Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments of Ichthyosis



Ichthyosis is known to be a severe and persistent dry skin problem. The onset of this condition usually starts in infancy or from a very early childhood. The disease can be acquired through heredity or develop it later in life. Genetic mutation is on of the cause of the large majority of people ho are infected with the disease.

Renewal of the skin surfaces is done by our body continuously under normal circumstances, building and developing new cells for the skin while allowing the older skin cells to be shed from the skin’s surface in a natural way. With ichthyosis this harmony and balance is disrupted. There are two reasons for this; it’s either because of the overproduction of the replacement skin cells or because when the time comes when old cells have to be drop off they do not separate very well from the surfaces of the skin. This disruption will result to accumulation of skin cells to thick flakes which may look like fish scales, adhering themselves to the body.

There are cases when this skin condition causes too many cosmetic concerns for an affected individual. Severe ichthyosis can also interfere with the critical roles of the skin to protect itself from infection, dehydration and irregularities with body temperature. The mildest form of this skin condition is ichthyosis vulgaris with the rare occurrence in one out of two hundred fifty people. The different patterns of flaking are

caused by the different type of gene abnormality. For example in cases of ichthyosis vulgaris, the majority of the flakes will be on the body but it will not include the inside surfaces of the groin area, joints or the skin on your face. The genetic type of this skin condition, at birth or in the early stages of childhood the symptoms are already noticeable such as flaking and severe dryness of the skin which can involve the entire body area or appear in limited areas only; mild itching of the skin, build-up of earwax causing hearing-difficulties; and because of the collection of fungus or bacteria harbored between and under the spaces of the body with spreads of skin flakes, body odor takes place. The symptoms are often worse in dry climates and winter months because of these factors symptoms are more improved. People who have ichthyosis vulgaris tends to have allergic problems such as eczema, asthma and allergic nasal congestion.

When the disease is acquired by genetic basis, usually ichthyosis tends to last a lifetime. But when the reason for the occurrence of ichthyosis is because of underlying health problems or diseases, treating the cause will help make it go away. The symptoms of this skin condition are usually controllable for some people.

For all the types of ichthyosis, restoration of the skin’s moisture is the number one key for its treatment then you also have to find ways to facilitate a more aggressive way on how to shed dead skin cells. The usage of moisture-retaining ointments or creams after you take a bath or shower will help you get best healing results.  Regular visit to a skin specialist or a dermatologist is also advised.