How skin, hair and nails grow and protect the body, and the infections, cancers and other conditions that affect them.
193 HealthJournals
Considering all the wear and tear skin gets—exposure to the elements, washing and drying, squinting and smiling—it’s remarkably resilient. The skin plays a vital role in protecting your body and you should keep it as healthy as you can. Find out how you can keep your skin healthy, what can go wrong with your skin, and get fun facts about how your skin works.
Your skin changes as you age. You might notice wrinkles, age spots, and dryness. Your skin also becomes thinner and loses fat, making it less plump and smooth. Sunlight is a major cause of skin aging, as well as lifestyle factors like smoking. Get skincare tips that can help you prevent or manage wrinkles, age spots, and dry skin—and avoid skin cancer, too.
Did you know that daily sunblock slows down aging? Skin care does more than just produce glowing faces, and it’s time for men to join the club. Read up on why men need to get on board with skin care.
The skin, hair and nails make up the integumentary system, the body's protective outer layer. The skin has three layers, the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis, held together by collagen and colored by melanin, with sweat and sebaceous glands of its own. Hair and nails are built of keratin.
Skin diseases and disorders range from common conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and hives to rare ones like epidermolysis bullosa and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Pigment disorders such as vitiligo and melasma and damage from the sun also change the skin, and cosmetic procedures range from Botox to dermal fillers.
Healthy Skin 
Skin Conditions and Disorders 
Skin Infections 
Skin Cancer 
Skin Cancer Prevention 
Skin Aging 
Diabetes and Skin Health 
Psoriasis 
Lichen Planus Pigmentosus 
Wrinkly Skin Syndrome 
Acral Peeling Skin Syndrome 
Aquagenic Pruritus 
Stiff Skin Syndrome 
Merkel Cell Carcinoma 
Cellulite 
Pressure Sores 
Rashes 
Eczema 
Lupus 
Ichthyosis Vulgaris 
Melanoma 
Wells Syndrome 
Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris 
Common Moles, Dysplastic Nevi, and Risk of Melanoma 
Chickenpox 
Aplasia Cutis Congenita 
Systemic Scleroderma 
Atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini 
Prune Belly Syndrome 
Elastoderma 
Guttate Psoriasis 
Cutis Laxa 
Pemphigus 
Tinea Versicolor 
Hives 
Acne 
Acne in Women 
Scars 
Rosacea 
Stretch Marks 
Pityriasis Lichenoides Chronica 
Dermatosparaxis Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome 
Sunburn 
Cold Urticaria 
Scleroderma 
Blisters 
Impetigo 
Giant Congenital Melanocytic Nevus 
Lipodermatosclerosis 
Corns and Calluses 
Generalized Pustular Psoriasis 
Ichthyosis 
Bruises 
Nodular Nonsuppurative Panniculitis 
Epidermolysis Bullosa 
Jaundice 
Pityriasis Lichenoides 
Granulomatous Rosacea 
Molluscum Contagiosum 
Burns 
Birthmarks 
Athlete's Foot 
Roseola 
Acanthosis Nigricans 
Hidradenitis Suppurativa 
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome 
Grover Disease 
Porphyria 
Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac Dermatitis 
Mosquito Bites 
Granuloma Annulare 
Warts 
Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome 
Kaposiform Hemangioendothelioma 
Dermatomyositis 
Wounds and Injuries 
Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex 
Dandruff, Cradle Cap, and Other Scalp Conditions 
Lichen Sclerosus Febrile Ulceronecrotic Mucha-Habermann Disease 
Kindler Epidermolysis Bullosa 
Connective Tissue Disorders 
Body Lice 
Behçet’s Disease 
Darier Disease Hair diseases and disorders affect the hair and the follicles it grows from. Hair loss takes many forms, from pattern baldness to alopecia areata and scarring alopecia. Hair can also be harmed by folliculitis, head lice, trichotillomania or cancer treatment, and rare inherited conditions include uncombable hair syndrome.
Hair Problems 
Hair Loss 
Uncombable Hair Syndrome 
Monilethrix 
Trichotillomania 
Hair Dyes and Cancer Risk 
Cicatricial Alopecia 
Menkes Disease 
Autosomal Recessive Hypotrichosis 
Folliculitis 
Androgenetic Alopecia 
Alopecia Areata 
Alopecia Universalis 
Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia 
Cancer Treatment Side Effects 
Head Lice 
Pubic Lice Nail diseases and disorders change how the nails grow, look or feel. Common ones include ingrown toenails and fungal nail infections, while rarer conditions range from yellow nail syndrome and twenty-nail dystrophy to inherited ones such as nail-patella syndrome and pachyonychia congenita. Cancer treatment can change the nails too.
Skin cancers range from melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma to Kaposi sarcoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer in children. Moles, actinic keratosis and inherited conditions such as Gorlin syndrome can raise the risk. Other topics include screening and prevention, the cancer risk of hair dyes and the nail changes of cancer treatment.
Skin Conditions and Disorders Skin Cancer 
Skin Cancer Screening Skin Cancer Prevention 
Childhood Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Melanoma Merkel Cell Carcinoma Common Moles, Dysplastic Nevi, and Risk of Melanoma 
Gorlin Syndrome Hair Dyes and Cancer Risk 
Kaposi Sarcoma 
Skin and Nail Changes During Cancer Treatment 
Becker's Nevus Cancer Treatment Side Effects 
Actinic Keratosis 
Intraocular (Uveal) Melanoma Skin, hair and nail infections come from bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Bacterial ones include cellulitis, boils and staph infections, while fungi cause ringworm, athlete's foot and fungal nail infections. Viruses bring shingles, chickenpox and fever blisters, and parasites bring scabies and lice.
Skin Infections Pressure Sores Tinea Versicolor 
Boils 
Cellulitis 
Flea Bites 
Ringworm 
Ringworm in Pets Folliculitis Athlete's Foot 
Fever Blisters 
Scabies 
Mastitis 
Group A Streptococcal Infections 
Jock Itch 
Familial Candidiasis 
Crusted Scabies 
Measles 
Rubella 
Diabetes and Foot Problems 
Fungal Nail Infections 
Buruli Ulcer 
Swimmer's Itch 
Smallpox 
Shingles 
Staphylococcal Infections Chickenpox Head Lice Body Lice Pubic Lice 
Fungal Infections 
Babesiosis 
Tick Bites 
Insect Bites and Stings 
Animal Bites 
Fifth Disease 
Viral Infections Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac Dermatitis Skin conditions differ with age and skin type. In babies and children they range from newborn jaundice, diaper care and infantile hemangioma to fifth disease, measles, Kawasaki disease and childhood melanoma, while skin aging brings its own changes later in life.
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