10 issue : hygiene
The HEALTH | OCTOBER , 2018
10 issue : hygiene
Maintaining good skin hygiene
JOURNALS . PLOS . ORG
Trachoma : Blindness caused by bad sanitation
Incorporating basic skin care such as hand wash before and after performing an activity .
MAINTAINING good hygiene is vital , especially when it comes to skin hygiene as the skin is alive with bacteria we cannot see . Build-up of bacteria forms on our skin while we go about doing our day to day activities such as travelling in the train on the way to work or even talking on the phone .
Skin hygiene is usually interchangeably related with healthy skin . Defined as a way to preserve the skin ’ s normal structure and function , taking good care of our skin ’ s hygiene helps to protect the body from being invaded by external factors from the our surrounding environment .
Basic things that can be done for a healthy and hygienic skin include routine showers , before and after hand wash as well as facial cleansing . Poor care will lead to fastened ageing process as well as greater exposure to sun rays such as UVA and UVB rays .
According to Dinar Polyclinic , Aesthetic physician , Dr Haziq Firdaus ( pic ), skin care differs from one individual to another as there are specific product suitability for certain skin conditions .
“ Skin care products such as shampoo , topical cream and lotions are some of the widely used products to ease people into maintaining their skin hygiene . Usage of antibacterial shampoo needs to be used considerately as a normal amount will help kill bacteria on the skin surface , however , excessive usage may be damaging .”
Despite no exact proof stating that lack of skin care can lead to skin infections , he stressed that it ’ s important for the public to be aware on skin health and hygiene as lack of proper hygiene care can lead to the spreading of different diseases from the skin .
Carrying a mini hand sanitizer around helps when there is no access to hand wash or soap .
In severe cases , the scar tissue may induce trichiasis — the inward turning of the eyelashes
RACHOMA is caused by
T chlamydia trachomatis , serotypes A , B , and C . It is spread by direct contact with eye , nose and throat secretions from affected individuals , or contact with inanimate objects that carry infectious agents , such as towels and / or washcloths .
KPJ Tawakkal Specialist Hospital consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Patricia Lim Su Lyn emphasised that trachoma is a public health problem and most prevalent in poor , rural communities with bad sanitation and is easily spread from person to person in these situations .
“ Environmental risk factors are
LEPROSY ( also known as Hansen ’ s disease ) is a chronic infectious disease caused by a bacillus mycobacterium leprae . It affects principally the skin , the upper respiratory tract , peripheral nerves in hands and feet and the eyes .
Poverty , poor hygiene and overcrowding , long delays in diagnosis poor hygiene , crowded households , water shortage , in adequate latrines and sanitation facilities .”
“ Transmission of this disease is through direct contact with an infected person or a vector . The vectors are flies that land on the ocular and nasal passage membranes of an infected host and then land on an uninfected person , spreading the disease .”
“ The most common vector flies are Musca sorbens and Musca domestica . Women and children are the main population affected by this disease because they are in close contact and are more vulnerable ; therefore they are also the main reservoirs of
Poor hygiene , immune system cause for leprosy
RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR TROPICAL MEDICINE
due to fear of rejection , shortage of health service staff familiar with leprosy and lack of a simple and reliable test to confirm diagnosis in certain parts of the world are all impediments to eradicating leprosy .
Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur Family Medicine specialist Dr Marieanne Sundram pointed out that while most infection , especially young children . Any articles of clothing , towels , tissues or bedding used by an infected person could infect someone else if shared .”
The first signs are symptoms of an active trachoma infection which occur five to 12 days after the initial infection and are similar to those of bacterial conjunctivitis , and include irritation , slight discharge , and inflamed eyelids .
“ In severe cases , the scar tissue may induce trichiasis - the inward turning of the eyelashes and deformation of the eyelid . The cornea then becomes more irritated and ulceration may be present , which leads to more scaring and eventually blindness . This process is irreversible . The only way to help is a corneal transplant , antibiotics to clear the chlamydia , facial cleanliness to avoid the flies and environmental improvement to reduce transmission .”
of us have a natural immunity to leprosy , the remaining become vulnerable , mainly through poor nutrition , poor living conditions , lack of hygiene and a weakened immune system . Leprosy is not hereditary .
“ It takes a long time to treat this infection . It usually takes three to five years for the symptoms to appear after contact with a person who has leprosy . You can have the bacteria in you but it doesn ’ t manifest right away . Sometimes , it can be in a person for 20 years .”
“ The first sign is a discoloured insensitive patch on the skin , then thickened and palpable cutaneous nerves . People with leprosy lose all feeling in the affected areas . There is diminished awareness of harm from trauma or heat . Without treatment , this can lead to permanent damage to skin , nerves , limbs and eyes .”
“ Treatment is with antibiotics for six months to two years but once you have nerve damage , the antibiotics are unable to reverse the damage . It would only help to ensure that the condition does not deteriorate further .”
“ Visible complications include the disfiguration of the face , permanent swelling , bumps and lumps , blindness , glaucoma , kidney failure , muscle weakness , claw like hands , inability to flex the feet , brain damage as well as spinal cord damage .” improvement to reduce transmission .”