Skin diseases
The incidence of skin diseases
Because of the specific local conditions (confined area, presence of large amounts of bacteria and fungi, thinner, more fragile skin), their clinical appearance can be very different from the classic picture, and therefore they are often difficult to recognise even for dermatologists.
It is important to find out whether it is a genuine skin condition (psoriasis, eczema, blistering skin conditions) or a lesion caused by a pathogen.
Causes of skin diseases
Infections can be caused by viruses (Herpes, HPV), bacteria (TB, sexually transmitted infections), fungi (Candida, Dermatophyton).Skin lesions around the rectum can be caused by systemic disease, inflammatory bowel disease e.g.
Crohn’s disease Rectal appearance with sores, abscesses, fistulas, constant discharge, rectal stricture Constant discharge, small larger inflammatory nodules, scars caused by a disease called Hidradenitis suppurativa.
Malignant tumours also present as itchy, burning, slowly spreading lesions that protrude from the skin (Paget’s disease, Bowen’s disease, squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas of the skin around the rectum.
Diagnosis of skin disease
The key to curing skin conditions is accurate diagnosis.
The patient should consult a proctologist with a background in dermatology, who can tell whether it is a simple hygiene problem, inadequate hygiene habits, insufficient rectal closure (easily measured by manometry) or some other problem.
If the cause of the lesion is not immediately clear from the first examination, a smear should be sent to the laboratory or a skin biopsy taken and sent to a skin pathologist.
Without an accurate diagnosis there is no cure.
