What is ichthyosis?

Ichthyosis is a family of genetic skin disorders characterized by dry, scaling skin that may be thickened or very thin. The prefix "ichthy" is taken from the Greek root for the word fish. Each year, more than 16,000 babies are born with some form of ichthyosis. A recent study has determined that approximately 300 babies are born each year with a moderate to severe form of ichthyosis.  Ichthyosis affects people of all ages, races and gender. The disease usually presents at birth, or within the first year, and continues to affect the patient throughout their lifetime.

source:http://www.firstskinfoundation.org/index.cfm

Traditional skin tests used to predict allergies to antibiotics are useless, say researchers

Provocation or challenge (PC) tests are performed with the suspected allergen (for example pollen, food or drug) which involves gradual introduction of the allergen to the patient. (Stock image)

Credit: © Antonio Gravante / Fotolia

Skin tests traditionally used to predict allergies to amoxicillin, one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics in children, are ineffective according to a new study led by a team at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) in Montreal. The findings, published in the journalJAMA Pediatrics this week, determined that oral provocation or challenge test, with appropriate follow-up, was a more efficient and safer screening method for diagnosing non-life threatening reactions to amoxicillin in children.

"Our study suggests that skin tests are essentially useless as diagnostic tests, and that we should go directly to the graded provocation test that is highly sensitive and specific," says study's lead author Dr. Moshe Ben-Shoshan, who is an allergist at the Montreal Children's Hospital at the MUHC (MCH-MUHC) and an assistant professor of Pediatrics at McGill University. "This is a game changer in the way physicians assess amoxicillin allergy in children given the fact that skin tests are still the recommended screening method in hospitals."

Provocation or challenge (PC) tests are performed with the suspected allergen (for example pollen, food or drug) which involves gradual introduction of the allergen to the patient. Challenge tests are performed in a hospital or clinic, where any serious reactions can be safely managed.

Up to 10 per cent of children develop rashes while on antibiotics. "The majority are diagnosed without further evaluation as allergic to the implicated antibiotic," explains Dr. Ben-Shoshan who is also a researcher from the Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program of the RI-MUHC. "Most of the patients continue to avoid the suspect antibiotic in favor of alternatives which may be less effective, more toxic, and more expensive."

The researchers conducted the largest study of its kind to assess the use of a graded PC in children who presented with a rash due to suspected amoxicillin allergy. They assessed 818 children who presented to the MCH-MUHC Allergy clinic from March 2012 to April 2015. Unlike previous studies all children had to undergo a graded PC. Researchers observed that 94.1 per cent were tolerant to the graded PC for amoxicillin. From all the study's participants, only 17 had an immediate positive reaction to amoxicillin, and only one within this group had a positive skin test. Indeed for many antibiotics (including amoxicillin), skin tests can have a high false-negative rate. Thirty one had non-immediate reactions developing more than one hour after challenge. All non-immediate reactions were mild and manifested mainly as skin eruptions. "Our study is the first to determine the percentage of immediate and non-immediate amoxicillin allergy in all children presenting with a suspected amoxicillin induced rash through a graded PC," says Dr. Ben-Shoshan. "Further, we showed that in children with a negative PC, amoxicillin can be safely used in the future, although under 10 per cent may develop mild cutaneous symptoms upon subsequent exposure.''

According to the researchers, future studies are required to assess factors associated with specific PC outcomes, and in particular researchers should investigate specific association with genetic markers to accurately determine future risk for antibiotic allergic reactions.

Source:McGill University Health Centre,https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160407221451.htm

Treat 3 common skin problems naturally with aloe vera gel!Here's how to use aloe vera gel to improve wound healing. treat skin burns and injury and skin infections.

Drinking a glass of aloe vera juice not only acts as a natural detoxification agent but also improves your blood glucose control. The translucent pulp of this plant also works wonders in weight loss and dealing with a tan. But there’s more to aloe vera than tan removal and treating itchy skin. It is antibacterial in nature, which makes it an effective and soothing natural remedy for dealing with various skin problems like infections, wound healing, and burns.
For wound healing: Aloe vera speeds up the wound healing process by improving blood circulation to the wounded area. It also prevents cell death around the wound, thereby lowering the risk of infection. Other factors can also make your wounds heal slowly.
For dealing with skin infections: The gel has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory compounds which not only reduce skin irritation but also reduce the itching and burning sensation commonly associated with skin infections. As it has high water content, it exerts a soothing effect on the skin and also moisturises the skin, thereby relieving the symptoms of skin infections and aiding in quick recovery.
For treating burns and injury: When applied on the burnt or injured skin, aloe vera helps in soothing the skin by increasing blood flow in the vessels, exerting a cooling effect on the affected area due to its high moisture content and also helps in repairing the damaged skin. Moreover, topical application of aloe vera helps in treating frostbite and also delays skin damage caused in the case of radiation treatment. Here are 7 signs that you have healthy skin.
Using aloe vera
All you need to do is cut the aloe vera leaf and squeeze out the gel in a bowl. Now gently apply the gel over the wound and allow it to dry naturally. Wash it off with water and tap dry. Repeat this process at least twice or thrice a day for two to three day for effective results. Alo read about 10 uses of aloe vera gel for better health and beauty.
Disclaimer: These are only home remedies and must not be used in place of medical advice. Please visit you doctor if your symptoms persist.
source: http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/treat-3-common-skin-problems-naturally-with-aloe-vera-gel-b0416/

