Skin Conditions

Skin conditions range from mild annoyances (pimples, prickly heat) to serious diseases (severe psoriasis, skin cancer, leprosy, drug reactions). Some are very common in India, some are often misdiagnosed, and a few are dangerous if missed.

Very common in India

• Fungal infections (tinea/ringworm) — widespread, often steroid-aggravated. See Tinea Infections and Rashes.
• Acne — see Acne.
• Eczema — see Eczema.
• Melasma and pigmentation changes — see Skin Pigmentation Disorders.
• Hair problems and dandruff — see Hair Problems, Dandruff.
• Scabies, head lice, impetigo in crowded settings — see their pages.
• Prickly heat in hot-humid months.

Important to recognise

• Leprosy — pale or reddish patches with loss of sensation (don't feel pin or temperature), sometimes thickened nerves. Still a real diagnosis in parts of India. Free, effective multi-drug treatment is available at government health facilities.
• Skin cancer — rarer in Indian skin than European, but not zero. New, changing, bleeding, or asymmetric moles need a dermatologist. See Melanoma and Moles.
• Stevens–Johnson syndrome / TEN — peeling skin + mouth/eye sores after a new drug — emergency.
• Cellulitis / erysipelas — spreading warm red painful area with fever — needs antibiotics urgently.
• Autoimmune connective-tissue rashes (lupus, dermatomyositis, scleroderma) — don't respond to over-the-counter creams.

The over-the-counter steroid-cream problem

• Combinations like clobetasol + gentamicin + tolnaftate + miconazole (often sold as "itch", "fairness" or "infection" creams) are the single biggest driver of skin harm in Indian clinics today.
• They give false, brief improvement in fungal, acne, and pigmentation — then cause steroid dependence, thinning, burning, rebound flare, and widespread resistant tinea.
• If a cream gives "instant relief" from anything — stop and see a dermatologist.

When to see a doctor

• A rash that doesn't improve in 2 weeks.
• A mole that is growing, irregular, bleeding, or new after age 30.
• A "patch" with loss of sensation.
• A rash with fever, peeling, or mouth/eye sores.
• Any skin change in an immunocompromised person (HIV, transplant, chemotherapy).