Anti Aging Skin Care » Skin Infections » Viral Skin Infection

Viral Skin Infection

1. Herpes Simplex
   Herpes simplex virus (HSV) also known as cold sore, night fever, or fever blister. There are eight known types of HSV, out of which two are most common type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2). Type 1 virus infects the lips and face, while type 2 viruses infects on the genitals. This is a contagious infection. An infection on lips is often known as "cold sore" or "fever blister". This viral infection may occur once or can reoccur again.

   Symptoms of herpes simplex includes that it begins with a group of small red bumps that blister. Sometimes it itches and feels burning of the area. Later the blisters begin to dry up and form a yellow crust. The crust then falls off and also the redness slowly goes away. This whole process will take about 10-14 days.

   Treatment: Oral anti-viral medications such as acyclovir (Zovirax), famciclovir (Famvir), valacyclovir (Valtrex), and pencyclovir are used to treat herpes. Acyclovir was the original and prototypical member of this class. While valacyclovir and famcyclovir are the prodrugs of acyclovir and pencyclovir respectively, with improved oral bioavailability. It also available in the form of creams, but try to avoid it because it only shortens an outbreak from 14 days to 12-13 days and it is expensive.
   Polysporin ointment twice a day can be used to prevent bacterial infection.
   Wash the area with mild soaps.

2. Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
   Herpes zoster is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. After the chickenpox is over, the virus becomes dormant in the body. Herpes zoster occurs due to the reactivation of the chikenpox virus. The cause of reemerging of the virus is unknown but it is linked to aging, stress or an impaired immune system.

   The symptoms of herpes zoster or shingles includes that it begins with red patches that lead to blisters and sores on the skin. These rashes are often painful. As the virus travels along the nerve to get to the skin it only affects one side of the body or face during an outbreak. If the nerve branch that supplies the eye is get involved, then the forehead, nose, and eyelids may also be affected. Sores on the nose are the signal for possible eye involvement.

   Treatment for herpes zoster includes anti-viral, pain and anti-inflammatory medications. If the eye is get affected it is treated with anti-fungal eye drops. Antiboitics are used in the form of cream or by mouth. Sometimes herpes zoster may require surgery.

3. Warts
   Warts are the type of viral infection caused by the viruses in the human papillomavirus (HPV) family. There are more than 100 types of HPV viruses present. Warts can appear on all parts of your body such as on your skin, on the inside of your mouth, on your genitals and on your rectal area. But usually warts appear on the fingers, hands, and feet. Generally warts are painless with the exception of the warts on the soles of the feet. Warts are contagious and can pass from one person to another.

   Following are some types of warts:

   • Common Warts: Common warts generally found on fingers, hands, elbows, knees. Its symptoms include a small; hard bump that's dome-shaped, grayish-brown and rough surface.
   • Foot Warts: Also called as planter warts, appears as the flat growths on the bottom of the foot with black dots (blood vessels feeding them). Clusters of plantar warts are called mosaic warts and are extremely painful.
   • Flat Warts: flat warts or juvenile warts appears as the size of a pinhead, and are smoother with flat tops. It may look pink, light brown, or yellow in color. Most oftenly found on children's faces, but can also grow on arms, knees, or hands. It grows in groups of 20 to 100 at a time.
   • Genital Warts: This is found on the genitals. These warts are soft and not having a rough surface like other common warts.
   • Filiform Warts: These warts appears as a finger shape, and are usually flesh-colored. It usually found on or around the mouth, eyes, or nose.
   Treatment for warts include the prescription medications to put on the wart, burning the wart off using a light electrical current, freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen, laser treatment which works very well for plantar warts or other warts that are more difficult to remove.

4. Molluscum Contagiosum
   Molluscum contagiosum is viral infection caused by the poxvirus. This kind of infection is common in childrens and in patients with HIV infection.

   The symptoms of molluscum contagiosum include smooth flesh-color, dome-shape, umbilicated papules with a central keratotic plug (Figure 18), which usually resolve spontaneously, but often persist in immunocompromised patients.

   Treatment for molluscum contagiosum may not be necessary, but if indicated, it is similar to the modalities outlined for warts.