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The One-Two Punch of Shingles

When you were a kid, you may have had the chickenpox, or at least knew a friend that had them. There are vaccinations these days that make the sickness less prevalent, but that doesn’t mean your chickenpox, or varicella, will never return. If you contracted this rash at some point in your childhood, there is a chance the virus will appear again one day as shingles.

Chickenpox

Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease that is caused by the varicella zoster virus. This is the same virus that causes shingles too. When you first contract the virus as a child, the chickenpox will form as itchy blisters appearing first on the back, chest and face. The blisters will then spread to the rest of the body and leave the child with flu-like symptoms. It can cause anywhere from 250 to 500 blisters across the body that may scar if not healed right. If you had it as a kid, you probably took a week or two off school until the blisters scabbed over and the sickness went away.

Varicella Zoster

Or did it really go away? No. Once infected with the varicella zoster virus, it will never truly go away. After the chickenpox heals, the virus will travel along the nerve fibers and remain dormant in the spinal cord and brain. Decades later, the virus may appear again, this time as shingles, to deliver its second punch.

Shingles

When you first get shingles, or herpes zoster, you may be skeptical about what it is and where it came from. A row of raised, red dots will pop-up only on one side of the torso or face. You may think it’s only hives or a reaction, but a trip to a dermatologist and an examination will tell you it’s shingles. Once you are infected by shingles, it can’t be cured. There are treatments available to lessen the symptoms, but you’ll just have to let the illness run its course.

Once the itchy, red bumps start to appear on one side of your torso or face, the skin in the affected area will start to appear red. There may be a tingling under the skin, but it also can feel like a stabbing pain. You may experience fever, chills or an upset stomach. The rash will then turn into painful, red, fluid-filled blisters that will eventually dry out and crust over.

Will I Get Shingles?

If you have ever had the chickenpox, there is a possibility that it will one day return as shingles. It could be years later, but there is no telling when it will arise. There are some conditions that make it easier for the virus to return. A weakened immune system from medicines or other diseases allows for your body’s defenses to be down, and for the varicella zoster virus to reappear as shingles . Old age and stress are also contributing factors.

If you think you have shingles, visit a doctor or dermatologist immediately. The infection is highly contagious and can spread easily to people without the vaccination. Avoid pregnant women and babies until the sores on the skin have crusted over and started to heal.

Are you looking for a trusted dermatologist to accurately and correctly treat your shingles? Visit Knoxville Dermatology Group online to learn more about our trusted doctors. Visit us online here, or give us a call at (865) 690-9467.

How to Ensure Skin Conditions Don’t Keep Your Kids Out of School

School is officially back in session, and the kids are hard at work. Whether you’re relieved or not, it’s important to make sure they stay healthy for the whole year. Many parents forget that their kids come into contact with hundreds of children every day between the classroom, halls or recess. If not careful, you child could develop a skin-related illness or infection and pass it along to other kids. No one needs to miss school. These tips ensure your child will get the “Perfect Attendance” award at the end of the year.

Head Lice

Lice is the classic nuisance that schools will do everything in its’ power to prevent. Contrary to popular belief, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that students diagnosed with head lice do not need to be sent straight home. The organization suggests letting the student finish out the rest of the school day before going home and being treated. This is because head lice have not been shown to spread disease.

If your child does come home with lice, it’s important to follow these treatment instructions to ensure that they can return to school as soon as possible. To treat head lice, get an over-the-counter prescription lice medicine, called pediculicide, and read the measurement and how-to-use instructions that are provided. Comb the treatment through small stands of hair, one at a time, until all parts of the head have been treated. After eight to 12 hours, if the lice are still alive and active, repeat the treatment process. If the lice problem continues to persist, take a visit to a dermatologist.

It’s important to check the heads of everyone in the household and anyone who the child has recently come in contact with. All clothes, hats, bedding, towels or grooming aids must be washed and sanitized. Personal hygiene or cleanliness is not a factor that contributes to head lice. If someone in your child’s school gets lice, make sure all children in the class get checked immediately.

Shingles

Chickenpox used to be a common virus that most kids would get. With a vaccine in place now, the condition is becoming less common. However, anyone who has had a case of the chickenpox is at a slight risk of developing shingles, even children. Both chickenpox and shingles are caused by the varicella zoster virus. When a child gets chickenpox, the virus stays in the person’s nervous system forever. When the virus flares up again, it is considered shingles. This is pretty rare in children or teens with healthy immune systems.

A case of shingles will bring symptoms of tingling, itching or even pain before a rash appears. The rash will show up as a group of pimples on the body or face. After a week to ten days, the blisters will break open and scab over. It takes usually two to four weeks for the scabs to heal completely. Children might also experience fever, headache, fatigue or general muscle achiness with an outbreak. Shingles is extremely contagious, so make sure to keep you child home from school and away from friends.

Eczema

One in ten children will experience eczema before the age of five. Eczema is defined as numerous different skin conditions that leave the skin red and irritated. The skin will sometimes have small, red, fluid-filled bumps that ooze. Doctors aren’t sure what exactly causes the condition, but they do believe genetics plays a factor. Kids who develop eczema often have other family members with asthma, allergies or even hay fever.

