Common Myths About Skin Diseases
Unlike conditions such as cancer and HIV, which are ranked high on the list of medical problems in terms of public awareness, dermatological conditions rarely receive attention in public health campaigns and so their effect on people's lives tends to be underrated. Furthermore, this lack of awareness means that less is known about the causes and consequences of skin diseases as compared to other, more high profile, medical conditions. It is estimated that approximately 20 per cent of the population suffer with some form of skin disease at any time, with eczema, acne and infectious disorders (e.g. athlete's foot) being the most commonly presented complaints at GP's surgeries.
This is based on the increasing number of people who want to know how to get rid of eczema, acne, psoriasis and other skin complaints.
What do people believe about skin diseases: common myths
Skin disease, as is the case with most other medical conditions that alter physical appearance, was viewed in the past as a form of punishment. People have also explained it in terms of a 'wrongdoing' of either the sufferer or their family. This view that some form of magical external force may be responsible for punishing 'bad' people with some kind of deformity dates back thousands of years. The stigmatizing nature of conditions such as leprosy, for example, have their roots in the belief that sufferers are unclean, contagious or unable to care for themselves. People with skin diseases have historically been treated as second-class citizens, avoided, pitied and shunned.
This attitude means that sufferers are often extremely motivated to try virtually any kind of treatment for eczema or whatever type of skin condition they have.
These negative reactions to people who have suffered with some form of skin condition were born out of the belief that they were in some way responsible for their misfortune. Stigmatisation is associated with many forms of disfigurement and is sometimes underscored by popular images portrayed in magazines and on television. From fairy tales to soap operas, villains are generally depicted as having not only deviant personalities but also 'deviant' physical characteristics. Heroes, however, seem to be portrayed as flawless and beautiful.
Although mistaken ideas about the causes of skin conditions are now less common, misconceptions and myths still abound about many of them. These are often related to the type of skin condition. For instance, acne is sometimes associated with immaturity or a lack of cleanliness and reactions to this can range from pity to disgust. Reactions about skin condition tend to develop out of beliefs about:
- How the person developed the condition.
- The course of the condition (i.e. will it come and go or will it be permanent?).
- Whether it is treatable.
- Common views and stereotypes about the condition.
- Its location, color, size or shape.
- The relationship to the affected person.
Listed below are some very common misconceptions about skin disease in general. The existence of these mistaken beliefs can seriously affect the way some sufferers of skin conditions think and feel about themselves.
- Because most skin conditions are not life-threatening, they do not pose a big problem for the patient.
- If the condition is not physically handicapping, then the person's activities and daily routine can't be affected.
- The consequences that a skin disease has on the sufferer's life must be directly related to how severe the condition is.
- Everyone with a skin condition is affected in the same way, regardless of sex, age or race.
- There is no difference in how people react to different skin conditions.
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