ASK A DERMATOLOGIST

There are itchy, hard, smooth, sometimes pus filled and red bumps in the hairline of my posterior scalp. I’m not sure if it’s just dandruff or something more serious. What do you recommend for it?

From the above description it looks like you are suffering from folliculitis. Sometimes due to head lice this area gets infected frequently. This needs to be seen by a dermatologist for a proper diagnosis and treatment as you might be needing some oral and topical antibiotics.

I started noticing some changes on my skin texture about a year ago and it has gotten worse since then. I developed rough and thick skin with enlarged pores on my forehead, cheeks, and around my nose. I'm just wondering what kind of skin disorder I have.

I need to know your age and some more details about your lifestyle and skin care routine. Large pores indicate that your oil glands are quite active. Dry rough skin indicates that your skin is not being taken care of properly. A sunblock and a good moisturiser at least two times a day will help to treat the condition. Try to use sebamed products to maintain the pH of your skin.

I'm currently 22 and I've been shaving my legs since my teens. I garnered the terrible habit of not moisturising. Now I have little black dots under my skin that I can only imagine are either scars or little hair. How do I get rid of these without digging into my skin?

Frequently shaving your hair in wrong directions may cause ingrown hair. You will surely benefit from laser hair removal. Meanwhile, start using a moisturiser on your legs regularly and wear lose fitting trousers.

Hello, how to treat deep or even very deep blackheads? Ones that don't want to fade away or get out (I'm not trying to pick them up, but even if I would do it, it wouldn't work) for a long time? They stay deeply under the skin and I can't get rid of them.

You seem to have been suffering from submarine comedones. We take them out with specialised tools and procedures and also prescribe exfoliants and retinoids for home use in such cases.

One year ago I suffered from acne – including a few deep large spots on my nose. I was advised to apply sandalwood and turmeric over night. My nose spots reduced in frequency but I fear it led to side effects as almost immediately, I noticed blood vessels only on my nose (never seen before). A summer holiday trip caused more damage from intense sun and now I have two red areas on my nose caused by capillaries. Is this treatable and if it is, what would you recommend?

Please start using a good sunblock and yes, we can treat your visible blood vessels with lasers. •

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