1. Adult Skin Problems Slideshow Pictures
2. Quiz: Can You Identify These Skin Conditions?
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Medical Author:

Sandra Gonzalez Gompf, MD, FACP

Sandra Gonzalez Gompf, MD, FACP

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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A number of factors can increase the chance that bacteria may invade the skin and cause infection. These include the following:

• Injuries that break the skin



• Infections related to a surgical procedure



• Any breaks in the skin that allow bacteria to invade the skin (examples are chronic skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis)



• Foreign objects in the skin



• Infection of bone underneath the skin (An example is a long-standing open wound that is deep enough to expose the bone to bacteria. Sometimes this occurs in people with diabetes who have lost sensation in their feet.)

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