Skin Care - Exercises

Skin Care - Quiz

Try our quick health quiz and learn how to take care of your skin. Protect your skin from the sun and guard against the risk of skin cancer.

1. How do you wash your skin in the bath or shower?
A. With plain water.
B. With pH balanced soaps and body washes.
C. With regular soaps, perfumed body wash and sometimes bubble bath.

2. What skin type is at risk of getting sun damage?
A. Fair skinned people.
B. People with red hair.
C. All skin types are at risk.

3. What is the healthiest way to get a suntan?
A. Tanning sessions in a supervised solarium.
B. You should avoid deliberately sun tanning altogether because it’s not healthy or safe.
C. Sunbathing outside, as long as you wear sunscreen protection and a hat.

4. When should you put on sunscreen?
A. At least 20 minutes before going outdoors.
B. Just before you leave the house, if fine.
C. As soon as you feel hot and the sun is out.

5. What is the cause of acne?
A. Eating junk food and too much chocolate.
B. Poor personal hygiene.
C. The exact cause of acne is unknown.

6. How should you care for your nails?
A. Push your cuticles back every week.
B. Clean under your nails with a nail file carefully every day.
C. Avoid strong soaps and detergents.

7. What should you do if you have impetigo (school sores)?
A. Stay home.
B. See your doctor.
C. You don’t need to worry about treatment unless you feel sick as well.

8. What is the best way to treat a mild scald or burn?
A. Apply cool water to the affected area.
B. Apply ice alone.
C. Quickly apply butter or thickly apply burn cream.

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Skin care – Answers

Correct answers
1. A= 3 points, B= 2 points and C= 0 points.
The correct answer is A.
Some of the chemicals in perfumed soaps, body washes and bubble baths can irritate and
dry your skin. Use plain warm water only or use neutral pH balanced soaps and body
washes or an equivalent.

2. A= 2 points, B= 0 points and C= 3 points.
The correct answer is C.
All skin types are at risk of developing sun damage and skin cancer with exposure to the Australian sun. Fair skinned people do burn more quickly than people with olive skins but hair colour has little to do with your susceptibility to sun damage. Everyone should try to avoid the sun between 11am and 3pm, cover up with clothes and hats when they are in the sun, and use sunscreen to prevent sun damage.

3. A= 0 points, B= 3 points and C= 0 points.
The correct answer is B.
Deliberately acquiring a suntan is not healthy behaviour. You can get sunburnt and get skin damage using a solarium. Deliberately sun tanning outdoors, even if you have used sunscreen and a hat, should be avoided.

4. A= 3 points, B= 1 point and C= 0 points.
The correct answer is A.
For maximum effect from your sunscreen, it should be applied at least 20 minutes before you go outside. Applying sunscreen only when it’s hot is not safe; you can still get burnt on cloudy and cool days in the summer.

5. A= 0 points, B= 0 points and C= 3 points.
The correct answer is C.
There is no evidence that eating some junk food and chocolate specifically causes acne. Excessive amounts of high fat, junk foods should be avoided for good health. The exact cause of acne is unknown, although hormonal changes are known to be a contributing factor. Blackheads and acne are not caused by not washing enough; the blackness of a blackhead is caused be a reaction of skin oil to the air.

6. A= 0 points, B= 1 point and C= 3 points.
The correct answer is C.
Keeping your hands and nails clean is good health care but pushing back the cuticles can cause damage to the nails and cuticles. Overzealous cleaning under your nails can cause lifting of the nail plate. Strong soaps, chemicals and detergents can cause splitting and trauma to the nails.

7. A= 2 points, B= 3 points and C= 0 points.
The correct answer is B.
You should see your doctor. Impetigo is very contagious. It can be spread from one person to another through touch or shared items such as clothes and towels. A person can also spread it to another part of their own body by scratching or picking at the blisters and scabs. Impetigo is most often treated with antibiotics, either orally or in ointment. You must follow the recommended treatment and complete the course of antibiotics. The Department of Human Services advises that children can return to school or childcare after treatment has started, if the sores are completely covered with a watertight dressing.

8. A= 3 points, B= 0 points and C= 0 points.
The correct answer is A.
The best way to treat mild burns is to apply cool water. Ice alone is not used as it chills the skin too much. Butter and burn creams are not used, as they can be messy and they may retain heat in the skin.

Your score
24 points
You understand the importance of looking after your skin. Well done.

16 -23 points
You need to learn more about looking after your skin, browse the Better Health Channel
for information that will help you improve your knowledge of skin care.

0-16 points
You have a lot to learn about looking after your skin, browse the Better Health Channel
for information that will help you improve your knowledge of good skin care.

