Summers are a bad time for fungal skin infections, caution dermatologists

Children tend to get them on the scalp, hand washing recommended.

KARACHI: Summers, when it is hot and humid, are a bad time for fungal infections, which commonly surface on children’s scalps, said dermatologists at a lecture on the common ailment on Wednesday.

“The disease is also common in the lower socio-economic group which does not maintain good personal hygiene and they share each other’s things,” said Dr Syed Jaffer Imam, a consultant dermatologist at Liaquat National Hospital that organized the event.

The two- and three-year age group is easily infected but recover easily, he said.

“The disease is irritating and communicable and it is advisable for people to wash their hands after touching infected persons,” he added. It often surfaces in between the toes.

Dr Shaheen Naveed, who is also a consultant dermatologist at LNH, dwelt on causes and problems associated with eczemas.



She highlighted clinical features and the types of exogenous and endogenous eczemas. “The rash most commonly appears on certain parts of the body, including the face, hands, arms, writs and feet,” she said, adding that it tended to surface with emotional stress.

Eczemas lead to itching, redness and dryness. “If a patient reaches a good dermatologist, he can recover earlier,” she stressed. “Or they will have to go in for long term treatment otherwise.”

Sometimes eczema is the outcome of allergies. “Even leather shoes can cause the allergy,” she said.

“But the leather itself is not responsible, rather it is the chemical used.” Similarly, even belt buckles or wrist watches can cause eczema.

Scores of the junior and senior doctors in the field attended the programme.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2013.