Inflammatory skin conditions: psoriasis and eczema

摘要

Inflammation is a natural part of the body's immune response acting against invading organisms. Unfortunately, the inflammatory process can also be triggered by otherwise innocuous substances (allergens) or by other tissues of the body (auto-immune processes). There are many inflammatory conditions that may manifest themselves within the skin. As a podiatrist it is important to recognise the more common inflammatory skin conditions on the lower limb, and be able to give advice to the patient on skin care and make appropriate referrals when necessary. This aim of this paper is to give an overview of the common inflammatory skin disorders likely to be encountered in podiatric practice and briefly review the emollient and steroid therapy that are commonly used in the treatment of these conditions.