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Articles
Articles are listed in the order they are posted. To explore articles by health topic, visit Conditions.
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Diagnosis of Scabies
Scabies is usually identified through a combination of clinical suspicion, skin examination, and, when needed, confirmation by finding the mite or its products in the skin. The condition is caused by Sarcoptes scabiei , a microscopic burrowing mite that lives within the outer layer of the skin and lays eggs there. Because the organism is…
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Diagnosis of Rubella
Rubella is usually diagnosed through a combination of clinical assessment and laboratory confirmation. Because its early signs can resemble other viral illnesses, medical professionals do not rely on appearance alone, especially when a diagnosis could affect a pregnant patient or a newborn. Accurate identification matters because rubella can spread easily before and shortly after symptoms…
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Diagnosis of Rosacea
Rosacea is usually diagnosed by clinical evaluation rather than by a single definitive laboratory test. In practice, clinicians identify the condition by recognizing a characteristic pattern of facial skin changes, eye involvement in some patients, and flare triggers that fit a rosacea pattern. Because rosacea can resemble acne, seborrheic dermatitis, lupus, allergic reactions, and other…
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Diagnosis of Psoriasis
Psoriasis is usually diagnosed through a clinical assessment rather than a single definitive test. In most cases, a clinician identifies the condition by recognizing a characteristic pattern of skin lesions, considering the patient’s medical history, and excluding other disorders that can look similar. Because psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease, its diagnosis depends on understanding…
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Causes of Vitiligo
Vitiligo is caused by the loss or failure of melanocytes, the specialized cells that produce melanin, the pigment responsible for skin, hair, and eye color. When melanocytes are destroyed, suppressed, or stop functioning properly, areas of skin lose pigment and become lighter. The condition develops through a combination of biological disruption in pigment production, immune…
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Causes of Toxic epidermal necrolysis
Toxic epidermal necrolysis is caused by a severe immune-mediated reaction, most often to a medication, in which the body mistakenly attacks its own skin and mucous membranes. The condition does not arise from ordinary irritation or infection alone; it develops through a specific chain of biological events that leads to widespread death of skin cells,…
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Causes of Urticaria
What causes urticaria? Urticaria, commonly called hives, develops when specialized cells in the skin release inflammatory mediators, most importantly histamine, into the surrounding tissue. This triggers swelling in the superficial skin layers and produces the raised, itchy wheals characteristic of the condition. The underlying causes range from allergic and non-allergic immune activation to physical triggers,…