Seborrheic Keratosis is a skin disorder usually characterized by discolored lesions that appear to be "stuck on" the skin surface. Warts may appear and skin is often oily or greasy. These skin lesions are sometimes mistaken for cancerous growths a...

An actinic keratosis (ak-TIN-ik ker-uh-TOE-sis) is a rough, scaly patch on your skin that develops from years of exposure to the sun. It's most commonly found on your face, lips, ears, back of your hands, forearms, scalp or neck. Also know...

Salivary gland type malignant neoplasm arising from bronchial seromucinous glands. Composed of epithelial and myoepithelial cells in cribriform, tubular and solid growth patterns....

Atopic dermatitis facts Atopic dermatitis is a type of eczema. The disease may be inherited and genetically determined. The patient's skin may be "super sensitive" to many irritants. Dry, scaly patches ...

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is a condition characterized by an unpleasant odor coming from the mouth. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including poor oral hygiene, certain foods and drinks, smoking, dry mouth, gum disease, and ce...

Bell's Palsy is a type of facial paralysis that results in the inability to control facial muscles on one side of the face. It is caused by damage or trauma to the facial nerve, which controls the muscles in the face. Symptoms of Bell's Palsy incl...

Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids. It is a common condition that can cause redness, itching, burning, and a gritty sensation in the eyes. It can also cause the eyelids to become swollen, crusty, and flaky. Blepharitis is usually caused...

The botulism neurotoxin is one of the most potent, lethal substances known. Botulism is a disease caused by this neurotoxin (specifically A, B, E, or F type neurotoxin). The neurotoxin is produced by bacteria called Clostr...

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in pregnant women and tends to affect women in their mid-30s. Although only about 1 in every 1,000 pregnant women get breast cancer, the disease can be devastating to both the mother and her child -- so it i...

Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) is a condition characterized by a burning sensation in the mouth, often accompanied by a metallic or bitter taste. The exact cause of BMS is not well understood, but it is believed to be related to nerve damage or dysf...

Hajdu-Cheney syndrome (HCS) is a rare, heritable disorder of connective tissue; only about 50 cases have been reported in the medical literature. The breakdown of bone (osteolysis), especially the outermost bones of the fingers and toes (acroosteo...

Contact dermatitis facts Contact dermatitis is a rash that occurs at the site of exposure to a substance capable of producing an allegic or irritant skin response. Contact dermatitis can be caused by noxious, irritating su...

Cradle cap causes crusty or oily scaly patches on a baby's scalp. The condition isn't painful or itchy. But it can cause thick white or yellow scales that aren't easy to remove. Cradle cap usually clears up on its own in a few months. Home...

An interstitial lung disease occurs when there is cryptogenic fibrous alveolitis in the lungs (or ILD for short). They have an impact on the tissues that support the air sacs in the lungs, making it difficult for them to take in as much air as the...

Urine tests for diabetes facts Urine tests may be done in people with diabetes to evaluate severe hyperglycemia (severe high blood sugar) by looking for ketones in the urine. Ketones are a metabolic product produced when fat...

Urine tests for diabetes facts Urine tests may be done in people with diabetes to evaluate severe hyperglycemia (severe high blood sugar) by looking for ketones in the urine. Ketones are a metabolic product produced when fat...

Sjogren-Larsson syndrome is an inherited disorder characterized by scaling skin (ichthyosis), mental retardation, speech abnormalities, and spasticity. Affected infants develop various degrees of reddened skin with fine scales soon after birth. Af...

CHILD syndrome (an acronym for congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform erythroderma and limb defects) is an inherited disorder, affecting primarily women, that is characterized by ichthyosis-like skin abnormalities and limb defects on one side...

Dry eye is a condition in which the eyes do not produce enough tears or the tears evaporate too quickly. This can cause irritation, redness, and a feeling of dryness in the eyes. Dry eye can be caused by a variety of factors, including environment...

Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, is a condition in which the salivary glands do not produce enough saliva to keep the mouth moist. This can lead to a variety of symptoms, including a dry, sticky feeling in the mouth, difficulty swallowing or s...

Eczema facts Eczema is not a single disease but a reaction pattern of the skin produced by a number conditions. Atopic dermatitis, a common causes of eczema, is more prevalent in those with asthma and hay fever. ...

Ectrodactyly ectodermal dysplasia cleft lip/palate (EEC) syndrome is a rare genetic disorder. Symptoms can vary greatly from one person to another. Affected individuals often have abnormalities affecting the limbs including ectrodactyly, a conditi...