SKIN CARE, INSECT BITES AND STINGS #2

Blister beetles are insects, whose bodily fluid contains substances, such as “Cantharidine” and “Pederine”, which can produce blisters. By night the beetles are attracted to light, thus guiding them to humans. When the insect is crushed on the human skin, local irritation (redness, swelling, burning feeling), as well as blisters, will appear after a few hours. The clinical image is one of burns. Sometimes “kissing lesions” are seen at the elbows or knees.

Rubbing the toxin into one’s eyes, may cause irritation or the “Nairobi eye”. The skin should first be rinsed abundantly and then disinfected. Finally the same skin care as for burns (such as a cream with silver sulfadiazine, e.g. Flammazine®) may be applied. Skin injuries caused by Cantharidine heal almost entirely without leaving scars. Injuries caused by Pederine become visible only after 1 or 2 days, the redness is more serious and may persist a couple of months.

The larvae of certain flies use humans as host. In Africa, some flies lay their eggs on, among other things, drying laundry. The larvae subsequently burrow into the skin, in order to develop there. The lesion that they produce resembles a boil, which is more itchy than painful, and at its centre two black spots can be seen (respiratory pores) instead of yellow pus.

Laundry that has been hung out to dry in the tropics is therefore best ironed with a hot iron in order to destroy larvae. In South America some fly larvae get directly on to the skin via mosquitoes.

People who run around barefooted run a greater risk of insect bites, wounds and parasites that get into the body via the skin of the feet, such as ancylostomiasis, strongyloidosis, sand
fleas and larva cutanea migrans.

The latter are two typical skin parasitoses:

• Tungiasis: after fertilization, the female sand flea or jigger (Tunga penetrans) penetrates the skin, especially at the feet and under the toenails. She burrows into the epidermis and continues to grow. After a few weeks a pea-sized, initially itchy and then painful lesion appears resembling a boil but with a central black spot. With a little practice, the adult fly can be completely removed by carefully peeling away the epidermis with a needle or a sharp instrument. Subsequent disinfection of the wound is of the great importance.
  

• Cutaneous larva migrans is caused by parasites that accidentally infect humans, usually hookworms from dogs or cats. The parasite gets into the skin when this gets in contact with mud or sand fouled with animal excrement e.g. on the beach (only on dry sand but not on the damp part of the beach, below the tide line where it is best to wear shoes and sit on a towel), around swimming pools or by running around barefoot. These parasites usually die after penetration, though some survive and slowly migrate through the epidermis, thereby causing severe itching, threadlike lines of skin rash, mostly on the hands and feet, and sometimes on the buttocks and thighs. This requires specific treatment.

Irritation, mostly limited to local reactions of the skin, can also be caused lice, fleas, bedbugs, scabies, ticks, leeches and hairy caterpillars.

When coming in contact with jellyfish, rinsing the skin with vinegar (5-8% acetic acid) for about 30 minutes is recommended. A topical corticosteroid cream is then applied.

Spiders, scorpions and snakes are most frightening but they only represent a small risk.

• Scorpions are usually most active at night and walking around barefoot after sunset is not a good idea. When you get up in the morning, check your shoes for scorpions that might have crept into them during the night. A scorpion sting is quite painful, but symptoms are usually restricted to a local reaction. In some countries, however, for small children, the sting can be fatal.
  

• Snakes hide mainly in dense undergrowth and under stones, sometimes in termite mounds or damp, dark garden sheds, etc. After a rain shower snakes often seek out open spaces. They normally stay away from humans and they bite only in selfdefence. About 375 of the approximately 2700 snake species are venomous. Bites by venomous snakes are not always accompanied by an actual injection of venom and symptoms of poisoning. The interval between bite and eventual death is very variable. The prognosis depends on many factors, including the general condition of the individual and the treatment.

Prevention
Never walk through long grass, or if you do have to walk across pastureland:

• Wear sturdy high boots.

• Make the ground vibrate by treading heavily or by banging with a stick in front of you.

• Use a torch when it is dark.

• Avoid putting an unprotected hand in holes between stones or rocks.

Treatment

• Whatever you do, do not panic panic;

• Seek suitable medical help as quickly as possible;

• Avoid dangerous procedures such as incision, sucking out the wound, tourniquets, etc. The use of the Aspivenin® suction device for snakebites is very controversial, as in animal trials it only sucked out 30% (at best) of the venom, even when used within three minutes after a snakebite.
  

• Immobilisation and a lymphatic bandage is the only recommended technique (do not tie off, wrap a wide bandage tightly around the affected limb for a maximum of 1 hour)
  

• If possible, the dead snake should be brought in for identification (but beware of recently killed snakes since they still have a bite reflex);
  

• Treatment with antivenom is necessary only in the event of specific symptoms of poisoning such as haemorrhage, local tissue necrosis or paralysis. Antivenom is still effective, even when administered at a late stage. The address of Poison Control Centres can be obtained from the ITM. It is not possible to take antiserum with you if the correct storage temperature cannot be continuously guaranteed, and if there is no one available who is competent and knowledgeable enough to administer the antiserum (more than 50% risk of allergic reactions).

