Let’s break it down and it won’t be so scary. First of all, dermatitis is simply an inflammation of the skin – usually in the form of some sort of rash. And perioral just means “around the mouth.”

So basically, she was diagnosed with a rash around her mouth. But then again, she already knew that! That’s why she made an appointment with the dermatologist to begin with.

Once I explained the meaning of her diagnosis to her, she just laughed. Why do they always make it sound so awful?

Here are a couple of other common types of dermatitis:

• Atopic eczema – This is the most common one and usually results from some type of internal irritant.
• Allergic contact – This is as the name sounds, when the skin comes in contact with something that it is allergic to causing inflammation and irritation to the skin.
• Irritant contact – This is usually caused by a certain chemical substance that causes the skin to become irritated.
• Infantile seborrhoeic eczema – Also known as cradle crap, this forms on the head and can spread very quickly.
• Gravitational – This particular type hits people in the legs, usually elderly people and is due to poor circulation.

You should check your body often to see if there are any changes or suspicious looking areas that have presented themselves. If you see anything abnormal you should consult your doctor and have it checked out.

It’s amazing that up to 95% of skin cancers are curable if detected early enough. There are different types of skin cancer and you should be aware that some are much more dangerous than others.

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of cancer and the least dangerous. It can be spotted as a lump or a scaly type of skin disorder. It can grow slowly and be fatal if not treated but if found early enough it is curable.

Squamous cell carcinoma is a much more serious type of cancer as is a malignant type of cancer which is the most serious type of cancer. Every year over 700 people die from this type of cancer. The main cause of this cancer is as simple as a sunburn, so be very careful about exposure to the skin as it can prove to be deadly.

You can find more info on skin cancer here:

http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/health/skin-cancer/skcancer.htm

If you scroll down the page about half way, there are some pictures of skin cancer also.

About 51,000 cases are reported each year to the American Cancer Society. This doesn’t include the estimated thousands of incidences of skin cancer that are not reported or diagnosed.

The symptoms of melanoma skin cancer are listed below:

1. Growth that is dark in color and increases in size.
2. Growth that changes shape.
3. Growth that changes color.
4. Itching.
5. Bleeding from growth.
6. Growth becoming extremely inflamed.

Here’s a picture of melanoma

If you experience any of the above symptoms then it is imperative that you consult a doctor right away for treatment. If cancer is found early it can certainly be treated. Remember, early detection and treatment is the key.

Being just 11 years old, she was full of questions. Why did this happen? And what are blisters anyway?

We did some online research in to blisters and this is part of what we found out.

Basically, blisters are pockets of fluid that are on the skin.

Many things can cause blisters – burns, bug bites or other skin irritations or persistent rubbing of the skin (like wearing ill fitting shoes for too long a period of time).

Blisters can become very painful and be quite large. They’re usually very sore to the touch and are filled with sterile fluid.

If the blister isn’t very painful, do everything in your power to keep it intact (meaning don’t break the blister to drain the fluid). Not breaking the skin around the blister is important because it can help keep the area from becoming infected.

You can cover the blister with a small bandage to protect it from breaking. And be sure to wear clothing that doesn’t further irritate the area.

After that all you can do is wait. Many blisters heal themselves in just a few days. If the area gets red or feels hot, it may be infected and may need medical attention.

My daughter has decided to wear flip flops for the rest of the summer. Hopefully, her blister memory will be long gone by the time the weather gets cold!