Recent News and Articles on the Keywords: skin + problems + cancer  Related to the article below (Last Update: 8/7/2008)

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Skin

Q: My 17-year-old son was at a dermatologist recently and was told he has non-specific dermatitis on his hands. The finger pads are extremely painful, a bit scaly, smooth to the point of losing his fingerprint impression, and appear to lack fluid (the pads are very flat especially on the thumbs). The ointment, Lidox, hasn't helped. Could soaking or anti-fungal spray help? With what type of doctor should he follow up? He's getting quite discouraged. This started about five weeks ago, but he hesitated about seeing a doctor thinking it would go away. The doctor he saw asked if it itched (it doesn't) but may not have realized how much pain there is! Thank you for your help! - Woodinville

A: Without really knowing what your child has, the only other thing I would recommend is good skin hydration like Eucerin or Aveeno lotion. From your description, it doesn't sound like an anti-fungal spray would work. For discouraging rashes, most pediatricians would refer you to a dermatologist, which your son has already seen. Try following up with the dermatologist again or ask him to refer you to another dermatologist if you are interested in a second opinion.

Q: My daughter is 3 years old and still has cradle cap (flaky, scaly, dry scalp). What are the best remedies, and should we be concerned? It does not bother her. - Seattle

A: Cradle cap is sometimes helped by using mineral oil massaged into the scalp about one half hour before washing the hair, then scrubbing the scalp fairly vigorously when washing. If that doesn't help, consider an anti-dandruff shampoo, such as Selsun Blue.

Q: My 6 month old is just getting over a bad case of chickenpox. He's got eczema as well (poor kid!). My question is whether I can use vitamin E oil to help repair the skin and minimize scarring. Or is he too young? - Seattle

A: Sorry he has chickenpox - that is unusual for someone of his age at this point in time with the vaccines available. But to answer your question: He is definitely not too young to use vitamin E oil to help the skin repair. There will not be any or much scarring as long as he doesn't itch too much.

Q: My 2-year-old grandson has bright red cheeks and also a red area on an arm and leg. It started two weeks ago and comes and goes. No fever, no itch, no other symptoms. The 9-month-old started having bright red cheeks a few days ago. It comes and goes, but is not related to going outside or anything. They both have had throat and ear infections recently. What is causing redness and what should we do? - Shoreline

A: While a few diseases can actually cause what you are describing, it is very unusual for them to present on and off for two weeks, so it is more likely that he has "contact dermatitis" - meaning something in contact with his skin is causing this. The contact can be things you cannot see - cold air, cling-free stuff in the dryer, new soaps, detergents, bubble bath. What you really need is a detective as opposed to a physician. However, in the absence of being able to figure it out, you can usually make the redness much less (if it is annoying the child) by using Cortaid - or other over-the-counter hydrocortisone preparations.

Q: My 10-year-old son has little white bumps, like whiteheads, on his face, under his chin and on his chest. This has been going on for at least two years. Our family doctor said it is just a virus, and has tried burning off the biggest ones on his chest. They take a long time to go away, then new ones appear. I have never seen another child with this before. Could it be a reaction to the chewable vitamin C tablet he takes daily? Thank you for your opinion. - Kirkland

A: It is definitely not from the vitamin C tablets. What your physician MAY be thinking of is "molluscum" -- look that up on GOOGLE and see if it looks like what HIS looks like. In that case, they DO last a long time. They are a relative of the wart. A pediatric dermatologist could help further clarify this.

Q: My daughter woke up with rash on her face, which is also kind of puffy. That is her only symptom, no aches, fever, swollen glands, or anything else. What do you think this is? - Kenmore

A: I have a rule - never diagnose a rash on the telephone (or by e-mail). If there's no fever, and no other symptoms, it is probably viral. If anything else changes, she should be evaluated to be sure she is not contagious to others.

Q: I have a 13-month-old daughter and she seems to get yeast infections on her bottom frequently. After a bowel movement her bottom will get very irritated and then a yeast infection will develop. Her pediatrician recommended using clotrimazole. The cream seems to clear the infection up after a few days, but another one will develop. Is there something else I should be doing or could it be something in her diet? - Seattle

A: It is uncommon for babies to get recurrent yeast without being on antibiotics. One of the questions is if Mom has yeast as a source of the recurrence. Talk to your physician about both of you taking a short course of Diflucan. Diet is unrelated!

