Herpes zoster symptoms

Home   ›   Herpes zoster causes   ›   Herpes zoster signs and symptoms.
Herpes zoster (shingles) is a contagious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV). Herpes zoster manifests with typical symptoms.

It is characterized by a group of small inflammatory blisters with neuralgic pain. The primary infection by varicella zoster virus manifests as varicella (smallpox) with the symptoms of widespread vesicular rash and fever.

Though the patient recovers from the chickenpox after 10-15 days, the virus is not completely eliminated from the body. The herpes zoster virus enters the nervous system and lodges itself in the cerebral ganglia or dorsal root ganglia. It attains dormancy, without causing any symptoms, lasting for a few months to several years or even a lifetime.

The varicella zoster virus, due to unknown reasons, reemerges as shingles in some individuals. About 20% of those who had chickenpox in their childhood develop zoster. Zoster blisters erupt unilaterally along the path of innervation by the affected ganglia, affecting one side of the body, most often affecting the torso, neck, arms, and legs.

Herpes zoster symptoms
The above diagram shows the stages in the progression of herpes zoster symptoms.
1. Itching and burning sensation followed by inflamed patches of bumps.
2. The bumps turn into blisters.
3. The blisters fill with fluid and burst.
4. healing phase starts and the blisters crust and disappear.
5. Persisting postherpetic neuralgia for a few days to several months.

Zoster with its symptoms can develop in varicella affected children as well as adults.

herpes zoster infection on neck

However individuals above fifty years of age are more prone for VZV infection, probably due to their decreasing immunity. With increase in age there may be recurrent episodes. Individuals with weakened immune system, under immunosuppressive medications and newborn are under high risk.

Herpes zoster symptoms

The reactivated virus particles move along the nerve and reach the skin dermatome causing a stripe of blisters and pain. The usual sequence of events and symptom progression in herpes zoster are as follows.

• Pain, inflammation near the region of affected nerve roots. Some individuals may develop fever.
• Within a few hours the nerve supplying to the skin from the nerve root gets inflamed with symptoms of pain and burning sensation along its length.

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• After two or three hours the patch of skin where the bumps and blisters will emerge becomes itchy with slight burning sensation. This area of skin is most likely to be the most affected area during the earlier varicella episode.
• If the itchy skin is left alone without scratching bumps may appear within two or three hours. If the itchy skin is scratched, bumps will appear immediately.
• Symptoms like severe burning pain (due to nerve damage) and itching are followed by the bumps turning into blisters.
• Getting filled up with lymph, the blisters grow, become hard and then burst, spilling the contents.
• The VZV virus can travel along the nerves and cause similar symptoms in the adjacent area of skin.
• The burst blisters form crust and the crust may fall off in a week.
• After the herpes zoster episode the symptoms like neuralgic pain along the nerve and the blister area may continue for sometime.

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Reference: 1.Zostavax (Herpes Zoster Vaccine) Questions and Answers (FDA)

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1.Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A_Course_of_Shingles_diagram.png
Author: FDA | License: public domain.
2.Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Herpes_zoster_neck.png
Author: John Pozniak | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Current topic in natural skin care: Herpes zoster symptoms.

Dec 13, 2014

Melasma hyperpigmentation - Melasma causes and symptoms

Home › Brown discoloration of skin › What is melasma? › Melasma signs, symptoms and causes

Melasma (aka chloasma or the mask of pregnancy) is hyperpigmentation of skin caused by the excess deposition of melanin pigments. Symptoms of melasma discolorations appear as irregular light brown to dark brown patches.

Exposure to sun causes the lesions to spread and darken.
Melasma is found to develop in women in their 20 to 50 years of age.
It is rarely seen in men and only 10% of the melasma cases are seen in men.
Pregnant women, those taking oral contraceptives or undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are likely candidates for developing melasma hyperpigmentation.
The facial hyperpigmentosis is a very disturbing cosmetic problem and causes considerable emotional and psychological impacts.

