My Skin, My Health

S unburn is the skin's reaction to too much sun exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. You can see sunlight and feel the heat (infrared radiation), but you can't see or feel UV radiation. It can damage your skin even on cool, cloudy days.  Sunburn is inflamed, painful skin that feels hot to the touch. It often appears within a few hours of being in the sun too long.  You can get sunburn relief with simple self-care measures such as taking pain relievers and cooling the skin. But it may take days for the sunburn to fade. Preventing sunburn year-round by wearing sunscreen or using other skin-protection habits is important for everyone. It is especially important when you're outdoors, even on cool or cloudy days.  Although it may seem like a temporary condition, sunburn can cause long-lasting damage to the skin.  The long-term effects of repeated bouts of sunburn include premature wrinkling and an increased risk of skin cancer, including melanoma (the most dangerous ty...

    PSORIASIS, AN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE P soriasis is a skin disease that results from a faulty immune system. Instead of only targeting viruses and bacteria, your immune system turns on healthy tissue. It attacks your skin, which speeds up how quickly your skin cells multiply. Skin usually takes a month to grow and fall off. With psoriasis, the process takes only 3 or 4 days. Skin cells build up, causing thick, red patches called plaques. They’re often covered in white or silvery scales. Although plaques and scales can grow anywhere, they’re most common on your knees, elbows, and scalp. It can be painful, interfere with sleep, and make it hard to concentrate. Common triggers in people with a genetic predisposition to psoriasis include infections, cuts or burns, and certain medications. Psoriasis usually first appears in young adults.  Once you have psoriasis, you’ll deal with the condition for the rest of your life . Most of the time, the disease flares up for a...