The 5 Commonest American Skin Disorder

While anyone irrespective of your geographical location can be affected with some form of skin disorder, these are the commonest skin horror of most Americans  according to Dr. Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas, assistant clinical professor at Yale University School of Medicine.

Acne
Eczema
Seborrheic dermatitis
Skin cancer

1. Acne
Acne is a skin disorder that causes pimples when the passageway that connects the skin’s pores to the oil glands becomes clogged.
Acne, which appears most often on the face, neck, shoulders, chest and back, can come in many forms. Whiteheads and blackheads are the most commonly known; nodular and cystic acne are more severe because they form deep in the skin and can cause scars.
Eighty percent of Americans will have acne at some point in their lives, and 60 percent will continue to experience it into adulthood.
Factors like heredity and hormone can play a role in developing acne, but Alexiades-Armenakas said that hormones are the most important factor.
"In both men and women, the reason it peaks in the teenage years is because growth hormone is released at a very high frequency," Alexiades-Armenakas said. "Production really spikes and valleys in the course of a day, and this surging of the growth hormone is why acne is most severe in the teenage years."
2. Eczema
 There are three common forms of eczema:
— Atopic dermatitis is the most common and is seen most often in children. One to three percent of adults compared to 10 to 20 percent of children have this long-term genetic disease, which causes itchy rashes on the elbows and behind the knees.
— Allergic contact dermatitis begins to show in adulthood and is caused by environmental factors such as cosmetic agents, fragrances and the metals in jewelry.
— Nummular dermatitis looks like red and flaky coin-shaped patches of skin and is due to dry skin. This can be very itchy.
"In all cases, what you want to do is moisturize the skin, build up the skin barrier and avoid drying out the skin," Alexiades-Armenakas said. "And then, usually, we use corticosteroids for these conditions."
3. Seborrheic Dermatitis
Seborrheic dermatitis, which causes oily, waxy patches to develop on the scalp, is distinct from other forms of dermatitis.
4. Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, one million people are diagnosed with skin cancer annually, and 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.
Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the most common types of skin cancer. But 75 percent of skin cancer deaths are from melanoma, the third most common form.
Alexiades-Armenakas said that sun damage is on a spectrum with skin cancer because excessive exposure to ultraviolet light is a leading cause and requires physicians to be well-versed in treating it early.
Genetics play more of a role in basal cell and melanoma than in squamos cell, which is due to sun exposure.
5. Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic and disfiguring genetic disease. It is a buildup of excess skin tissue that looks red and thick and is covered with silvery scales. It first appears on the elbows and knees, but can spread to other parts of the limbs and even the trunk. Certain forms affect particular areas like the hands, scalp or the joints.

If you suspect you have any of these conditions, see a dermatologist or an organic skin care specialist immediately for treatment options.
Read also,What is atopic dermatitis( eczema)