Fungal Infections

These are one of the most common skin ailments encountered. The most common fungal infection of the skin are:

• White spot: Also known as "panau", this is a superficial fungal infection of the skin, which is common in both children and adults. It may be itchy. It is made up of fine scaly white patches
on the skin and may appear on the face, neck, shoulder, arms, trunk or legs.

• Ringworm: This fungal infection appears as scaly, reddish, ring- shaped patches with a tendency to form complete rings with raised borders.

• Athlete's foot: This causes the skin between your toes to become very scaly and peel. It results in severe itchiness of the feet.

What can cause fungal infection?
Fungus grows when the skin is warm and moist. When the space between your toes, the skin folds in the groin and the armpits are not kept dry, they signal an invitation to such fungal infection. Some tips to prevent fungal infection are:

• Do not walk barefoot in areas where the floor is wet, as in a bathroom or around a swimming pool, as fungus tends to be present in these areas.

• Avoid borrowing personal napkins, towels, combs and hairbrushes as they may be infected. Make sure you use your own personal items because fungal infections are easily
transmissible. Any item that comes into contact with the affected areas must be sterilised before use.

• Nylon socks and covered shoes make your feet sweat. Wear cotton socks to absorb the sweat, or open-toe sandals if your feet sweat profusely.

How do I confirm that I have contact allergy?

Your dermatologist will conduct a skin test called "patch test" to confirm a diagnosis of contact allergy. This is a very safe procedure. Usually, several suspected allergens are tested simultaneously. A positive reaction indicates that the patient is allergic to the test substance and needs to avoid it.

What kind of substances can cause contact allergy?
While each case is different, some common substances that cause irritation are watchstraps, nickel (used in jewellery), cosmetics, dyes, rubber products and soaps.

Contact Allergy

Contact allergy is a type of skin rash that occurs when a substance that irritates the skin touches it constantly. A substance that may be completely harmless to some may lead to an allergic skin reaction in others.

The most common manifestation of contact allergy is an itchy rash.The affected area first becomes itchy, then red and swollen with vesicles (water bubbles). Although usually confined to the area of
contact, the rash can spread to other parts of the body. Occasionally the rash is more chronic, manifesting as an itchy patch that does not heal for weeks or even months. This usually occurs when there is frequent contact with the substance.

What can I do to treat eczema or dermatitis?

Contact your skin specialist at Max Healthcare as early as possible so that proper prevention or treatment can be advised.

One of the most important components of an eczema treatment routine is to prevent scratching, and because eczema is usually dry and itchy, the most common way to alleviate it is to prevent dryness by keeping the skin as moist as possible. Cold compresses applied directly to itchy can also help relieve itching. But you should follow the advice of your dermatologist and must never try to treat eczema on your own.