7 skin infections in obese people

Obese people have skin diseases such as stretch marks, dermatitis, acanthosis nigricans, and may face inflammatory diseases caused by harmful bacteria.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Head of the Department of Digestive Surgery, 108 Central Military Hospital, explained that obesity changes the skin structure due to sudden weight gain, causing the skin to "strain" to keep up with the changes in the body. Obesity leads to changes in skin characteristics. In some cases, the skin is also weakened. Skin lesions caused by obesity that are not treated early will have a high risk of leading to infection and melanoma.

The cause of skin infections in obese people is often more sweating due to large folds and thick subcutaneous fat tissue. This moist environment is suitable for skin infections, local inflammation, intertrigo, bacterial infections, Candida infections and filamentous fungi. At the same time, body odor is more unpleasant.

Below are 7 skin infections in obese people, including 4 skin infections causing pyoderma caused by staphylococcus and 3 caused by streptococcus, according to Associate Professor Tuan.

Skin infection causing pyoderma caused by staphylococcus

- Superficial folliculitis

The disease progresses to inflammation at a superficial location, at the tip of the pore. Initially, the patient's pore is slightly red and swollen, with a painful sensation, then small pustules form, with a narrow inflammatory halo around the pore. A few days later, the pustules dry up and leave a dark brown crust. Finally, the crust peels off without leaving a scar.

- Deep folliculitis

Symptoms of deep folliculitis are many clusters of swelling around the hair follicles, and pustules around the pores. Pustules can grow scattered or clustered, red, hard, rough, and will release pus when squeezed. Deep folliculitis is often concentrated in the chin, nape, scalp... often progressing persistently and recurring.

- Boils

Boils are also one of the folliculitis conditions. If the boils are large and numerous, the patient may have a fever and the nearby lymph nodes may be swollen and painful. Boils in the ear are often very painful, and are also known as "dang dang". Boils around the mouth are also known as beard boils, which are very dangerous because they can cause venous obstruction and sepsis, which can easily lead to the patient's death.

Boils on the neck, back, and buttocks caused by Staphylococcus aureus are highly toxic and often found in the elderly, alcoholics, diabetics, and people with poor diets. When ruptured, the pus has many holes like a honeycomb, which can cause complications such as sepsis and death.

- Boils

This is also a condition of folliculitis, accompanied by inflammation of the sweat and sebaceous glands in the armpit, forming a deep pus pocket in the dermis and hypodermis. People with boils have lesions that form lumps, usually in the armpit area. The boils are initially hard, then gradually soften, and burst with pus. Patients may have one or more boils in an armpit. The disease often progresses persistently, often recurring, especially in the summer.

Skin infections causing pyoderma caused by streptococcus:

- Moment

In impetigo, streptococcus often combines with staphylococcus to cause the disease. Obese children are more susceptible to the disease than adults. The disease often occurs in the head, neck, face, and limbs, from which it spreads to other places. It is very contagious, so it is also called contagious impetigo. The lesion begins with a small, round blister with a red, inflamed halo. At first, the water is clear, gradually turning into cloudy pus. The blister and pus phase is very short, then a yellow crust forms, under the crust is a red, shallow, non-bulging erosion.

Children have impetigo in patches, dark yellow scales, sticking to the hair, under the scales the skin is red and oozing. Impetigo lesions are scattered all over the body, may be accompanied by fever, complications of acute glomerulonephritis, swelling of the legs and eyelids due to glomerulonephritis.

- Ecthyma

This is a form of impetigo that spreads deep into the dermis, usually in the lower limbs, especially in limbs with varicose veins. The disease is common in patients with poor hygiene, diabetes or alcoholism.

The first is a blister or pustule, then the blister bursts, forming a thick, dark yellow or dark brown scab, with many layers of raised scales called snail scales. Peeling off the scab leaves a pale ulcer, oozing pus, few flesh buds, the skin around the ulcer is pale purple, difficult to heal. If the ulcer is severe and long-lasting, it can become a deep ulcer, at which time the ulcer has a clear boundary, oval shape, the surrounding skin tissue is hard, pale, and the progression is very persistent.

- Intertrigo

Intertrigo is a common disease in obese children or obese people who sweat a lot. Lesions often occur in the neck folds, groin, buttocks, behind the ears, navel, and skin folds. Patients with intertrigo will have red, oozing folds, with a thin outer skin border, ulcers, oozing pus, causing a lot of pain.

According to Associate Professor Tuan, to avoid skin infections, it is necessary to first determine the root cause of this condition. When symptoms of the disease appear, it is necessary to go to a medical facility for examination to determine the disease and prevent complications (glomerulonephritis, sepsis, etc.). Do not arbitrarily use antibiotics, topical medications, plasters, leaf poultices, etc. Do not scratch the inflamed skin area, do not prick or squeeze inflamed, non-pus-filled pimples.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle to avoid gaining weight too quickly. Get regular checkups to detect and treat diseases that can cause weight gain. People who are obese should work with their doctor for the most effective treatment.

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