Introducing New Instantly Luminous Facial Serum

by CYNTHIA BAILEY, M.D. on FEBRUARY 1, 2016 in ANTI-AGING SKIN CARE, CHEMOTHERAPY, MEN'S SKIN CARE, NATURAL SKIN CARE, SKIN CARE PRODUCTS

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I love this serum! It’s an exciting, advanced and yummy new product to add to your skin care routine.

The name is Instantly Luminous because, for most people, it is. The technology creates an immediate change in the look, feel and hydration of your skin. The magic happens from the combination of both small and large molecular weight hyaluronic acid combined with other important and naturally hydrating ingredients like glycerin and PCA. Regular readers of my blog know that I am a big fan of hyaluronic acid to hydrate dry skin. In short, this ingredient acts like a water-holding sponge to lock moisture into your skin. Fully hydrated skin plumps limp wrinkles and crinkles in skin and also has a dewy youthful luster. What’s not to love?

Was your skin tone lackluster and disappointing you when you looked in the mirror today?

It’s winter, it’s dry, and your skin reflects these elements. Almost no one can escape this reality. The result is a crinkly, wrinkly, and dull complexion. Fortunately, our yummy, new serum can fix these troubling issues.

What does the Multi-Action Serum do?

1. It compensates for skin dryness instantly.
2. It soothes chapped or irritated skin with natural skin hydrators.
3. It plumps fine lines and wrinkles and imparts a dewy, youthful luster to dehydrated skin.
4. It layers beautifully with other skin care products.

Everyone in the office loves this new serum! I’m personally “over the moon” about it because it is a perfect example of that truly brilliant combination of natural ingredients and scientific skill that blends into skin care and transforms complexions.

Key ingredients include:

• Hyaluronic acid – includes both small and large molecular weight sizes to penetrate skin and to layer on the skin so that moisture reaches deep into skin layers and is trapped there.
• Glycerin - pulls moisture from the atmosphere for all day hydration.
• Sodium PCA Blend – a natural component of the skin’s “natural moisturizing factors” that are crucial for holding moisture to maintain healthy skin.
• Antioxidants - you can never get enough of these, which include white tea, ergothioneine and glutathione to help squelch any skin damaging free radicals before they complete their dastardly deeds on your precious skin structures.

HIV drug could stop skin cancer becoming drug-resistant

An HIV drug could stop one of the early changes in skin cancer cells that lead to them becoming resistant to treatment, according to a Cancer Research UK-funded study published in Cancer Cell.

The researchers looked at melanoma skin cancers from 11 patients who had started standard treatment for cancer. They found that the cancer cells used a molecular switch to temporarily rewire themselves to become more able to withstand the drugs in the first two weeks of treatment, and then went on to develop permanent resistance through genetic changes.

The HIV drug, called nelfinavir, works by blocking the molecular switch which boosts cells' ability to survive treatment. The research, carried out in mice, suggests that nelfinavir could be used in combination with standard skin cancer treatments to make them more potent and delay drug resistance, making available treatments effective for a longer period of time.

Professor Claudia Wellbrock, lead author from The University of Manchester, said: "In the first few weeks of standard treatment for skin cancer, the cancer cells become stronger and more robust against treatment.

"But if we can target skin cancer cells before they become fully resistant, we would have a much better chance of blocking their escape. And we think this research has brought us one step closer to making this a reality."

Professor Nic Jones, Director of Cancer Research UK's Manchester Cancer Research Centre, said: "Melanoma can be difficult to treat because the cancer becomes resistant to drugs quite quickly. But this exciting research means we might be able to fight back by blocking the first steps towards resistance, so that treatments are effective for longer.

"While drug resistance is a big challenge, we're making great progress. Drug resistance in late stage skin cancer is still a big problem and something we need to tackle. We've seen big steps forward recently with the development of immunotherapies but this exciting approach could stop skin cancer developing resistance at an earlier point."

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Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Cancer Research UK. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Journal Reference: Michael P. Smith, Holly Brunton, Emily J. Rowling, Jennifer Ferguson, Imanol Arozarena, Zsofia Miskolczi, Jessica L. Lee, Maria R. Girotti, Richard Marais, Mitchell P. Levesque, Reinhard Dummer, Dennie T. Frederick, Keith T. Flaherty, Zachary A. Cooper, Jennifer A. Wargo, Claudia Wellbrock. Inhibiting Drivers of Non-mutational Drug Tolerance Is a Salvage Strategy for Targeted Melanoma Therapy.