Allergies, irritants, genetic makeup, certain diseases, and immune system problems can cause skin conditions.

### Acne

What is acne? It is caused when blocked skin follicles from a plug caused by oil from glands, bacteria, and dead cells clump together and swell.

### Alopecia Areata

What is alopecia areata? It is a condition that attacks your hair follicles (they make hair). In most cases, hair falls out in small, round patches.

### Atopic Dermatitis

What is atopic dermatitis? It is a skin disease causing much itchiness. Scratching leads to redness, swelling, cracking, weeping clear fluid, crusting, and scaling.

### Epidermolysis Bullosa

What is epidermolysis bullosa? It is a group of diseases causing painful blisters to form on the skin. These blisters can cause problems if they become infected.

### Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)

Hidradenitis suppurativa (also known as acne inversa) is a chronic, noncontagious, inflammatory condition characterized by pimple-like bumps or boils and tunnels or tracts on and under the skin. 

### Ichthyosis

What is ichthyosis? It is a disorder that causes dry, thickened skin that may look similar to fish scales.

### Pachyonychia Congenita

What is pachyonychia congenita? It is a rare disorder causing thick nails and painful calluses on the bottoms of the feet and other symptoms.

### Pemphigus

What is pemphigus? It is a disease where the immune system attacks healthy cells in the top layer of skin, resulting in blisters.

### Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes red, scaly skin that may feel painful, swollen, or hot. Learn more about the types and what causes psoriasis.

### Raynaud’s Phenomenon

What is Raynaud’s phenomenon? It is a disease that affects blood vessels. It causes your body to not send enough blood to the hands and feet for a period of time.

### Rosacea

What is rosacea? It is a long-term disease that causes reddened skin and pimples, usually on the face. It can also make the skin thicker and cause eye problems.

### Scleroderma

Scleroderma causes areas of tight, hard skin, but can also harm your blood vessels and organs. Learn the causes and treatments of this skin disease.

### Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a disorder that causes patches of skin to become white. It happens because cells that make color in your skin are destroyed.

## Selected Research Areas

### Cutaneous Development and Carcinogenesis Section

Led by Dr. Isaac Brownell, the Cutaneous Development and Carcinogenesis Section studies the signaling pathways such as Hedgehog signaling that regulate the development and maintenance of normal skin and the changes in these signals that occur during the formation of skin cancer

### Dermatology Branch

The Dermatology Branch conducts both clinical and basic research studying the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of inflammatory and malignant diseases involving the skin and the host's response to these diseases.

### Laboratory of Skin Biology

Led by Dr. Maria I. Morasso, the lab studies processes of epidermal differentiation, skin barrier formation and wound healing.

## Scientific Publications

###             Chromatin Landscape Governing Murine Epidermal Differentiation.        

143(7).

###             Identification of natural product modulators of Merkel cell carcinoma cell growth and survival.        

11(1).

###             Sharing is caring? Skin microbiome insights into staphylococci in patients with atopic dermatitis and caregivers.        

150(4).

## Skin Disease News

Spotlight on Research | June 22, 2023

### Research Into Naturally Occurring Hair Growth in Skin Nevi May Inform New Regenerative Therapies

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Press Release | June 1, 2023

### NIH scientists find treatment for rare genetic skin disorder

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Spotlight on Research | May 25, 2023

### NIH Researchers Survey the Genetic Diversity of Skin Microbes in Eczema Patients

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Spotlight on Research | May 25, 2022

### Discussing Bone, Muscle, Skin, & Autoimmune Diseases: Info for American Indians, Alaska Natives - audio

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Spotlight on Research | December 13, 2021

### Researchers identify cellular pathway that regulates inflammatory hair loss

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April 2023

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