A skin lesion refers to a part of your skin that has an abnormal appearance or growth. It might appear on any body part and cover a small or wide area.

Skin lesions are categorized into secondary and primary lesions. Primary lesions are abnormal conditions that are acquired over a lifetime or present during birth. Secondary lesions are those that occur due to manipulation of the primary lesions.

The lesions may be multiple or singular, distributed, or in one specific part. The lesions include cysts, rash, blisters, pus-filled sacs, discolorations, swelling, hardening, bumps, or any change on your skin.

They may be as a result of a minor scrape or severe ailments such as cancer. Here we will explore the causes, symptoms, and solutions for skin lesions.

 

What Causes Skin Lesions?

 

There are many reasons for skin lesions. The common reasons are injury, infections, aging, allergies, and infectious diseases.

Chronic ailments such as autoimmune disorders and diabetes may also cause skin lesions. Cancer may also be one cause of the lesions.

 

Common Reasons for Skin Lesions

 

Changes in skin appearance may be due to the following:

 

• Carbuncles and boils
• Acne: These are blackheads, whiteheads, cysts, or pimples. They develop when your skin pores become clogged with sebum and dead skin cells.
• Freckles – These refer to tiny brown spots that are mainly on places that get exposed to the sun
• Folliculitis
• Skin tags
• Moles (nevi) and other small skin growths are elliptical or circular patches that appear darker.

 

 

 

 

Injury-Related Reasons for Skin Lesions

 

Here are some of the physical injuries which can cause skin lesions.

• Burns, sunburn included
• Bruises
• Excessive exposure to wind and sun
• Scrapes or cuts
• Extreme cold
• Insect stings or bites
• Keloid (exuberant formation of a scar)

 

Age-Related Reasons for Skin Lesions

The following processes related to aging might cause skin lesions.

 

• Age spots (also known as liver spots are harmless discolorations that occur due to age)
• Fragile skin
• Easy bruising
• Dry skin (xerosis)

 

Illness-Related Reasons for Skin Lesions

 

Here are some of the illnesses which might lead to skin lesions.

• Systemic diseases such as diabetes may lead to skin texture changes and color, sores, and other pimples due to poor circulation and wound healing.
• Bacterial infection (like meningococcal meningitis or scarlet fever) is a severe disorder caused by Streptococcus and is a cause of lesions.
• Viral infection (for example, varicella-zoster) may lead to skin lesions at various stages of life. Among them are shingles in adults and chickenpox in kids.

 

Allergy-Related Reasons for Skin Lesions

 

• Medication allergies
• Food allergies
• Contact dermatitis, for example, being allergic to nickel.

 

 

Life-Threatening Reasons for Skin Lesions

 

Lesions might be a sign of a severe condition that needs immediate evaluation.

 

• The severe allergy might lead to a rash or hives and might be linked to anaphylaxis and throat or mouth swelling.
• Pre-cancerous changes and skin cancers may cause skin lesions.
• Infections that spread the whole body might have reddened or swollen skin together with lines of veins in the arm or leg.

 

 

Symptoms of Skin Lesions

 

Symptoms of skin lesions vary depending on the disease, condition, or disorder. Apart from the skin, they may involve other body parts.

For instance, skin lesions might occur together with viral and bacterial infections.

They might also occur when the immune system counters an allergen. Some of the signs include the following.

 

• Difficulty in breathing
• Chills and fever
• Itchy feeling
• Headache
• Stiffness or joint pain
• Nausea
• Warmth, redness, or swelling
• Sweating
• Sores with pus

 

 

Other Signs of Serious Conditions

In other instances, lesions might sign a severe condition that should be looked into immediately. Some of these signs include the following.

 

• Higher fever that is greater than 101 degrees
• Rash that comes up immediately after consuming new drugs
• Change in consciousness level, for example, fainting, reduced alertness, and confusion.
• Rash that is associated with coughing and fever in kids
• Sudden inflammation of the lips, face, and tongue
• Breathing or respiratory problems, difficulty breathing, breath shortness, labored breathing, choking, or wheezing.

 

Potential Complications of Skin Lesions

 

Skin lesion complications depend on their cause. Some direct complications may include permanent skin change like a scar.

Other complications such as severe infection and melanoma may be life-threatening.

Because the lesions may be due to severe conditions, you might end up with permanent or severe damage if you fail to seek treatment.

Once you get diagnosed, ensure that you follow up on the treatment plan to avoid the risk of severe complications.

 

 

 

 

 

How to Fix Skin Lesions

 

The solutions for skin lesions are mainly based on the cause.

Your doctor will consider your health history, kind of lesion, and treatments attempted previously.

Here are some of the solutions that you should put into consideration.

Medications

 

Topical medications, which are first-line treatments, help in treating the inflammation and protecting the affected part.

These medications may also relieve the symptom, which stops pain, burning, or itching caused by skin lesions.

If systemic infections such as chickenpox and shingles caused skin lesions, you might get oral medicines to ease the disease signs.

 

Surgeries

 

Infected skin lesions get drained and lanced to offer relief and treatment. Moles that appear suspicious may also require to get removed through a surgical procedure.

There is also a kind of vascular birthmark referred to as hemangioma, which gets removed through laser surgery.

 

 

 

 

Home Care

 

Skin lesions can be very uncomfortable and itchy. This may make you interested in organic solutions for relief.

Oatmeal lotions or baths may offer you some relief from burning or itching caused by various skin lesions.

In case chafing results in contact dermatitis in parts that the skin rubbed against, protective balms or absorbent powders may lessen friction and protect you from additional lesions.

 

Conclusion

 

There exist a range of factors and health issues that cause lesions. Some skin lesions, including blisters and a cold sore, go away within several days.

Some of them, such as psoriasis and eczema, are long-term disorders that require ongoing cure.

In most cases, specialists can treat skin lesions that might turn out to be cancerous. In the above context, you will find the reasons and the signs of skin lesions.

When it comes to skin lesion treatment, there are medicinal, surgery, and organic solutions. In case you have any concerns regarding skin cancer, please contact your doctor.