Herpes infection
This infection is no longer untreatable! Several medications are now available to contain these often painful outbreaks that can occur anywhere on the skin, inside or around the mouth, or genital areas. Tingling and itching often precede the actual sores and can serve as early indicators to identify the time to start treatment. If treatment is started early, some outbreaks can prevent the sores from ever developing.
This is an example of Herpes Simplex:
Warts or Human papilloma virus (HPV)
All age groups can be affected by this skin and mucous membrane infection. HPV can be visible with noticeable growths or it may be dormant or invisible. Mostly passed by person-to-person contact and without one's knowlegdge, it is important to bring any rapidly growing spots on your skin to the dermatologist's attention as soon as possible. The highly susceptible areas include the hands, feet, and genital areas. This infection can be arrested by using immune-stimulating topical creams or treatment with lasers, freezing, and anti-growth liquids.
This is an example of warts:
Molluscum Contagiosum
This viral infection of the skin is passed person-to-person and leads to rapidly spreading tiny bumps conmmonly on the genital skin in adults and non-genital skin in children. It can be readily eradicated when treatment is sought early. Spreading quickly in moist areas it requires treatment by freezing, surgical removal or application of topical liquids. Treatment of close contacts is essential to prevent re-infection.
These are examples of Molluscum Contagiosum:
Chickenpox
Most often this viral skin and mucous membrane infection occurs in childhood but adults are susceptible as well. Starting with cough, fever and fatigue then followed by blisters, this infection spreads quickly on the affected individual and to susceptible persons in close contact. Scarring and pain can be minimized by early recognition and treatment with medications designed to kill the virus and dry up the blisters quickly.
Shingles or Herpes Zoster
This recurrence of the chickenpox virus now occurs in both young and old persons. The blisters are often localized to a single area and may be preceded by days of localized pain or discomfort. Individuals who have not had chickenpox can dvelop the latter infection if there is close contact with a shingles' patients' blisters. The nerve that the virus uses to reach the skin is often inflamed and the source of intense discomfort. Limiting the length of infection with the use of anti-viral medication can help prevent unwanted scarring and pain after the blisters have healed.
These are examples of Herpes Zoster:
