A good skin care routine will help keep breakouts and lesions at bay

Dear Doctor,
I sweat a lot under the armpits, as well as my hands and feet. It’s very smelly. I have tried using deodorants as well as taking a lot of water but it hasn’t helped much. Is this a medical condition?
Concerned Citizen

Dear Concerned Citizen,
Excessive sweating is a medical condition. However, it does not have to come with embarrassments such as smelly armpits. Deodorants only work by masking the smell but do not stop the cause of the smell, which is excessive sweat.

You would be better off using antiperspirants like roll-ons, which actually control the amount of sweat released, thus reducing the underarm smell. Also, for good measure, it would be a good idea to trim your armpit hair.

This hair traps the sweat and bacteria on the skin “eats” this sweat, which causes the smell. For the feet, you can visit a pharmacy and ask for antiperspirant cream or powder to reduce the amount of sweat. All the best!

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Dear Doctor,
I have been having this rash around my under arm area for a few months now. I assumed that my body was reacting to the kind of deodorants I was using so I stopped using all of them but the rash is still there. Please help me.
Zablon

Dear Zablon,
Thank you for your question. Just for clarification, is the rash under both arms? Is it itchy or painful? Had you shaved before the rash appeared? Since the armpit has hair and sweat glands, a rash could be the result of an infection or inflammation of the skin or hair root or sweat glands.

Most of these are easily treated with creams, but an accurate diagnosis is needed. With skin rashes, you need to visit a doctor so that he or she can determine the cause. Please arrange to see your doctor for a more accurate diagnosis. All the best!

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Dear Ask a Doc,
I have this skin disease on the head that looks like warts/sores. They are at times really itchy. I have visited some hospitals but they have not been able to treat me. Could you be knowing what they might be?
Jude

Dear Jude,
Some people have extra sensitive skin that is easily irritated by activities such as shaving. This is a possibility. However, it is also possible that you could be having warts. Warts are viral infections that manifest with skin lesions.

It is also possible that they are some other skin condition. Some conditions are curable, but in most cases, such skin lesions can only be controlled with medication and/or certain procedures. They could keep recurring after a while, and based on certain factors, such as the state of your immunity.

Managing complicated skin illnesses can be a challenge even for doctors. Since you have been having this condition for a while, I would advise that you see a dermatologist for a formal diagnosis.

In most cases, dermatologists also try treatment with different medication. And often, there is no single universal solution. Sometimes, just knowing from the right specialist that your condition is not curable makes you stop searching for solutions, so you can look at alternative ways of managing it, such as growing your hair to a certain height or wearing a hat.

If you would like to be referred to a dermatologist, please let us know where you live and we will try to connect you with one. All the best.

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Dear Doc,
My face has become dry and kind of flaky of late. What type of care should I give it to make it healthy and smooth once again?
Mary

Dear Mary,
Of interest is why your face has changed. Have you changed a facial product you were using or moved to a new location? This would be the most ideal way to try and reverse the change.

I also wonder whether there have been any skin changes on other parts of your body. This could suggest more of a generalised skin issue that would need attention. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, one might still consider a broader skin condition even if the changes are only on the face.

If what you describe is significant, I would advise that you see a dermatologist for a formal review and guidance on treatment. If it is a skin disease and is caught early, the chances of a positive outcome are much higher.

There are many possibilities, hence my advice that you see a doctor. In case you still want to try something, I would advise that you only try simple moisturizing water-based, not petroleum-based, solutions such as aqueous cream.

Please do not use any medication without the guidance of a doctor; they problem could get much worse. All the best.

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Dear Doctors,
I normally feel very itchy on my inner thighs and sometimes the outside the thighs. After I scratch the area, small pimples appear. This happens on and off. What could it be?
Selina

Dear Selina,
What you’re describing sounds like urticaria. This is a localised allergic skin reaction caused by some irritant. Very common are clothes, especially synthetic materials, body lotions, creams, soaps and sometimes heat, with the resultant sweating.

Maybe you wear bikers under your clothes, or tight fitting clothes like jeans which limit free movement of air. Look at these factors and you might easily identify the culprit. If you do not, then I would advise a review by a dermatologist for management. All the Best!

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Dear DN2 Doctors,
I have some scars on my knees. I would like to know how I can clear them.
Zipporah

Dear Zipporah,
Depending on the size of the scars, they may be cleared by different techniques of plastic surgery. However, please note that surgery can only make the scars look less pronounced but will not completely remove them. You can visit one of the plastic surgeons in Nairobi or at Kijabe Hospital for a clinical assessment.

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