Erythema multiforme (EM) is the name applied to a group of hypersensitivity disorders, affecting mostly children and young adults, and characterized by symmetric red, patchy lesions, primarily on the arms and legs. The cause is unknown, but EM fre...

Erythrokeratolysis hiemalis is an extremely rare form of ichthyosis that was first described in South Africa but has subsequently been identified in other countries. In such cases, a link to South Africa has been determined. The disorder is charac...

Peeling skin syndrome is a rare inherited skin disorder characterized by painless, continual, spontaneous skin peeling (exfoliation). Other findings may include blistering and/or reddening of the skin (erythema) and itching (pruritus). Peeling ski...

Fibrosing Alveolitis, also known as Pulmonary Fibrosis, is a lung condition that affects the tissues that support the air sacs. As a result, it is more difficult for them to absorb the necessary oxygen for respiration. The lung tissues thicken and...

Erythrokeratodermia with ataxia (EKDA) is a hereditary disorder of the skin and nervous system (neurocutaneous syndrome) characterized by groups of hard, red plaques that develop during infancy and childhood. When these skin lesions heal, the diso...

Halitosis, commonly known as bad breath, is a condition characterized by an unpleasant odor coming from the mouth. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including poor oral hygiene, certain foods and drinks, smoking, dry mouth, and underlying ...

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is also known as Chronic Lymphocytic Thyroiditis, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, and Chronic Autoimmune Thyroiditis. The thyroid gland gradually stops producing enough hormones to keep the body running normally as a result of Has...

Herpes Zoster, commonly known as shingles, is a viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. It is characterized by a painful rash with blisters that typically appears on one side of the face or body...

Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by the fungus Histoplasma. The fungus can be found in the environment, particularly in soil with a high concentration of bird or bat droppings. Histoplasma is mostly found in the central and eastern United Sta...

High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) affects people who have diabetes. Several facto...

Thyroid disease is particularly common in women of child-bearing age. As a result, it is no surprise that thyroid disease may complicate the course of pregnancy. Frequency varies among different populations and different c...

Ichthyosis is a general term for a family of rare genetic skin diseases characterized by dry, thickened, scaling skin. The various forms are distinguished from one another by: 1) extent of the scaling and how widely and where the scaling is scatte...

CHILD syndrome (an acronym for congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform erythroderma and limb defects) is an inherited disorder, affecting primarily women, that is characterized by ichthyosis-like skin abnormalities and limb defects on one side...

Lamellar ichthyosis is a rare genetic skin disorder. In lamellar ichthyosis, the skin cells are produced at a normal rate, but they do not separate normally at the surface of the outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) and are not shed as quickl...

Erythrokeratolysis hiemalis is an extremely rare form of ichthyosis that was first described in South Africa but has subsequently been identified in other countries. In such cases, a link to South Africa has been determined. The disorder is charac...

Netherton syndrome is a rare hereditary disorder characterized by scaling skin, hair anomalies, increased susceptibility to atopic eczema (a skin condition that can result in dry, red and flaky skin), elevated IgE levels, and other related symptom...

Sjogren-Larsson syndrome is an inherited disorder characterized by scaling skin (ichthyosis), mental retardation, speech abnormalities, and spasticity. Affected infants develop various degrees of reddened skin with fine scales soon after birth. Af...

Ichthyosis vulgaris (ik-thee-O-sis vul-GAY-ris) is an inherited skin disorder in which dead skin cells accumulate in thick, dry scales on your skin's surface. The scales of ichthyosis vulgaris, sometimes called fish scale disease or fish s...

Meleda disease is an extremely rare inherited skin disorder characterized by the slowly progressive development of dry, thick patches of skin on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet (palmoplantar hyperkeratosis). Affected skin may be unusu...

Haim-Munk syndrome is a rare genetic disorder characterized by the development of red, scaly thickened patches of skin on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet (palmoplantar hyperkeratosis), frequent pus-producing (pyogenic) skin infections...

Keratosis pilaris (KP) facts Keratosis pilaris is a very common, benign skin disorder that affects adolescents and adults. Keratosis pilaris causes numerous small, rough, tan or red little bumps around hair follicles on th...

The Course of Kidney Disease Diabetic kidney disease takes many years to develop. In some people, the filtering function of the kidneys is actually higher than normal in the first few years of their diabetes. Over several years, pe...

Lambert-eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is a rare condition where the patient suffers from muscle weakness, fatigue, and symptoms, like dry mouth.  Here is a list of some facts about the disease: The term mya...

Menopause is defined as the absence of menstrual periods for 12 months. It is the time in a woman's life when the function of the ovaries ceases. The process of menopause does not occur overnight, but rather is a gradual process. Th...

