Skin Disorders Guide

Chemical cauterants such as bichloroacetic and trichloroacetic acid are very useful for the destruction of benign, superficial lesions. In most situations, trichloroacetic acid in a concentration of 35% to 50% is used. A saturated solution (approximately 80%) can be used if the operator is experienced and very careful.The advantages of chemical cauterants are two fold, [...]

Bacterial cultures are not often necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of the common skin infections. In fact, they are sometimes more confusing than helpful. The problem arises because cultures taken from moist, eczematous skin lesions very often recover “pathogenic” bacteria that are merely colonizing diseased skin. Antibacterial therapy based on such cultures has little [...]

The use of a freezing temperature to cause cell death and tissue destruction (cryotherapy) has the same two advantages possessed by cauterants prior anesthesia by injection is not required, and bleeding does not occur.
Cryotherapy has two additional advantages.

First, it is possible to freeze deep enough to treat malignant lesions(skin disorder).
Second, the treated area remains sterile [...]

Sunburn and photoinduced carcinogenesis occur as the result of irradiation in the ultraviolet B (UVB) (280- to 320-nm) range of light. Blockage of these wavelengths can be obtained through the use of sunscreens containing benzophenones, salicylates, p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), esters of PABA, and cinnamates. Efficacy of these products is determined by measuring their sun protective [...]