DO’S AND DONT’S FOR FUNGAL INFECTION
- Keep the infected area clean and dry.
- Wash your feet daily & dry the skin between your toes, thoroughly after washing. Wear sandals or shoes at gyms, locker room & public pools. Wear loose, dry clothes & wear non-occlusive footwear.
- Use plain cotton towels to dry infected skin
- Avoid sharing clothes, towel, hairbrushes, combs, headgear, or other personal hygiene items & after use, be sure to thoroughly clean & dry it.
- Keep your skin around the genitals clean & dry. Choose loose-fitting cotton underwear. wash the underwear with hot water & iron them before use. Dry the clothes inside out & preferably in sunlight/Iron the clothes.
- Do not stop applying the cream if there is relief from itch or redness. Apply the cream & complete the course of treatment as suggested by your dermatologist
- Avoid scratching the affected area. Keep your toe nails clean and clipped short. Avoid swimming pools and over-crowded areas. Wash clothes, caps, socks & bed linen in hot water Wash clothes, caps, socks & bed linen in hot water Change the undergarments, socks & clothes daily. Infected persons should wash clothes separately to avoid contamination within the family. Do not share towels, soaps, pillow covers or bed linen.
DO’S AND DONT’S FOR ATOPIC DERMATITIS
- Give your child, a bath for 5-10 minutes in lukewarm water. Gently pat dry your child's skin." Apply moisturizer
- 2-3 times a day or as prescribed by your doctor. Keep your child's fingernails short, smooth and clean to avoid harm from scratching.
- Use soap-free and skin friendly pH cleanser. "Apply moisturizer after applying medicated creams. Dress your child in loose-fitting clothes made from soft, breathable fabrics (such as 100% cotton) to reduce irritation."
- Keep the room temperature as regular as possible, as changes in temperature can dry the skin. 'Learn and avoid triggers that cause AD to flare.'
DO’S AND DONT’S FOR VITILIGO
The goals of treatment are to control the spread of disease and to regenerate pigmentation in the areas that have lost the same. Treatment choice is based on number, site and extent of involvement and patient convenience. Also supportive camouflage treatment helps to reduce social problems while the patient is on corrective therapy.
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Various treatment options
- Medical treatment
Medical treatment includes oral medications and topical creams which may achieve the objective of stopping the spread of disease and regaining pigmentation in most areas. - UV Therapy
Ultraviolet light therapy includes exposing the affected area to ultraviolet A (UVA) or Ultraviolet B (UVB) therapy. UVA therapy is usually given along with a drug called as psoralen. The drug is used orally or can be applied topically and the affected area is then exposed to UVA light. Narrow Band UVB light (NB-UVB) is usually given by making the patient stand in a light box or by exposing a localized area to a focused beam of NB-UVB light. Multiple sessions of UV light therapy are required at a frequency of two-three sessions per week. - Surgical Therapy
Surgical treatments include taking skin grafts from a person's own body and transplanting the entire skin or the melanocytes (color producing cells) in the affected area. This is usually done when the disease is stable i.e. not increasing in size or number. Various surgical grafting modalities are punch grafting, blister grafting, smash grafting and melanocyte transfer surgery. - Tattooing
Tattooing of the vitiligenous skin and cosmetic camouflage can help to cover the white patches. - Skin protection
Protecting the vitiligenous skin against sun exposure is important and can be achieved by using sunscreens and wearing full sleeved clothes. - Counselling
Understanding the innocuous and cosmetic nature of disease can help to prevent psychological distress. It is also important to understand the limitations of therapy in providing a complete regimentation. Working with, and supporting the doctor through the prolonged therapeutic course gives better results. - A person with vitiligo can marry.
Vitiligo is not contagious and therefore any individual afflicted with this condition does not need to abstain from any activity involving physical contact. In case of a school going child, the teachers, support staff of school and parents of other children need to be sensitized about the innocuous nature of the disease and special care should be taken by the school to prevent psychosocial harassment of the child by his/her peers.
DO’S AND DONT’S FOR PSORIAISIS
- Psoriasis can be treated by topical medicines, phototherapy and/or systemic drugs depending upon the severity of the disease.
- Most people need to try different treatments or combinations of treatments before they figure out what works best. Regular use of moisturizers and managing the aggravating factors play an important role. Regular use of moisturizers and managing the aggravating factors play an important role.
- Topical moisturizers, steroids, keratolytic agents, vitamin D analogues and immunomodulators are the chief treatment options in limited diseases. Tar based, ketoconazole and keratolytic based shampoos are helpful in scalp involvement. Phototherapy with PUVA, narrow band UVB or targeted therapies with excimer light are effective options. A course of treatment usually takes about 8-10 weeks and will require treatment sessions two to three times a week. This usually means attending a phototherapy unit in a hospital. Biological agents such as etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab, ustekinumab and secukinumab can be used in cases that are unresponsive or difficult to treat. Systemic drugs such as methotrexate, actretin, cyclosporin apremilast are recommended in severe cases and extensive disease.
- All medications should be taken under the supervision of a dermatologist and proper follow up with maintenance treatment is mandatory
DO’S AND DONT’S FOR LEPROSY
- Leprosy can be cured. However deformities caused by leprosy may persist if treatment is not initiated early or appropriate care is not taken to prevent deformities.
- Generally after taking full course of MDT, leprosy does not recur. Relapses may be seen, especially in multi bacillary cases, however these can be effectively treated by MDT.
- Even after full treatment hypopigmentation and mild loss of sensation might persist.
- Leprosy is treated with MDT (Multi drug therapy).
- Depending up on the type of Leprosy, MDT can be given for 6- 12 months. The dosage regimens include single dose (ROM therapy for single lesion pauci-bacillary leprosy), for six months (two drugs for pauci-bacillary) and for one year (three drugs for multi-bacillary).
- Treatment for leprosy can also be availed free of charge at public hospitals.
- A person with leprosy can marry and have children. After taking MDT for few months person becomes non-infectious so, there is minimal chance of infection to spouse.
- Providing proper information and educating the public about the disease can help in reducing the stigma.
- There is no need to treat leprosy patients in special hospitals, leprosy patients should not be isolated or segregated from the general public.
- Leprosy patients can share household items or rooms. They can go to schools or be employed.
- It is important to educate the patients to take complete treatment and take appropriate measures to prevent deformities.