Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is a rare skin cancer that begins in your dermis, your skin’s middle layer. It’s pronounced “dur-MAT-toe-fy-bra-sar-CO-ma” “pro-TOO-bur-anz.” Your healthcare provider might call it DFSP. This slow-growing cancer rarely spreads. Still, you need treatment to remove the tumor and prevent cancer from coming back (recurrence) or spreading (metastatic cancer). With proper treatment, DFSP has a high survival rate. Is …

Seborrheic dermatitis is a common, noncontagious, easy-to-manage skin condition. This type of dermatitis causes itchy red patches and greasy scales on your skin along with white or yellow crusty or powdery flakes on your scalp. “Seborrheic” refers to the “sebaceous” glands while “derm” means “skin.” It’s called “dandruff” (pityriasis capitis) when it’s on a teenager’s or adult’s scalp, and “cradle cap” when …

Teen depression is a serious mental health problem that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities. It affects how your teenager thinks, feels and behaves, and it can cause emotional, functional and physical problems. Although depression can occur at any time in life, symptoms may be different between teens and adults. Issues such as peer …

Having a baby is a life-changing experience. Being a parent is exciting but can also be tiring and overwhelming. It’s normal to have feelings of worry or doubt, especially if you are a first-time parent. However, if your feelings include extreme sadness or loneliness, severe mood swings and frequent crying spells, you may have postpartum depression. Postpartum depression (PPD) is …

Dengue fever is an illness you can get from the bite of a mosquito carrying one of four types of dengue virus (DENV). The virus is most commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions, including Central and South America, Africa, parts of Asia and the Pacific Islands. Dengue isn’t contagious from person to person except when passed from a pregnant …

Vascular dementia is a common type of dementia that happens when there’s decreased blood flow to areas of your brain. The resulting lack of oxygen and nutrients damages brain tissue. This leads to a decline in mental (cognitive) functions that’s severe enough to interfere with daily living. Several conditions can contribute to a lack of blood flow, including stroke. Vascular dementia is among the …

Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a type of dementia in which Lewy bodies are present in your brain. Lewy bodies are clumps of proteins that build up inside certain neurons (brain cells). They cause damage to neurons in the areas of your brain that affect mental capabilities, behavior, movement and sleep. Lewy body dementia is a progressive disease, meaning symptoms start slowly …

Frontotemporal dementia refers to a group of diseases that involve the deterioration of your brain’s frontal and temporal lobes. As those areas deteriorate, you lose the abilities those parts controlled. People with FTD commonly lose control of their behavior or ability to speak and understand spoken language. People with FTD can fall under one of the three common symptom groups. …

Dementia is a description of the state of a person’s mental function and not a specific disease. Dementia entails a decline in mental function from a previously higher level that’s severe enough to interfere with daily living. A person with dementia has two or more of these specific difficulties, including a decline in: Memory. Reasoning. Language. Coordination. Mood. Behavior. Dementia …

Delirium is a fast-developing type of confusion that affects your ability to focus your attention and awareness. It happens when there’s widespread disruption in brain activity, usually because of a combination of factors. Delirium is more common in medical settings, such as during long hospital stays or in long-term care facilities. People with delirium often act very differently than they do under …