Good skin care is the first step of treating eczema. In minor cases, a change to your daily habits and hygiene will do the trick. Using an unscented moisturizing or lotion will help keep the skin hydrated. Use it twice a day and after bathing. Dry air can irritate the condition, so doctors recommend keeping a dehumidifier in the room your child sleeps in. For any case of eczema, a dermatologist can prescribe physician-strength medicines and moisturizers.

Does you or your child have a skin condition that could affect them from going to school?  Our dermatologists are specialists in cases involving eczema, shingles and provide assistance for head lice. Call Knoxville Dermatology Group today at (865) 690-9467 or visit us online!

Beware of the Shingles

Just the mention of shingles can send a shiver down your spine. If you’ve braved chickenpox, then you could be at risk for shingles.

It isn’t a life-threatening condition, but it can be extremely painful as it reaches deep down into nerve endings.. This skin rash is born from the same virus that causes the dreaded childhood disease, chickenpox. It can appear anywhere on your body but typically manifests itself as a single strip of blisters around the left or right side of your torso. Shingles is most common in senior adults but has also been known to attack younger people. It can be triggered by stress or other factors that lead to a weakened immune system.

Much like chickenpox, signs and symptoms include pain and burning, a red rash and fluid filled blisters that can break open. Symptoms of shingles usually affect only a small section of one side of your body. You should contact one of our expert dermatologists if you suspect that  you may be experiencing signs of Shingles. As is true in most cases, early detection and treatment will have you feeling better soon.

If you have any questions about shingles or about changes in your skin, please call us today at 865-690-9467. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment with one of our board certified physicians to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.

A Chickenpox Comeback

A very common skin disease in children, chickenpox, could come back to haunt you in adulthood. The virus that causes chickenpox remains dormant in your nerve roots forever, even after symptoms disappear. Should the virus reactivate, it comes back as shingles.

Shingles is a painful skin rash that usually appears in a band, strip or small area on one side of the face or body. Symptoms begin with a headache or sensitivity to light. After that, a rash that itches or tingles will occur. You may also feel pain in that area. Finally, the rash turns into clusters of blisters that crust over similar to cold sores. Changes in vision could be serious and should be discussed with a doctor right away.

As always, it is important to keep healthy and happy to avoid shingles and most other ailments. Shingles usually appears in older individuals with weakened immune systems, or in people who are very tired, stressed or weak. A healthy diet and regular exercise can help reduce the chances of getting shingles and many other diseases.

If you discover you have shingles, it is best to visit the doctor at the first sign or symptom to reduce healing times. Taking care of skin sores and keeping them clean will also help the healing process.

If you have any questions about shingles or about changes in your skin, please call us today at 865-690-9467. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment with one of our board certified physicians to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.

Chicken Pox 2.0


Maybe you can’t catch chicken pox twice, but the itch and burn can return. Shingles is a painful skin rash, born from the same virus that causes chicken pox. The bad news? It’s back. The good news? You’ve dealt with it once before, you can do it again.

After you’ve had chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus becomes inactive in the nerve tissues near your spinal cord and brain. If the virus should reactivate later in life, it’s referred to as shingles. Shingles is most common in older people, but can be triggered by stress or other factors that lead to a weakened immune system.

Much like chickenpox, signs and symptoms include pain and burning, a red rash and fluid filled blisters that can break open. Unlike chickenpox, symptoms of shingles usually affect only a small section of one side of your body. You should contact one of our expert dermatologists as soon as you realize you may be experiencing signs of Shingles. As is true in most cases, early detection and treatment will have you feeling better sooner.

Prescription antiviral drugs can speed healing and reduce your risk of complications. Because shingles can cause severe pain, your doctor may prescribe numbing agents or medications that contain narcotics. Home remedies that may alleviate symptoms include taking a cool bath or using wet compresses on blisters to relieve itching and pain.

If you have any questions about shingles and treatment options, please call us today at 865-690-9467. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment with one of our board certified physicians to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.

The Pain with Shingles

It’s well-known that once you’ve had chickenpox, you can’t get it again. What’s not as well-known, however, is that the virus that causes chickenpox, varicella-zoster, stays dormant in your nervous system for the rest of your life. The virus can then reactivate years later as shingles, often without warning.

The first sign that you may be suffering from shingles is an intense pain, often associated with a burning sensation, on one side of your abdomen. This pain will then be followed by a red rash and fluid-filled blisters a few days later. This rash is generally an individual strip down your side. Although rare, people may also experience a fever, headache and fatigue.
Shingles is contagious, but only to those who have never had chickenpox. If they come in contact with someone suffering from shingles, they can catch it and develop chickenpox. As long as your shingles rash is forming new blisters, you are contagious.

Most cases of shingles occur in people over 50 years of age, but there are other factors that can put you at greater risk. If you have any diseases or take medication that weaken your immune system, receive treatment for cancer or are taking a steroid regimen, you are more likely to develop shingles.

Currently, there is no cure for shingles. However, the use of antiviral drugs, if issued quickly after the appearance of symptoms, can help heal the rash more quickly and reduce your risk of complications.

If you need more serious help with skin issues or something else that is troubling your skin, we are here to help. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment today with one of our board certified physicians to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.

Contact Knoxville Dermatology Group at 865.690.9467.