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Alopecia is a general term used for hair loss of any kind. Alopecia areata is a name given to a particular type of hair loss. It is usually associated with small, coin-size, bald patches. It affects 1% of the population and is often seen in children and young adults.  It can affect any race and any skin type. Most patients have small patches but in some the condition can be more extensive causing significant hair loss. It can be a very distressing condition to develop because of the cosmetic embarrassment it causes. Many patients experience significant psychological stress.

A basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the commonest type of skin cancer. They are sometimes referred to as ‘rodent ulcers’ and account for about 80% of all skin cancers in the UK. There are number of different subtypes of BCC, and the treatment depends on the subtype. A Nodular BCC presents as a slow growing nodule and is the commonest form of BCC, accounting for about 60% of all cases.

This is a benign overgrowth of fibrous tissue in the deeper layer of the skin called the dermis.

A melanocytic naevus is the medical term for a mole. The word ‘melanocytic’ means that they are made up of the cells situated deeper in the skin (melanocytes) which produce the dark pigment (melanin) that gives the skin its colour. Melanocytes can cluster together to form a clear-coloured skin lesion, or a pigmented lesion depending on how much melanin they produce. In other words, moles are benign (harmless) groups of melanocytes. Some moles (congenital melanocytic naevi) are present at birth. Most develop during childhood and early adult life (acquired melanocytic naevi). Almost everyone has moles. Many people have between 30 and 50, or more. Many spontaneously disappear later in adult life. Moles can be found anywhere on the skin, including on the hands and feet, genitals, eyes and scalp. Most people who develop moles do not develop skin cancer.

Bowen’s disease or Squamous cell carcinoma in situ, is a growth of sun-damaged cells that is confined to the surface layers of the skin. They present as itchy scaly areas of skin. They may be single or multiple. There is a small risk of a type of skin cancer called Squamous Cell Carcinoma which may develop in areas of Bowen’s disease, but this risk is very small and affects less than 3-5% of patients.

Also known as contact eczema, is inflammation of the skin caused by direct contact with a with something in the environment. This can be caused by one thing or a mixture of things especially when it comes to hand dermatitis. This is the most common cause of occupational skin conditions very common in cleaners, health care workers, food industry and hairdressers.

A cyst is a closed sac (think of a pea with a shell) that has two main features:

• A lining or cyst wall
• Contents that are liquid or semi-solid

Both types of cyst contain a cheesy material that can have a slight odour. They are made up of keratin, one of the proteins that makes up the outer layer of the skin. Pilar and epidermoid cysts are still occasionally known as sebaceous cysts, but this is a historical term that should no longer be used. Epidermoid and pilar cysts are common, not cancerous and not contagious.

Eczema is a very common skin condition due to skin inflammation. Eczema (or inflammation of the skin) can affect anyone at any time in their lives. One in every five children in the UK is affected by eczema at some stage. It may also start later in life in people who did not have Atopic Eczema as a child. Eczema’ is a term which comes from the Greek word ‘to boil’ and is used to describe red, dry, itchy skin which can sometimes become weeping, blistered, crusted, scaling and thickened.

Folliculitis is the name given to inflammation of the hair follicles, which results in red, tender spots, often with pustules on the surface of the skin. It can affect anywhere where hair grows, such as the back, chest, buttocks, arms and legs.

Melanoma in situ is the very earliest stage of a skin cancer called melanoma. ‘In situ’ is Latin for ‘in space’. It means that the cancer cells have not had the opportunity to spread to anywhere else in the body. About 7,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with melanoma each year. The word ‘melanoma’ comes from the Greek word ‘melas’, meaning black. Melanin is the pigment that gives the skin its natural colour. Melanin is made in the skin by pigment cells called melanocytes. After our skin is exposed to sunlight, the melanocytes make more melanin, and so the skin becomes darker.

Psoriasis is a common skin disease affecting 1 in 50 people. It occurs equally in men and women. It can appear at any age. Psoriasis is a long-term condition which may come and go throughout your lifetime. It is not infectious; therefore, you cannot catch psoriasis from someone else. It does not scar the skin although sometimes it can cause a temporary increase or reduction in skin colour. Although psoriasis is a long-term condition there are many effective treatments available to keep it under good control. Psoriasis can affect the nails and the joints as well as the skin. Psoriatic arthritis produces swelling and stiffness in the joints or stiffness in the lower back and should be managed by a rheumatologist who works closely with your dermatologist and/or your GP.

Rosacea is a common skin condition, that predominantly affects fair-skinned individuals aged 30 to 60 years of age. Rosacea usually develops on the central face but can occur at other sites including around the eyes (periocular rosacea), around the mouth (perioral rosacea), scalp and occasionally the chest. It is occasionally localised to one side of the face. It can present suddenly at any time of life and resolve with treatment. In others it can be a chronic condition with repeated flares requiring maintenance treatments. The clinical features include redness of the affected skin on the cheeks, forehead, chin and nose, that can be slightly itchy, and is often followed by the development of small, red, inflamed spots. In more persistent cases the redness becomes more fixed and can be accompanied by dilated superficial blood vessels called telangiectasia. Some patients also develop inflammation of their eyelids (blepharitis) and slight redness of the conjunctiva of the eyes. Eye symptoms are often subtle but some patients have severe blepharitis.

Seborrhoeic keratoses (also known as seborrhoeic warts or basal cell papillomas) are raised warty non-cancerous growths of the surface layers of the skin that develop as we get older. They vary in colour and are usually light to dark brown. They look as though they have been “stuck on” the top of the skin. The most common sites to develop seborrhoeic keratoses are the areas where we get the most sun exposure over our lifetime such as the face, scalp, chest and back. Whilst some patients develop a single seborrheic keratosis it is very common for patients to develop multiple seborrheic keratoses.

Solar keratosis (also known as Actinic keratosis) are patches of dry, scaly skin, which may cause itching and irritation. They commonly occur on the scalp, face, ears, forearms, and back of the hands. They are very commonly seen on the scalp in men who have hair thinning.

A lentigo is a flat or slightly raised brown lesion with a clearly marked edge. A lentigo can be distinguished from a true freckle (ephelis) by the darker colour, wider distribution and the fact that they do not fade in the winter months. They are very common and there are several kinds of lentigines.

A ‘haemangioma’ (Greek for blood-vessel-growth) of Infancy is a benign (non-cancerous) overgrowth of blood vessel cells in the skin (cutaneous blood vessels), that is self-limiting (will stop growing without treatment). The term ‘strawberry naevus’ or ‘strawberry haemangioma’ is used for a haemangioma that looks similar to a strawberry.

Urticaria is a condition where you get short-lived, itchy skin swellings known as hives or weals and typically any individual weal will clear within 24 hours although the overall rash may last for longer. Angioedema is a form of urticaria in which there is deeper swelling in the skin, and the swelling may take longer than 24 hours to clear. The visible angioedema typically presents with facial swelling (eyelids, mouth, tongue) or genital swelling.  Angioedema can affect internal organs (airways) usually during an anaphylactic episode Urticaria is very common and 20% of people would have had urticaria at some point in their lives.

These appear as small rough lumps on the skin caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). They can occur anywhere but most common on the hands and feet. Examples of different types of warts include common wart, verrucae, plane warts (flat), filiform warts (finger like) or mosaic warts (many joined together)