Skin in the Game Trivia Quiz

Answer: palms and soles

The epidermis is thickest (and also hairless) on the palms of one's hands and soles of one's feet. It is thought that this is an evolutionary development. Feet obviously need to be tough because they walk the earth with all its hard, sharp, and irregular surfaces and, since hands come into contact with many varied things every day, they also need to be safeguarded with a thick epidermal layer.

Incidentally, the epidermis is thinnest on the eyelids.

Answer: rosacea

There are four types of rosacea, only one of which causes the thickening of the skin of the nose that was so evident on the face of W.C. Fields. Many sufferers of rosacea have only what appears to be pimply outbreaks and reddened area of skin on their faces.

The condition is quite treatable through a combination of diet and medication, and the earlier treatment begins, usually the better the outcome. If left untreated it can progress and become more physically uncomfortable and cosmetically unattractive.

Answer: Yes

Herpes simplex 1 most often causes cold sores, but it can infrequently cause genital herpes as well, and can spread from person to person if not managed properly.

Answer: whiteheads and blackheads

Comedones are just whiteheads and blackheads. They differ from one another in several ways. Both are composed of sebum (oil) and dead skin cells, but blackheads reside in pores with much larger openings than those housing whiteheads. The greater opening allows for oxygen to penetrate the opening.

The oxygen reacts with melanin in the dead skin cells, causing them to turn black. In the smaller openings of whiteheads, oxygen cannot get in and no darkening takes place.

Answer: vitiligo

Vitiligo is not medically dangerous, but can be stressful because it changes one's appearance, sometimes radically. It can occur on the skin anywhere on the body. It is caused when the cells that produce melanin, the pigment responsible for skin coloration, stop functioning or die. There are treatments that sometimes result in improvement of the condition, but it is not curable.

Answer: a growth caused by a virus

Warts are caused by HPV- the human papillomavirus. Most warts aren't dangerous, but they aren't pretty either. They're contagious, and sometimes they can be painful. HPV can take many forms, one of which, genital warts, can be very dangerous, as they can cause cervical cancer.

Answer: True

Dermatological research has revealed that prolonged contact with, or immersion in, water can leach the oils from your skin, contributing to dry skin conditions. Hot water is also not recommended for bathing, for the same reason. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends instead that you bathe in water that is warm, not hot.

Answer: Decubitus ulcer

Decubitus ulcers are also called pressure sores. They form most easily on the areas of the body that cover bony parts-hips, back, buttocks, tailbone, or ankles. In addition to affecting people who spend much time in bed, they an ongoing threat to people who use wheelchairs.

Friction, and a movement called shear, can also cause decubitus ulcers to form. These two conditions commonly occur when a person is moved in bed. Friction occurs any time one's skin is dragged or slid across a surface. Shear is a special type of friction, that occurs when you slide down in bed when the head of the bed is elevated, for example.

Pressure causes the ulcers as follows: when a person sits or lies in one position for long periods, the pressure exerted by a bone on an area of skin deprives that skin of blood flow which, over time, weakens and damages the skin. If this continues, open sores can form on the site. They can be very painful for the affected person. Decubitus ulcers are treatable, but most easily treated if caught early. If left untreated, they can progress and even become life-threatening because they provide a means of entry into the body for infectious agents.

Answer: Yes

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends applying sunscreen with a SPF of at least 30, 15 minutes before going out into the sun and every two hours thereafter. In addition to this being good advice for any skin, tattooed or not, it is beneficial for tattoos because sunlight can actually cause some inks to fade if not protected.

Answer: It used to be one of the five most common childhood skin conditions

Fifth Disease is so named because it was once one of the five most common childhood skin conditions involving a rash, the other four being measles, rubella (German measles), chicken pox and scarlet fever.

Fifth Disease is also known as "slapped cheek disease" because areas of the face appear brightly flushed when affected. It is very common in children and is generally not dangerous. It is, however, contagious and there is no cure. The virus usually runs its course in a week to ten days. The first symptoms are a mild sore throat, headache, and runny nose. By the time the rash appears, the contagious phase of the condition is past, so children exhibiting the rash can continue to attend school and other activities if they feel well enough to do so.

Although Fifth Disease is not considered dangerous most of the time, for pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems and people with certain types of anemia, it can be a more serious concern.

You may know that animals are susceptible to parvoviruses. The particular strain of parvovirus in Fifth Disease is not contagious to animals, only to humans.