Acne results from the action of hormones on the skin's oil glands, which leads to plugged pores and outbreaks of lesions commonly called pimples. Acne lesions usually occur on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. Nearly 17 million people in the United States have acne, making it the most common skin disease. Although acne is not a serious health threat, severe acne can lead to disfiguring, permanent scarring, which can be upsetting to the affected people.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Adapalene, Azelaic Acid, Benzoyl Peroxide, Clindamycin, Dexamethasone, Doxycycline, Erythromycin (topical), Fusidic Acid, Gentamicin, Isotretinoin, Minocycline, Oxytetracycline, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Thiosulfate, Sulfacetamide, Sulfur, Tazarotene, Tetracycline, Tretinoin
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Desogestrel-Ethinyl Estradiol, Erythromycin, Finasteride, Flutamide, Levonorgestrel-Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate Ethinyl Estradol, Spironolactone, Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
Alopecia areata is a highly unpredictable, autoimmune skin disease resulting in the loss of hair on the scalp and elsewhere on the body. In alopecia areata, the affected hair follicles are mistakenly attacked by your immune system (white blood cells), resulting in the arrest of hair growth. Alopecia areata usually starts with one or more small, round, smooth bald patches on the scalp and can progress to total scalp hair loss (alopecia totalis) or complete body hair loss (alopecia universalis).
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Betamethasone, Clobetasol, Dexamethasone, Fluocinolone Acetonide, Fluocinonide
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Cyclosporine, Pimecrolimus, Prednisone, Tacrolimus
Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune disorder that causes chronic blistering of the skin. It ranges from mildly itchy welts to severe blisters and infection and may affect a small area of the body or be widespread. The vast majority of those affected are elderly, but it has been seen at all ages.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: None
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Azathioprine, Clobetasol, Cyclophosphamide, Dapsone, Mycophenolate Mofetil, Prednisone, Tetracycline, Immune Globulin IVIG
Atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema and atopic eczema, is a chronic, itchy skin condition that is very common in children but may occur at any age. It is the most common form of dermatitis and usually occurs in people who have an "atopic tendency." That is, they have a tendency to develop any or all of three closely linked conditions: atopic dermatitis, asthma, and hay fever (allergic rhinitis). Often these conditions run within families with a parent, child, or sibling also affected. A family history of asthma, eczema, or hay fever is particularly useful in diagnosing atopic dermatitis in infants.
Atopic dermatitis is not contagious. It arises because of a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. These include skin irritants, the weather, temperature, and nonspecific triggers.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Methdilazine
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Azathioprine, Cyclosporine, Mycophenolate Mofetil
Dermatitis, also called eczema, is an inflammation of the skin. It can have many causes and occur in many forms, but generally describes swollen, reddened, and itchy skin. Dermatitis is a common condition that is not life threatening or contagious, but it can make you uncomfortable and self-conscious. Every year, more than 12 million people in the United States visit a doctor because of a skin rash, such as dermatitis.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Coal Tar, Methdilazine, Pimecrolimus, Tacrolimus
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Acitretin, Cyclosporine, Danazol
Impetigo is one of the most common skin infections. It usually appears on the face, especially around the nose and mouth. Although it commonly occurs when bacteria enter the skin through cuts or insect bites, it can also develop in skin that is perfectly healthy. Impetigo starts as a red sore that quickly ruptures, oozes for a few days, and then forms a yellowish-brown crust that looks like honey or brown sugar. This skin infection is highly contagious and scratching or touching the sores is likely to spread the infection to other parts of the body as well as to other people. Impetigo is seldom serious, and minor infections may clear without treatment in two to three weeks.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Ammoniated Mercury, Cefditoren, Clioquinol, Gentamicin, Mupirocin, Nafcillin
Off-Label Prescription Drug Breakthrough Option: Erythromycin
Keloids are raised overgrowths of scar tissue that occur at the site of a skin injury where trauma, surgery, blisters, vaccinations, acne, or body piercing have injured the skin. Less commonly, keloids may form in places where the skin has not had a visible injury. Keloids differ from normal mature scars in composition and size. Some people are prone to keloid formation and may develop them in several places.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Betamethasone, Dexamethasone
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Bleomycin, Interferon Alfa-2b, Tretinoin
