<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >

Acne

Three diagrams show the progression of acne in three steps from left to right. All three depict a cross section of skin containing a hair follicle. In the left diagram, the follicle has a swollen area about halfway up the hair shaft, just above a sebaceous gland. The follicle is plugged with sebum, depicted as a yellowish substance. In the middle diagram, the follicle has become more swollen, as a label indicates that bacteria are reproducing within the blockage. The surrounding epidermis becomes inflamed as a result of the bacterial infection. In the rightmost image, the blockage has swollen to about five times its original size and has broken the surrounding epidermis, which is now red and inflamed.
Acne is a result of over-productive sebaceous glands, which leads to formation of blackheads and inflammation of the skin.

Career connection

Dermatologist

Have you ever had a skin rash that did not respond to over-the-counter creams, or a mole that you were concerned about? Dermatologists help patients with these types of problems and more, on a daily basis. Dermatologists are medical doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating skin disorders. Like all medical doctors, dermatologists earn a medical degree and then complete several years of residency training. In addition, dermatologists may then participate in a dermatology fellowship or complete additional, specialized training in a dermatology practice. If practicing in the United States, dermatologists must pass the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE), become licensed in their state of practice, and be certified by the American Board of Dermatology.

Most dermatologists work in a medical office or private-practice setting. They diagnose skin conditions and rashes, prescribe oral and topical medications to treat skin conditions, and may perform simple procedures, such as mole or wart removal. In addition, they may refer patients to an oncologist if skin cancer that has metastasized is suspected. Recently, cosmetic procedures have also become a prominent part of dermatology. Botox injections, laser treatments, and collagen and dermal filler injections are popular among patients, hoping to reduce the appearance of skin aging.

Dermatology is a competitive specialty in medicine. Limited openings in dermatology residency programs mean that many medical students compete for a few select spots. Dermatology is an appealing specialty to many prospective doctors, because unlike emergency room physicians or surgeons, dermatologists generally do not have to work excessive hours or be “on-call” weekends and holidays. Moreover, the popularity of cosmetic dermatology has made it a growing field with many lucrative opportunities. It is not unusual for dermatology clinics to market themselves exclusively as cosmetic dermatology centers, and for dermatologists to specialize exclusively in these procedures.

Consider visiting a dermatologist to talk about why he or she entered the field and what the field of dermatology is like. Visit this site for additional information.

Injuries

Because the skin is the part of our bodies that meets the world most directly, it is especially vulnerable to injury. Injuries include burns and wounds, as well as scars and calluses. They can be caused by sharp objects, heat, or excessive pressure or friction to the skin.

Skin injuries set off a healing process that occurs in several overlapping stages. The first step to repairing damaged skin is the formation of a blood clot that helps stop the flow of blood and scabs over with time. Many different types of cells are involved in wound repair, especially if the surface area that needs repair is extensive. Before the basal stem cells of the stratum basale can recreate the epidermis, fibroblasts mobilize and divide rapidly to repair the damaged tissue by collagen deposition, forming granulation tissue. Blood capillaries follow the fibroblasts and help increase blood circulation and oxygen supply to the area. Immune cells, such as macrophages, roam the area and engulf any foreign matter to reduce the chance of infection.

Questions & Answers

what is hypogelersomia
aliyu Reply
what are the parts of the female reproductive system?
Orji Reply
what is anatomy
Divinefavour Reply
what are the six types of synovial joints and their ligaments
Darlington Reply
draw the six types of synovial joint and their ligaments
Darlington
System of human beings
Katumi Reply
System in humans body
Katumi
Diagram of animals and plants cell
Favour Reply
at what age does development of bone end
Alal Reply
how many bones are in the human upper layers
Daniel Reply
how many bones do we have
Nbeke
bones that form the wrist
Priscilla Reply
yes because it is in the range of neutrophil count
Alexander Reply
because their basic work is to fight against harmful external bodies and they are always present when chematoxin are released in an area in body
Alexander
What is pathology
Samuel Reply
what is pathology
Nbeke
what's pathology
Nbeke
what is anatomy
ESTHER Reply
drowning and level female reproductive system
Anas Reply
what are the types of homeostasis
Odey Reply
diagram of the digestive system
Zainab Reply
drown and level female reproductive system
Anas
anatomy
Anas

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, Anatomy & Physiology. OpenStax CNX. Feb 04, 2016 Download for free at http://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11496/1.8
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'Anatomy & Physiology' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask