Common Questions About Skin Infections

Your skin is important to your well-being because it is the largest organ of your body. It regulates your temperature, protects you from the environment, against injury and against certain infections.

If you have a skin infection there are some important questions you should be asking your doctor. Individuals who are well informed about their skin condition can be prepared to take better care of them and heal faster.

Here are some important questions to ask your doctor:

What will be involved in diagnosing my skin condition? There may be several different tests performed such as cultures, and possibly a biopsy. Ask for explanations of each test.

After diagnosis, ask about how you can prevent this infection from returning.

Ask if this infection is contagious to other family members or to dorm members.

Find out how long to expect your infection to last.

Ask the doctor when your receive prescriptions, if there are any risks to taking the medications.

Ask your doctor about any risk factors that you have for reoccurrences and what you can do to reduce them.

Find out if you should be watching for any complications of your skin infection.

Your doctor may give you care instructions for at home, such as soaking, or applying warm compresses. Make sure that you ask for specifics on how to do these activities.

Ask how you can improve your daily skin care regimen so that you may be able to head off any future skin infections.

If your skin infection is contagious, ask how you can help minimize the spread of the infection and be sure to write down what steps need to be taken.

If you are in sports, ask how you can prevent skin infections in the shower and locker room.

Don't be shy about asking any questions that you may have at the time of your appointment. You can also contact your doctor after your appointment if you think of any additional questions. The medical team is there to help you to understand your skin infection and to ensure that you know how to take care of your skin at home. Knowing all you can about your skin infection including how to care for it as well as steps you can take to stop the spread of infection to others helps to keep everyone healthy.

Skin infections are common and nothing to be ashamed about. Asking questions and getting the right answers will help you to deal better with your infection and get you on the path to healing faster.