Cases of skin diseases on the rise in Delhi as temperature soars - India Today

It is hot outside! Not just summer related gastrointestinal diseases, sweltering heat also brings along skin diseases. As temperature is set to further increase in the coming days, the autoimmune skin disease called skin lupus and fungal infections, allergies, sun burn, tanning, rashes and pigmentation will also start to shoot up.

There's been an alarming increase of skin diseases in the city. In hospitals, around 40 to 50 per cent of OPD patients are those suffering from skin illness, sun burn, fungal and bacterial infections. At the rheumatology department All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), doctors are witnessing many patients suffering from Lupus or Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

SKIN CONDITION

There's a difference between autoimmune skin disease and normal skin condition. (Prof) Dr Uma Kumar, head of rheumatology department at AIIMS explained how autoimmune skin disease differs from another normal skin condition.

"In our rheumatology department, most of the patients are referred from dermatology unit. Autoimmune skin diseases are more critical. Patients suffer from fever, rashes and this affects major organs like brain and kidneys. It can increase the risk of fatality. The UV rays triggers the disease and it gets worsened in summers which cause viral infections, to the person who is genetically pre-disposed. The legions appear on the face, neck and hands or the parts of the body which is exposed to sun," said Dr Kumar.

Patients with skin condition that do not include risk of life are consulted by dermatologists, she added.

PATIENT UPSURGE

Dr SC Bharija, chairman of Dermatology department at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital said that sun burn and sun tanning are the two main type of disease that pop up in the hot temperature. Many people are also diagnosed with photo dermatitis and pigmentation problems.

"Indian skin is more vulnerable to UVA rays than UVB rays and the most common problem is pigmentation among patients. UVB rays are responsible for causing sun tanning and skin burn reactions due to prolonged exposure to heat. People with fairer skin are at larger risk. As of now, we are treating about 40 to 50 per cent of patients with serious skin illness," said Dr Bharija adding that the disease trend is likely to increase in the coming hot days.

Another group of patients are those who suffer from fungal and bacterial infections. People who have diabetes are more prone to eczema.

Dr Vijay Singhal, senior consultant at dermatology division at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute informed: "There is an increase of around 30 per cent in patients suffering from fungal and bacterial infections such as tinea cruris, pityriasis versicolor and these are communicable diseases. It is a direct result of the increased summer heat and sweating. Boils, a bacterial disease and miliaria caused by sweat and heat rash are very common this time."

DRUG RESISTANCE

"One of the reasons for rise in infections is use of over-thecounter steroid anti-fungal creams. Inadvertent use of these creams has made the fungal infection recalcitrant to treatment. Currently, we need to give higher doses of oral anti-fungal medications for longer duration to treat fungal infections,"said Dr Anu Jain, dermatologist at Fortis Hospital,Shalimar Bagh.

"But rise in resistance to oral medicines is a matter of concern for us," she added.

BE CAUTIOUS

Doctors advise people to wear loosely-fitted clothes, stay in cool airy areas, wipe up the sweat fast, keep the hair dryer on a cool mode.

"Keep wiping off the sweat time and again, especially from the feet and groin areas, and have frequent baths so as to keep your body cool. Keep your skin clean and dry. One must consume lot of liquids and eat fresh fruits to stay hydrated and cool this season," said Dr DM Mahajan, Apollo Hospital adding that a person should cover his/her face while going out in sun and use sun block cream.

The sun can be harsh but do not use self-medication and never stop treatment without consulting your doctor.

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