Primary Care: Skin Conditions

There are a wide range of skin conditions that may be temporary or permanent, mild or severe. If you have a skin condition, your primary care provider will likely refer you to a dermatologist.

Common Skin Conditions

• Actinic keratosis: Thick and scaly or crusty patches of skin occur on areas of the body that get more sun exposure

• Acne: These pimples, blackheads, whiteheads or cysts/nodules are generally found on the face, shoulders, chest, neck and upper back

• Basal cell carcinoma: A type of skin cancer, it leads to raised pink or red areas with visible blood vessel that may easily bleed or ooze

• Blisters: Clear and fluid-filled sacs may appear alone or in groups anywhere on the body

• Cold sores: If you’re infected with the HSV-1 virus, you may get red and painful blisters that appear on the lips or chin

• Dermatitis: Caused by an allergen, this red, itchy and scaly rash may appear anywhere, often turning into blisters

• Eczema: A chronic skin condition that causes redness, itchiness, and scaly white or yellow patches

• Hives: After exposure to an allergen, the skin breaks out in itchy, red and raised welts that can be painful

• Melanoma: The most serious form of skin cancer, an asymmetrical mole with irregularly shaped edges and multiple colours can appear anywhere on the body

• Melasma: A skin condition that’s common in pregnancy, melasma causes dark patches to appear on the face

• Psoriasis: This chronic skin condition causes scaly and silvery skin patches on the knees, scalp, elbows and lower back

• Rosacea: Triggered by certain foods, alcohol, stress, sunlight or an intestinal bacteria, rosacea is a chronic skin disease that causes raised red bumps, facial flushing, skin sensitivity and dryness

• Squamous cell carcinoma: This skin cancer often occurs in areas exposed to the sun, causing red and scaly patches of skin that grow into red bumps

• Vitiligo: Autoimmune destruction of the cells that give skin its colour causes loss of pigment in the skin

• Warts: A contagious virus called human papillomavirus (HPV) causes warts, which may appear in groups or alone

If you have symptoms of a skin condition, see your physician for treatment or a referral to a dermatologist. Treatment varies depending on the type of skin disorder you have. 

Talk to your family physician if you'd like more information on skin conditions.

Visit HealthChoicesFirst.com for more videos and resources on family health.

There are a wide range of skin conditions that may be temporary or permanent, mild or severe. If you have a skin condition, your primary care provider will likely refer you to a dermatologist.

Adherence:
Adhering to your medications, prescribed exercises or lifestyle changes (such as dietary changes, smoking cessation, reduced alcohol consumption, etc.) is essential to improving health outcomes successfully. Compliance to any prescribed treatment is the number one thing you can do to ensure positive changes and optimal treatment outcomes.

Common skin conditions can include such things as acne, rosacea, eczema and psoriasis. More serious skin conditions can include skin cancers and shingles.