Consultation is offered for all skin, hair & nail diseases, with special focus on children. What follows is a
representative list of some common skin conditions with which Dr. Rushika Gadani can help you:
SKIN CONDITIONS:
SKIN INFECTIONS: The causes and manifestations of infections can be varied.
BACTERIAL SKIN INFECTIONS may present at large or small painful red bumps, usually with pus, on the skin.
Common examples of VIRAL SKIN INFECTIONS include viral warts, chicken pox and herpes.
FUNGAL SKIN INFECTIONS are common in hot and humid weather, and include
ringworm.
ACNE VULGARIS, also known as pimples, is an almost universal problem of teenagers,
but nowadays is also commonly seen in adults. Acne can range in severity from tiny
zits to large, red and painful inflamed bumps. It can affect not just the face, but also
the chest and back. A sizeable number of acne patients – especially females – may
have hormonal issues at the core of the problem, which requires early diagnosis and
treatment. The consequences of acne include dark spots and post-acne scars.
ECZEMA refers to an itchy skin condition caused by inflammation of skin. It may involve any part of the body and is usually aggravated by dryness and frequent washing.
SKIN ALLERGIES may manifest as eczema, red rashes, swollen wheals or even simple
itching without any visible skin lesions. Allergies may be due to food, chemicals or plants
that come in contact with the skin or pollutants in the air.
DRUG REACTIONS are a very specific form of allergy that may manifest in the skin as
itching, wheals, dark spots or blisters.
PSORIASIS is a specific inflammatory skin disease which causes the skin cells to multiple
very rapidly. Red, scaly, thick patches of skin are a hallmark. The disease can also involve
the scalp, palms, soles, nails and joints. It is not an infectious disease.
VITILIGO – also known in lay language as white dots or leucoderma – is a disease in
which the patient develops small or large white spots on skin. It occurs when the colour-
producing cells of the skin – the melanocytes – are inactivated. It is not an infectious
disease.
DARK PIGMENTATION over the skin may be the end result of other skin conditions, or
may happen as a result of hormonal disturbances, vitamin deficiencies, sun exposure or
allergy to chemicals
MOLES are common growths of the colour-producing cells of the skin that may appear
at any age. With increasing age, one may develop small or large fleshy overgrowths of
skin, especially on the neck or armpits. These are known as SKIN TAGS.
CORNS AND CALLOSITIES are common painful thickened spots appearing on the
pressure points on the soles.
MOUTH ULCERS
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES treated by the Dermatologist commonly include
herpes genitalis (herpes of the genitals), genital warts and fungal infections.
HAIR CONDITIONS:
ALOPECIA AREATA (known locally as ‘undari’ in Gujarati) refers to sudden loss of round
patches of hair. It can even affect eyebrows, eyelashes, beard hair and body hair.
DANDRUFF is an exceedingly common hair related problem characterized by greasy white scaling in the scalp which is usually itchy. It may lead to hair fall.
HAIR LOSS IN MALES: Male pattern baldness or common baldness typically results
in a receding hair line and baldness on the top of the head. It happens as a result of
excessive sensitivity of the hair follicles to testosterone
HAIR LOSS IN FEMALES: Causes of hair loss in females are more varied. Female pattern
baldness typically results in apparent broadening of the hair parting, expanding size
of the forehead and thinning down of the plait or ponytail. The causes are usually
hormonal. Other common causes of diffuse hair loss or excessive hair fall in ladies
include iron and vitamin deficiencies, post delivery hair loss, thyroid diseases and
excessive chemical treatment of hair.
NAIL CONDITIONS:
Fungal infections of the nails result in thickened, brittle and opaque nails.
Redness, swelling, and pain of the skin folds around the nails indicate an infection caused by bacteria.
Nutrient deficiencies may cause easy breakage.
Red, white or black spots appearing on the nails may be due to a variety of underlying
causes.
Many skin diseases also involve the nails apart from skin lesions.
PEDIATRIC DERMATOLOGY:
Includes treatment of skin conditions of children ranging from newborn up to 18 years
of age.
In general, a large number of skin diseases that affect adults can also occur in children,
but the major difference lies in how they appear on the skin and how they affect the
child. They require special attention because the child’s skin is not as fully developed
as the adult and demands a more careful use of medications. Also, a very young child
is unable to express himself/herself and important signs of diseases may be missed.
Moreover, a visible skin condition in a child may have an impact on his/her self-
perception, psychology and peer interaction.
NEWBORN CHILDREN may suffer from a variety of skin rashes, including heat rashes,
fungal infections and eczema.
ATOPIC DERMATITIS is an increasingly common skin disease nowadays. It is
characterized by generalized dry skin along with periodic appearance of intensely itchy,
red and dry skin patches. It is basically a disease of hypersensitive and dry skin, which
a majority of children tend to outgrow. It is usually associated with a tendency towards
frequent coughs and colds.
GENETIC SKIN DISEASES and BIRTHMARKS – though rarer overall – usually present for
the first time during childhood.
When you come for your appointment please remember to obtain and bring the following:
Referral letter from GP, family physician or other doctor
Details regarding any prior treatment taken for the skin disease
Details regarding any other – non-skin – diseases that you suffer from, including past
and current medications and any laboratory reports