Menopause is defined as the absence of menstrual periods for 12 months. It is the time in a woman's life when the function of the ovaries ceases. The process of menopause does not occur overnight, but rather is a gradual process. Th...

Marinesco-Sjogren syndrome (MSS) is a rare genetic disorder that affects multiple organ systems of the body. Common symptoms include difficulty coordinating voluntary movements due to degeneration (atrophy) of the cerebellum (cerebellar ataxia), c...

Renal glycosuria, also known as renal glucosuria, is a rare condition in which the simple sugar glucose is eliminated (excreted) in the urine despite normal or low blood glucose levels. With normal kidney (renal) function, glucose is excreted in t...

A norovirus is a small virus that contains RNA and is surrounded by a protein coating. By sequencing the RNA, scientists have discovered that there are many different types of norovirus. Originally, strains were named based on the city in which th...

Papillon-Lefevre Syndrome (PLS) is an extremely rare genetic disorder that typically becomes apparent from approximately one to five years of age. PLS is characterized by the development of dry scaly patches on the skin of the palms and the soles ...

Papillon-Lefevre Syndrome (PLS) is an extremely rare genetic disorder that typically becomes apparent from approximately one to five years of age. PLS is characterized by the development of dry scaly patches on the skin of the palms and the soles ...

Refsum disease is one of a family of genetic disorders known as the leukodystrophies in which, as a consequence of the disruption of lipid metabolism, the myelin sheath that insulates and protects the nerves of the brain fails to grow. It is inher...

Refsum disease is one of a family of genetic disorders known as the leukodystrophies in which, as a consequence of the disruption of lipid metabolism, the myelin sheath that insulates and protects the nerves of the brain fails to grow. It is inher...

Pinguecula and Pterygium are two common eye conditions that affect the conjunctiva, the thin, transparent membrane that covers the white part of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelids. A Pinguecula is a yellowish, slightly raised bump on the...

Premature ovarian failure — also known as primary ovarian insufficiency — is a loss of normal function of your ovaries before age 40. If your ovaries fail, they don't produce normal amounts of the hormone estrogen or release eggs regul...

Psoriasis facts Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Patients with psoriasis tend to be obese and are predisposed to diabetes and heart disease. Psoriasis can be initiated by certain environmental tr...

Damage and scarring in lung tissue lead to pulmonary fibrosis. The scars thicken the tissue around and between the air sacs in your lungs, making it difficult for oxygen to pass into the bloodstream.  The reason for scarring ca...

X-linked ichthyosis is a genetic skin disorder that affects males. It is an inborn error of metabolism characterized by a deficiency of the enzyme steroid sulfatase. Under normal conditions, this enzyme breaks down (metabolizes) cholesterol sulfat...

X-linked ichthyosis is a genetic skin disorder that affects males. It is an inborn error of metabolism characterized by a deficiency of the enzyme steroid sulfatase. Under normal conditions, this enzyme breaks down (metabolizes) cholesterol sulfat...

Familial dysautonomia is a rare genetic disorder of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) that primarily affects people of Eastern European Jewish heritage. It is characterized by diminished sensitivity to pain, lack of overflow tearing in the eyes, ...

The sarcoid of boeck (sarcoidosis) is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect any organ in the body, but most often involves the skin and lungs.  Sarcoid of boeck is characterized by the formation of small, round bumps (...

Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease of the skin that is estimated to affect about 2.2% of the adult population. Some people may have a genetic predisposition to psoriasis. The genes affected seem to be involved with control of the immune system. ...

Scleroderma is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the skin and connective tissues to become thickened and hardened. Oral scleroderma specifically refers to the involvement of the mouth and oral cavity in the disease. This can manifest as tig...

Sjogren's Syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own moisture-producing glands, leading to symptoms such as dry eyes, dry mouth, and dry skin. It can also affect other parts of the body, ...

Usual Interstitial Pneumonia (UIP) is a radiologic and histopathologic pattern of interstitial lung disease.  The prognosis of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) is poor as the current therapies related to it are of unproven va...

Vaginal atrophy is the medical term that refers to the thinning of the wall of the vagina that occurs during the menopause (the time when menstrual periods have ceased) in women. Vaginal atrophy occurs due to falling estrogen levels...

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a group of rare inherited skin disorders characterized by a heightened reaction to sunlight (photosensitivity) with skin blistering occurring after exposure to the sun. In some cases, pain and blistering may occur imm...

Acrodermatitis enteropathica (AE) is a disorder of zinc metabolism that occurs in one of two forms: an inborn (congenital) form and an acquired form. The inborn form of AE is a rare genetic disorder characterized by intestinal abnormalities that l...