Do not touch dogs or cats because of the real danger of rabies in tropical countries (equally in large towns). Be vigilant especially with children around.

SKIN CARE, INSECT BITES AND STINGS

Sun

The closer you get to the Equator, the more intense sunlight
becomes. Sunbathing in the tropics has to be done in
moderation. Protective clothing and hats are recommended.
Apply sun cream with high sun protection factor (30 or more)
to exposed skin regularly (every two hours) and carefully.
Apply sun cream after bathing and avoid long water exposure
since sun stroke will be imminent in spite of reduced heat
feeling. Avoid perfumed sun creams and check whether or
not used creams or medication can cause "sun allergy"
(photo-toxic or photo-allergic reactions).

We would like to refer to point 5 of the European cancer
code: avoid excessive exposure to sun and sunburn during
childhood (increased risk of melanomas in later life). Do not
take a course of sunbed sessions before going on holiday as
the sun tan obtained through UV-A does not give any extra
protection against the natural UV-rays.

When using sun creams and insect repellents based on DEET,
recent studies have shown that DEET reduces the
effectiveness of the sun cream, but that sun creams do not
have a negative influence on the effectiveness of DEET. It is
advisable, therefore, to apply the insect repellent (DEET or
another repellent) with the sun lotion and then to take
additional precautions to protect against UV (e.g. a sun cream
with a higher protection factor).

Light sunburn heals spontaneously. A cold shower can
provide relief. Common after-sun or rich creams are often
not enough in cases of real burns. It may be necessary to locally
apply a cortisone cream (preferably after consultation with a
doctor).

Sunstroke is a distinct extensive type of burn due to
prolonged exposure to the sun.

Prickly heat (miliaria rubra) is a frequent problem in
warm and humid regions. It is an intensely itchy rash caused
by blockage of the sweat ducts by dead skin cells. More sweat
leads to a swelling of the sweat gland channels and sweat
retention vesicles which in turn can lead to a skin rash local
inflammation. Usually there are only a few red “pearls” visible,
mainly in body folds around the waist and on the shoulders.
It mainly affects small children. The only remedy is regular
cold showers (preferably without soap), keeping the skin dry
with menthol talcum powder, and wearing light cotton clothing.
For the itching (and the additional infection caused by
scratching) antihistamines (anti allergy tablets) can be taken.

Wound infections are a frequent and often underestimated
problem for travellers to developing countries. Insect bites that
have been scratched open or untreated wounds and injuries are
frequent. Minor wounds on the lower leg or the foot nearly always
get infected (contamination with bacteria); particularly if no
special attention is paid to them.

We cannot emphasise strongly enough that any wound, however
minor, should be carefully cleaned, washed and disinfected. It is
not unusual for an infected wound to take many weeks to heal,
even with good care upon return from a trip.

A powerful antiseptic ointment1 is thus a vital component in the
most basic home medicine kit. Mercurochrome is totally
unsatisfactory as an antiseptic. A common mistake is to use
volatile antiseptics (such as alcohol), which do not provide any
long-lasting disinfection. The conventional adhesive plaster strip
often does not give enough protection, and is not advised for
foot wounds. An antiseptic cream or ointment (remains longer)
preferably covered by a sterile gauze, should be changed once
or twice daily (great caution is advised when using it on
sun-exposed skin, as photosensitization is very common!). The
premature formation of a scab can still allow the wound to fester,
which in turn delays the healing process.

Only when the wound has become relatively painless can a scab
be left alone. If the wound further develops in spite of good local
care, and certainly if the inflammation and swelling around it
increase, there should be no hesitation in starting a suitable
antibiotic treatment (penicillinase-resistant penicillin such as
oxacillin, cloxacillin, dicloxacillin and flucloxacillin) . If there is a
wound on the leg, it is advisable to rest with the leg up. It is
well worth going over these points during a travel consultation,
especially for people who are travelling for a long period in
primitive conditions.

In warm and humid areas the variety and number of insects is
enormous. Mosquitoes, flies and other biting insects can cause
a great deal of discomfort, not only because the bites
cause local reactions, but also because some insects transmit
infections, such as malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis, sleeping
sickness, etc.

Local skin reactions to insect bites usually diminish in proportion
to the length of time spent in the tropics. Some people, however,
develop hypersensitive reactions. “Culicosis bulosa” is an hyper
allergic reaction; an severely itching blister, filled with clear liquid,
appears on the site of the insect bite. Preventive measures
against mosquito and tick bites also partly apply to other insects
(repellents).

