Skin cancers and disorders can be scary, but understanding them is crucial. From common issues like acne to more serious conditions like melanoma, our skin tells a story about our health. Let's explore the different types and how they affect our body's largest organ.

Burns and wound healing showcase the skin's incredible ability to repair itself. From minor sunburns to severe third-degree burns, our skin goes through a complex healing process. We'll look at how our body responds to injury and the amazing ways it works to protect us.

Skin Cancers

Types of common skin cancers

• Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) most common skin cancer arises from basal cells in the epidermis (face, ears, scalp, and neck)
• Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) second most common skin cancer develops from squamous cells in the epidermis (face, ears, hands, and arms)
• Melanoma least common but most aggressive skin cancer originates from melanocytes that produce pigment (moles, skin, and eyes)

Characteristics of skin disorders

• Eczema (atopic dermatitis) chronic inflammatory skin condition causes dry, itchy, red, and cracked skin may have small, fluid-filled bumps that ooze and crust over (flexor surfaces of elbows and knees)
  • Management involves moisturizers to hydrate skin, topical corticosteroids to reduce inflammation, oral antihistamines to relieve itching, phototherapy using UV light, and immunomodulators to regulate immune response (tacrolimus and pimecrolimus)
• Acne common skin condition occurs when hair follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells leading to whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts (face, chest, and back)
  • Management includes topical retinoids to unclog pores (tretinoin and adapalene), benzoyl peroxide to kill bacteria, salicylic acid to exfoliate skin, antibiotics to reduce inflammation (clindamycin and erythromycin), and oral isotretinoin for severe cases
• Psoriasis chronic autoimmune condition characterized by rapid skin cell turnover resulting in thick, red, scaly patches (elbows, knees, scalp, and lower back)
• Vitiligo autoimmune disorder causing loss of skin pigmentation, resulting in white patches on the skin

Additional skin conditions

• Dermatitis general term for skin inflammation, including contact dermatitis caused by irritants or allergens
• Cellulitis bacterial skin infection that affects deeper layers of skin and subcutaneous tissue, causing redness, swelling, and warmth
• Impetigo highly contagious bacterial skin infection characterized by red sores that break open, ooze, and form a honey-colored crust

Burns and skin wound healing

• Types of burns classified by depth of tissue damage
  1. First-degree (superficial) burns affect only the epidermis causing red, dry, and painful skin without blisters (sunburn)
  2. Second-degree (partial thickness) burns involve the epidermis and dermis resulting in red, blistered, and swollen skin (scalding from hot liquids)
  3. Third-degree (full thickness) burns destroy the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue leaving white, charred, or leathery skin with no pain sensation (flames and chemical exposure)
• Wound healing process occurs in four overlapping stages
  1. Hemostasis initiates blood clotting cascade to form a fibrin clot and stop bleeding
  2. Inflammatory phase attracts neutrophils and macrophages to the wound site to clean the area and remove debris
  3. Proliferative phase involves granulation tissue formation, angiogenesis to restore blood supply, and re-epithelialization to cover the wound surface
  4. Remodeling phase reorganizes collagen fibers and forms scar tissue to strengthen the healed wound
• Skin grafts surgical procedure to transplant healthy skin to cover damaged areas, often used in severe burns or extensive wounds
• Keloids abnormal scar tissue that grows beyond the boundaries of the original wound, forming raised, dark, and sometimes itchy growths