Pruritus is a common manifestation of dermatologic diseases, including eczema, atopic dermatitis, and allergic contact dermatitis. Effective treatment of pruritus can prevent scratch-induced complications such as lichen simplex chronicus and impetigo. People, particularly elderly adults, with severe pruritus that does not respond to conservative therapy should be evaluated for an underlying systemic disease. Causes of systemic pruritus include uremia, cholestasis, polycythemia vera, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, hyperthyroidism, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. You may need skin scraping, biopsy, or culture if you have skin lesions.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Apomorphine, Cefazolin, Glutamine, Rifaximin
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Amitriptyline, Nalmefene, Naltrexone, Ondansetron, Paroxetine, Thalidomide
Psoriasis is a common, chronic skin disorder. Plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis, characterized by red skin covered with silvery scales and inflammation. Patches of circular to oval shaped red plaques that itch or burn are typical of plaque psoriasis. The patches are usually found on the arms, legs, trunk, or scalp but may be found on any part of the skin. The most typical areas are the knees and elbows.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Acitretin, Alefacept, Amcinonide, Ammoniated Mercury, Anthralin, Betamethasone, Calcipotriene, Clobetasol, Coal Tar, Cortisone, Cyclosporine, Desonide, Desoximetasone, Dexamethasone, Diflorasone, Efalizumab, Etanercept, Etretinate, Fluocinolone, Fluocinonide, Flurandrenolide, Fluticasone, Fusidic Acid, Gentamicin, Halcinonide, Juniper Tar, Methotrexate, Methoxsalen, Methylprednisolone, Mometasone, Prednicarbate, Prednisolone, Prednisone, Salicylic Acid, Tazarotene, Triamcinolone
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Infliximab, Leflunomide, Sirolimus, Topiramate
Rosacea is a chronic disease that affects the skin and sometimes the eyes. The disorder is characterized by redness, pimples, and in advanced stages thickened skin. Rosacea usually affects the face; other parts of the upper body are only rarely involved.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Azelaic Acid, Dexamethasone, Metronidazole, Sulfacetamide, Sulfur
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Clindamycin, Doxycycline, Minocycline, Tetracycline
Scabies is a common infestation of the skin with the microscopic mite Sarcoptes scabei. It is found worldwide, and affects people of all races and social classes. Scabies spreads rapidly under crowded conditions where there is frequent skin-to-skin contact between people, such as in schools and child-care facilities.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Crotamiton, Lindane, Permethrin Cream
Off-Label Prescription Drug Breakthrough Option: Ivermectin
Sunburn results from too much sun or sun-equivalent exposure. Almost everyone has been sunburned or will become sunburned at some time. Anyone who visits a beach, goes fishing, works in the yard, or simply is out in the sun can get sunburn. Improper use of tanning beds is also an increasing cause of sunburn. Although seldom fatal, sunburn can be disabling and cause quite a bit of discomfort. Severe sunburns increase the risk of developing skin cancer.
Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation causes much of the damage after both acute and long-term exposure to the sun and is also the major cause of human skin cancer. UVB exposure initially induces an inflammatory response that has been linked to tumor formation.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Dibucaine
Off-Label Prescription Drug Breakthrough Option: Indomethacin
Urticaria, or hives as it is commonly called, is an itchy rash consisting of localized swellings of the skin that usually lasts for a few hours before fading away. When urticaria develops around loose tissues of the eyes or lips, the affected area may swell excessively. Although frightening in appearance, the swelling (called angio-oedema) goes away in 12 to 24 hours with treatment.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Astemizole, Brompheniramine, Cetirizine, Clemastine, Cyproheptadine, Desloratadine, Diphenhydramine, Fexofenadine, Loratadine, Methdilazine, Methylprednisolone, Tripelennamine
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Amitriptyline, Cimetidine, Ranitidine, Cyclosporine, Doxepin, Methotrexate, Methylprednisolone, Montelukast, Prednisolone, Prednisone
Vitiligo is a pigmentation disorder in which melanocytes (the cells that make pigment) in the skin, the mucous membranes (tissues that line the inside of the mouth and nose and genital and rectal areas) and the retina (inner layer of the eyeball) are destroyed. As a result, white patches of skin appear on different parts of the body. The hair that grows in areas affected by vitiligo usually turns white. The cause of vitiligo is not known, but doctors and researchers have several different theories.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Dihydroxyacetone, Methoxsalen, Monobenzone, Trioxsalen
Off-Label Prescription Drug Breakthrough Option: Tacrolimus
Warts are a type of infection caused by viruses in the human papillomavirus (HPV) family. There are at least 60 types of HPV viruses. Warts can grow on all parts of your body. They can grow on the skin, on the inside of the mouth, on the genitals, and in the rectal area. Some varieties of HPV tend to cause warts on the skin, while other HPV types tend to cause warts on the genitals and rectal area. Some people are more naturally resistant to the HPV viruses and do not seem to get warts as easily as other people.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Interferon Alfa-N3, Podofilox
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: 5-Fluorouracil, Cimetidine, Imiquimod
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