An oral antihistaminic is useful for alleviating the symptoms
of itching. Great caution is advised when using antihistamine
ointment on parts of the skin exposed to the sun, as
photosensitization is very common. Some dermatologists
recommend potent corticosteroidbased ointments for
self-treatment of bothersome allergic reactions but these
should never be applied on the face.

Read Continue To #2

Skin Care for a Child with Limited Mobility

Why is skin care important?
If your child is immobilized (unable to move freely) for any reason, pressure sores can occur. Too much pressure on the skin for too long a period of time causes pressure sores. Pressure causes a loss of blood flow to the area, which can cause part of the skin to die. Proper skin care and pressure relief (weight shifts) can help prevent pressure sores.

Where do pressure sores occur?
Pressure sores can occur in any area of the body, but bony areas are more likely than others to have problems.

These include the:

• Skull and ears

• Shoulders and shoulder blades

• Elbows

• Hips

• Lower back and tailbone

• Knees

• Shins, ankles and heels

What are the possible symptoms of a pressure sore?
Your child may have one or more of the following:

• Skin redness that does not go away within 30 minutes after pressure is relieved

• Change in skin color or temperature (warmer or cooler than other areas nearby)

• Skin irritation such as a break in the skin, blisters or sores

How can help I reduce the risk of pressure sores?
Your child’s doctor will talk with you about specific care for your child. Some general guidelines to help reduce the risk of pressure sores include:

• Skin Care

• Check your child’s skin twice each day – morning and night. Check for any signs of irritation such as redness, blisters, rashes, swelling, bruises, dry skin or sores. Look very carefully, especially over bony areas and in creases and folds. If your child is old enough, he may be able to check himself using a long handled mirror.

• Keep your child’s skin clean and dry. Use creams and lotions to help prevent dry skin. Avoid using “antibacterial” type soaps and powders that cause dry skin unless directed by your child’s doctor.

• Have your child avoid tight-fitting clothes and rough fabrics. Wash new jeans before wearing them. Be aware of zippers, buttons and snaps.
  

• Keep bed linens clean and dry. Watch out for wrinkles, crumbs and small toys that can cause pressure on the skin.

• Protect your child’s feet with socks and shoes. Make sure shoes are not too small or tight.

• Keep toenails clipped short and straight to avoid ingrown toenails.

• Movement

• Move often - have your child move and shift his weight at least every 15 – 30 minutes when sitting. When resting in bed, have him turn and move at least every 2 hours. If he is sleeping, make sure he moves at least every 4 hours or as your child’s doctor directs. If your child is unable to move himself, use the above schedule to move or turn him.

• Do weight shifts - your child should shift his weight in a wheelchair at least every 15 – 30 minutes. He can push his body up with his arms and hold it up for at least 15 seconds or, he can shift his weight from side to side, lean forward or recline in the chair to relieve pressure.

• Use a proper fitting wheelchair and cushion.

• Use pillows or sheepskin in bed to help pad bony areas and maintain a good body position.

• Have your child avoid sitting on a toilet seat more than 15 minutes.

• Teach your child to use good posture when sitting to avoid pressure on the tailbone.

• When you move or transfer your child, avoid friction and bumps to his legs or feet.

• If you use a transfer board, make sure your child is dressed, or powder the board to avoid friction and burns.

• Other Help

• Give your child a healthy diet and plenty of fluids as advised by your child’s doctor. Good nutrition helps keep skin healthy.

• Teens should avoid smoking and alcohol; these can decrease circulation to the skin and cause a greater chance of skin problems.

What if my child has a loss of sensation (feeling) in part of his body?
There is even more risk for skin problems if your child has a loss of feeling in part of his body. If he does, some other general guidelines to follow may include:

• Be careful with hot liquids. Never let your child carry hot liquids in his lap. Test bath water before he gets in.

• Avoid heating pads, electric blankets or other types of heat to parts of the body that have less feeling.

• On hot days, cover hot car seats with blankets or cushions. Cover skin with clothing and use sunscreen when outside.

• On cold days, dress warmly and avoid staying outside too long to prevent frostbite.

When should I call the doctor?
Call your child’s doctor right away if:

• You notice any type of skin redness or discoloration that does not fade within 30 minutes of relieving pressure.

• You notice signs of new skin irritation such as sores, blisters, swelling, bruises, or rashes.

• You have any concerns or questions about your child’s skin.

Skin Care

Beauty, they say, is skin deep. Whether or not this is true, beauty
definitely begins with a healthy skin. A beautiful skin is a mirror to
good health. Yet we often tend to neglect our skin, taking it for
granted until it develops certain disorders.

This brochure attempts to highlight the significance of this crucial
part of our body and answers frequently asked questions on skin care. It also provides well-reaserched information on the
symptoms, causes, prevention and treatment of some of the most
commonly found skin ailments. In the following pages you will find
information on:

• Our skin
• Common skin ailments
• Caring for a healthy skin
• Prevention and treatment for common ailments