Melasma appears to be a familial condition as it is found to run in families. People with light brown, olive and yellow skin color have higher rate of melasma incidence. In the summer months the hyperpigmentation is found to intensify and spread and in the winter months the lesions lighten and fade.

picture of melasma on face
Image by Elord | CC BY-SA 3.0
www.wikidoc.org

Signs and symptoms of melasma

The appearance of light brown lesions is the early symptom of this hyperpigmentation.

The older lesions may appear grayish brown in color.

The patches are irregularly shaped and have well-defined margins.

Another symptom is that the hyperpigmentation tend to darken on sun exposure.

The lesions usually appear on the face and develop on the forehead, cheeks, chin, upper lip and sides of the nose.

Another typical symptom is that the lesions are symmetrical, affecting both the sides of the face.

What causes melasma?

The exact cause of the development of melasma hyperpigmentation is complex and is not clear. Complex factors interrelated to genetic predisposition, female hormones (estrogen and progesterone) and UV radiation appear to cause the lesions. The endogenous factors which trigger the lesions include female hormones and genetic predisposition.

The exogenous factors which trigger this hyperpigmentation include sun exposure, hormonal medications, cosmetic preparations and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. However in men hormonal factor is not relevant and the etiological factors appear to be sun-exposure, family history, use of cosmetic preparations and chronic inflammatory illness.

Apart from the excess production of melanin pigment, these etiological factors contribute an increase in the number of melanocytes (melanin producing cells). There may be proliferation and dilation of capillaries in the dermis. In chronic cases bluish-grayish-brown hyperpigmentation is due to the skin pigments slipping into the dermis.

Anomalies in the functioning of the pituitary gland may cause hyperpituitarism (hypersecretion of pituitary hormones). Hypersecretion of melanocyte–stimulating hormones (MSHs) by the pituitary gland is also believed to cause the hyperpigmentation.

Etiological causes

• genetic predisposition
• pregnancy
• menopause
• increased estrogen, progesterone secretion by the body
• hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
• ovarian disorders
• hormonal imbalance can cause melasma
• increase in melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH)
• oral contraceptives
• sun exposure and the use of sunbeds
• cosmetics
• perfumes
• toiletries
• phototoxic reactions
• certain medications

These hyperpigmentation lesions can treated but their recurrence is always possible. Avoiding the triggering causes can help in controlling and resolving the melasma patches.

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References:
1.Vaneeta M. Sheth, Amit G. Pandya. Melasma: A comprehensive update Part I & II. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology Volume 65, Issue 4, October 2011. Picture source: http://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/File:Melasmablemish.jpg Picture author: Elord from Wikidocs | License: CC BY-SA 3.0

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Signs, symptoms and causes of melasma hyperpigmentation

Signs and symptoms of tinea (pityriasis) versicolor skin yeast infections

Malassezia furfur > Tinea versicolor > Causes > Symptoms > Diagnosis > Treatment
Tinea versicolor has very characteristic visual signs and symptoms on the body. Tinea versicolor skin yeast infections appear as discolored, flat, circular and oval patches on the skin with hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation.

The patches may be of hues of shades of white, bronze red to brown, differing from person to person. Each individual's lesions are mostly of the same color and show even pigmentation showing relatively sharp margins. The usual characteristic of other fungal diseases like inflamed outer margins with relatively clear centre is not seen in tinea versicolor skin yeast infections.

The lesions are at their worst in hot and humid climate and can cause intense itch. However the infected patches subside and fade away in cooler and drier climate. The infection is superficial and usually occurs in stratum corneum part of the epidermis. Tinea versicolor infections appear choosy and the symptoms are seen usually on the trunk region, sparing the face. Very rarely it may occur on the face of the children.

The appearance of these signs and symptoms on regular use of corticosteroids indicates tinea versicolor infections. Another indicative factor of tinea versicolor skin yeast infections is the recurrent appearance of the signs and symptoms in warmer months and worsening with heat.Tinea versicolor infected back
The smaller lesions are usually are circular or oval in shape initially and growing to merge with one another. The surrounding areas of the confluent patches have scattered oval and circular macules. Usually fine scales are present. Even if the scales are not apparent closer examination of the swabs will reveal their presence.

The tinea versicolor fungal skin patches do not tan and they stand out in a person with tanned skin and these symptoms help in the identification of the causative factor.

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