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About Skin Diseases
Children impacted by skin disease represent a vulnerable population. While kids are affected by every manner of any disease, the burden of pediatric skin diseases are uniquely severe in the way they are compounded by the psychosocial consequences of a chronic, visual disease; often associated with much embarrassment, loss of daily function, and low self-esteem.
The list below represents some of the skin diseases that impact our community of campers. It is by no means a comprehensive list of skin diseases, nor meant to be used for diagnoses or treatment.
How do I keep my skin healthy?
Keep It Clean:
Washing your skin, especially your hands, is very important for keeping it healthy. Hand washing keeps you from spreading germs to other parts of your body. It also keeps you from spreading germs that could give others a cold or the flu.
Protect It From The Sun:
Your skin produces vitamin D when it is exposed to sunshine. Vitamin D helps keep your bones and other body systems healthy. However, too much sun can damage your skin and increase your risk for skin cancer. It may make your skin look old years too soon and can make it less able to fight off infections. Whenever you’re outside, use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or 45. Apply it evenly, and have a friend or parent help you with the hard-to-reach spots. Follow the directions that tell you how often to reapply it—one application won’t last all day!
Tanning beds are NOT a safe alternative to sunlight. Radiation damages your skin, whether the exposure comes from tanning beds or natural sunlight. This damage increases the risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging just like too much sun. In fact, most tanning beds emit mainly UVA rays, which may increase the risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
Physical activity:
It increases the flow of blood to the surface of your skin and brings oxygen and nutrients to your whole body. Sweating helps to flush out impurities from your skin.
A Healthy Diet, No Smoking, Lots Of Sleep:
Keeping good general health leads to healthy skin.
Source: www.niams.nih.gov
This information is for reference only. It is not meant to replace necessary medical care. If you have a serious concern about your skin, consult a licensed physician.
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