treatment-care