Primary Care: Skin Conditions

There are a wide range of skin conditions that may be temporary or permanent, mild or severe. If you have a skin condition, your primary care provider will likely refer you to a dermatologist.

Common Skin Conditions

• Actinic keratosis: Thick and scaly or crusty patches of skin occur on areas of the body that get more sun exposure

• Acne: These pimples, blackheads, whiteheads or cysts/nodules are generally found on the face, shoulders, chest, neck and upper back

• Basal cell carcinoma: A type of skin cancer, it leads to raised pink or red areas with visible blood vessel that may easily bleed or ooze

• Blisters: Clear and fluid-filled sacs may appear alone or in groups anywhere on the body

• Cold sores: If you’re infected with the HSV-1 virus, you may get red and painful blisters that appear on the lips or chin

• Dermatitis: Caused by an allergen, this red, itchy and scaly rash may appear anywhere, often turning into blisters

• Eczema: A chronic skin condition that causes redness, itchiness, and scaly white or yellow patches

• Hives: After exposure to an allergen, the skin breaks out in itchy, red and raised welts that can be painful

• Melanoma: The most serious form of skin cancer, an asymmetrical mole with irregularly shaped edges and multiple colours can appear anywhere on the body

• Melasma: A skin condition that’s common in pregnancy, melasma causes dark patches to appear on the face

• Psoriasis: This chronic skin condition causes scaly and silvery skin patches on the knees, scalp, elbows and lower back

• Rosacea: Triggered by certain foods, alcohol, stress, sunlight or an intestinal bacteria, rosacea is a chronic skin disease that causes raised red bumps, facial flushing, skin sensitivity and dryness

• Squamous cell carcinoma: This skin cancer often occurs in areas exposed to the sun, causing red and scaly patches of skin that grow into red bumps

• Vitiligo: Autoimmune destruction of the cells that give skin its colour causes loss of pigment in the skin

• Warts: A contagious virus called human papillomavirus (HPV) causes warts, which may appear in groups or alone

If you have symptoms of a skin condition, see your physician for treatment or a referral to a dermatologist. Treatment varies depending on the type of skin disorder you have. 

Talk to your family physician if you'd like more information on skin conditions.

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There are a wide range of skin conditions that may be temporary or permanent, mild or severe. If you have a skin condition, your primary care provider will likely refer you to a dermatologist.