Cuts, blemishes and rashes are getting more attention these days, amidst news reports of skin infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria. Parents who see a pimple or scrape on their kids don’t know whether to see a doctor or simply apply ointment and bandages.
The Web site VisualDxHealth can help. The “Dx” in the name stands for “diagnosis,” and the site offers hundreds of medical pictures of skin lesions, including images of the infection now making headlines, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. Particularly useful are several images of cellulitis, a hard-to-describe infection of the deeper skin tissue also linked to Staph and Streptococcus infections. The timely images of bacterial infections are just a start. The site contains pictures of every imaginable skin problem, including poison ivy rash, the telltale bull’s-eye of Lyme disease, warts, risky moles, abscesses and numerous other lesions.
Users can look up a specific disease or simply click on a body part of a man, woman, child or baby to see what type of skin problems commonly afflict different areas of the body. Links next to each image offer extra information, including detailed advice about when to seek medical care for various problems.
If medical pictures make you queasy, this site isn’t for you. But for people who have a concern about their skin, these pictures are worth far more than words alone.
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14 Comments
And then to know that the skin is the body’s largest organ.
To better keep us and our body safe and healthy,our skin is constantly regenerating itself.The role of our skin is to protect us from germs and infections.
Gosh,looking at those pictures is a hair/skin raising issue!
— RJH de la Hayeok
— douglas macraeThanks for the tip! Terrific site. Bookmarked it.
— MARK KLEIN, M.D.My skin has always been pretty healthy, but until about three years ago once in a while I had had little clusters of ring-worm (eeyeooww!) when I haven’t paid attention, crusty patches of skin, and cracking of dry areas of callous areas of my feet and around my finger tips, especially in the winter. I’m also 62 and my skin, in general is naturally less supple than when I was 25.
About three years ago because of a week’s stay with friends, I started using a “scrunchy” and liquid soap instead of a wash cloth & Dove when I showered. My skin felt better and seemed to be in better shape! But the cracks still appeared and there was something scratchy about the scrunchy.
A year ago I bought a natural boar-bristle, wooden scrub brush with a wooden handle so my wife could scratch her back. It hung in the shower.
One day while I was in the shower, the brush fell off the handle (they were made to separate) AND my scrunchy wasn’t in sight. I soaped up the brush and used it instead. Since then, I use the brush in the shower exclusively, from the soles of my feet to my face, neck and ears, every day. I finish off with a generic brand of cocoa butter cream. Once in a while I use olive oil and towel it off.
My skin feels more robust and healthier than ever — at least since I was 25 — crusty patches are gone, only occasional cracks and I seem to feel better in general.
Who can I tell about the brush?!
— Uses a BrushThanks for the great link. I’ll be sure to pass it along.
— SarahThe Web site VisualDxHealth is useful and informative. Thanks.
— Kevin ShumWow, great link. Lot of good information.
— BeckyThanks!
this was intresting yet disgusting but thanx for the imformation!
— gisellewow this was very intelligent and helpful i am so glad that i had read this it was great help! i’ll be sure to pass it along thanx a bunddle!
— giselleMy husband contracted MRSA (he is a corrections officer in a prison). After about a year he developed cellulitis EXACTLY like in the picture on his leg — his “knowledgable” (NOT!!)GP said it was “nothing”. The second time it appeared,they told him to go to a dermatologist — I found these pics, sent him to MY MD and thankfully got him correctly diagnosed and treated. All because I had the proof of VisualDXhealth - thanks so much!!!!
From TPP — that’s great. glad it helped.
— serahI don’t know…
As a health science student, I can see both sides to this. It is incredibly necessary for patients to be their own health advocates, and health knowledge is a key resource in making that a possibility.
But, it’s important to know that diagnoses of skin diseases are some of the trickiest to make. People should never self-diagnose, especially when comparing skin lesions to (pretty gross) online pictures.
— Jessicahahahaha i was doing a prject on this and i bout threw up reading it
— autumn parrisThank you so much for posting the link! I’ve been looking for something like this all over the net and have not been able to find anything like the link you’ve provided.
Thanks again.
— SashaMy son has had juvenile diabetes for the last 2 years. We can not figure out why he breaks out in hives at night. He starts itching on his back and breaks out with these red, rasied brush like marks (or scratch like blisters ) that do not go away from lotions or cream. What is it?
— Wendy Boliver