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Latex Allergy What is a latex allergy? Natural rubber latex is a milky fluid found in rubber trees. There is a protein in the fluid that can cause allergic reactions in some people. Common products made using this natural rubber latex include gloves, condoms, rubber bands, and

Anatomy of a Joint Joints are the areas where 2 or more bones meet. Most joints are mobile, allowing the bones to move. Joints consist of the following: Cartilage. This is a type of tissue that covers the surface of a bone at a joint. Cartilage helps reduce the friction of

Osteogenesis Imperfecta in Children What is osteogenesis imperfecta in children? Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare inherited (genetic) bone disorder that is present at birth. It's also known as brittle bone disease. A child born with OI may have soft bones that break

Cancer Overview What is cancer? Cancer is an abnormal growth of cells. The whole body is made of cells that act and grow in controlled ways as the body needs them. Cells are controlled by genes. The genes in any cell in the body can be damaged. Then the cell can grow out of

Contact Dermatitis What is contact dermatitis? Contact dermatitis is a reaction that happens after your skin comes in direct contact with certain substances. The substances may be: Irritants. These cause direct skin irritation and inflammation. They are the most common cause of

Benign Skin Growths What are benign skin growths? Skin changes as you grow older and are exposed to sunlight, health conditions, trauma, and other environmental changes. Most people have some skin marks, such as freckles and moles. These may multiply or darken over time. Benign

Psoriasis What is psoriasis? Psoriasis is a long-term (chronic) skin condition. It causes inflamed, red, raised areas of skin (plaques). The plaques itch and can be painful. The condition most often occurs on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back. What causes psoriasis

Scars What is a scar? A scar is the body's natural way of healing and replacing lost or damaged skin. A scar is often made of fibrous tissue. Scars may be formed for many different reasons. They may be due to infections, surgery, injuries, or inflammation of tissue. Scars may

Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome (SSSS) in Children What is staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in children? Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) is a serious skin infection. The infection causes peeling skin over large parts of the body. It looks like the skin has

Skin Tests What are skin tests? Skin tests may be done to diagnose rashes, moles, skin allergies, bacterial or fungal skin infections, and other diseases. Skin tests are also done to tell the difference between cancer (malignant) cells and noncancer (benign) growths. What are the