Q: My 22-month-old baby has had a diaper rash for three weeks. We tried hydrocortisone as the doctor told us but it did not help. Is there anything else that can help my daughter get over that rash? - Bothell

A: If the hydrocortisone did not work, it may be a yeast infection needing a prescription medication. You should also keep it as dry as possible by using a medicated cornstarch product.

Q: My 6-year-old daughter frequently complains of soreness on her bottom and/or genital area. The areas are often red, so I usually treat them with A&D Ointment after she bathes. I suspect she is not wiping correctly but am wondering if allergies could be in play here? - Seattle

A: There are a number of reasons for a sore bottom. It could be that she is not wiping completely, but few girls do. Soaps and bubble bath can be irritating, so a bath with minimal soap - but lots of soaking - is an idea. Loose clothes and not sleeping in underwear is useful to "air out" her parts. Pinworms can cause itching and redness around the anus or vagina and are frequently impossible to see in her stools or on her bottom. They crawl out of the anus at night and lay eggs which causes itching. They are about 1/4-inch long, and there is an effective medicine for them. Masturbating, which all kids do, can also cause irritation. She could be sensitive to your laundry detergent or laundry additives.

Q: Over the past eight to 10 months or so, my 17- almost 18-year-old son has had problems with his skin breaking out (not huge epidemics of acne, just unpleasant boil-y looking pimples). He pretends this doesn't bother him, but he washes his face a lot, maybe two or three times in an evening when his skin has broken out. I thought skin problems were more common in earlier adolescence (his skin was fine ages 12-17). Also, does washing his face - he uses plain old soap and water - aggravate or help? We eat a very healthy diet, lots of fruits and vegetables, and have always done, so I can't point to any changes to what he's eating. - Seattle

A: There are advantages to acne-specific soaps over ordinary soaps, so he should use these. He should also be using topical creams on his face or where the acne is. Over-the-counter creams containing benzyl peroxide may be helpful. Also, there are prescription creams, gels and washes that may work better. He may be a candidate for either an antibiotic cream or perhaps a pill to eliminate the acne. You should consult his doctor if over-the-counter remedies are not working. He is not too old to be getting acne. People into their 20s still suffer from acne.

Q: I have an 11-month-old granddaughter with eczema. She scratches so much at night we cover her hands, or her skin would be raw. She is better if we use the cortisone 1 percent, but we are concerned about the long-term effects of that on thinning her skin and the systemic effects. Is there any other way to control the itching, especially at night? She wakes up itching and needs to nurse to go back to sleep. Her parents have her sleep with them so they can comfort her and keep her hands covered and keep her from rubbing her head on the linens, etc. She was tested for allergies at about 7 months and found to be allergic to dairy, wheat, etc., so her mother has been avoiding all of those items in her diet. She continues to breastfeed. Is there a pediatric doctor who specializes in this area? Should we be taking her to the Mayo clinic? Would it be better to stop breastfeeding? If so, what type of milk would you recommend? Any chance she will outgrow her allergies and eczema? - Bellevue

A: Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, can be miserable. I would not be worried about the systemic effects of 1 percent hydrocortisone cream since there is minimal absorption. However, there are prescription creams and ointments that work the same and are not steroids: Elidil or Protopic. Have her parents ask the baby's doctor about these. Sometimes the baby needs even stronger steroid creams on the most involved area applied to the worst areas only.

Benadryl, Claritin, or a prescription antihistamine called Zyrtec or Atarax could be used to suppress her itching. These are all liquid antihistamines that block itching, and the Benadryl and Atarax also make the person sleepy so should be used at night. If she has food allergies, which are hard to test for at her age, then breast milk is good for her. However, if mom is eating or drinking the foods she is allergic to - like milk or even perhaps nuts - then she may have an eczema flare-up since cow's milk protein can be in the mom's milk. So mom should avoid dairy. It may be that she is not allergic to any foods but just has eczema. Also, avoid any chemical exposure to her skin, such as fabric softeners or any laundry additives, and use laundry soap without fragrance. She may need more bathing or less bathing, but avoid any soaps with fragrance. A good soap for her skin would be Cetaphil. Good luck.

Answers provided by pediatricians affiliated with the Washington state chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics during the Feb. 2, 2005, pediatric hotline. Answers are for information purposes only and aren't intended to supplant the physician-patient relationship or a professional medical examination. You should talk with your doctor if you have questions or concerns about your health or the health of a child.