Kagid

Dear Dr. Jen,

I have infected insect bites on my leg. Instead of small round bites, they have gotten bigger and now look like “kagid.”  Some others have healed and turned into an ugly brown shade. What can I do to make them disappear fast?  What is the best medicine for this or do I need laser?

Cookie

Dear Cookie,

Some people are insanely allergic to arthropod bites from mosquitoes, bugs or lice.  The itchiness is more severe than usual and bites can develop into wheals or hives.  They look like red lumps that can be warm to touch and is extremely itchy. Constant scratching can abrade the skin and provide a site for bacteria to enter the skin.

Infected insect bites need to be treated with antibacterial ointments or creams before they develop into something more serious. There are several antibacterial creams to choose from like mupirocin, fusidic acid, bacitracin or gentamicin. If there is poor response to the usual antibiotics, make sure to see your nearest PDS derma so it can be assessed properly.

Dear Dr. Jen,

My hair has fallen off.  I don’t like to shampoo daily anymore because I see clumps of hair in the drain. This happened before, but it went back to normal.  Now I noticed that there are bald spots on my scalp.  I tried some over-the-counter medication for two weeks but the spots have gotten bigger.  Please advice.

Warren

Dear Warren,

Bald spots from falling hair are called alopecia areata.  There are many known causes of this condition, namely infection, hormonal imbalance, stress, allergies and other autoimmune diseases (diabetes or thyroid conditions).  Your immune system basically attacks the hair follicle.  In some cases, it may go away by itself while in others it may persist.

Getting to the bottom line of the cause, if it can be identified via lab exams, is the initial step.  Your doctor can also opt to do a biopsy on the area to identify what kind of balding is going on. Treating the underlying cause will lead to eventual regulation of hair follicle growth.

There are many other measures that can be done.  Your PDS dermatologist can give you a series of steroid shots in the areas with hair loss.  You can also apply a couple of adjunctive medicines on the area to hasten hair growth.

Dr. Tan is a diplomate of Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS) and is affiliated with the Perpetual Succour Hospital (PSH). Information on PDS is at www.pds.org.ph. Questions or concerns regarding the skin may be sent by text to 0932 857 7070 or emailed to [email protected]; or coursed thru The Freeman – (032) 2531276, or thru PSH – (032) 2338620 and 2325929. Inquiries will be forwarded to Dr. Tan.