Where There Is No Doctor 2011 211
PIMPLES AND BLACKHEADS (ACNE)
Young people sometimes get pimples on their face,
chest, or back—especially if their skin has too much oil in
it. Pimples are little lumps that form tiny white ‘heads’ of
pus or blackheads of dirt. Sometimes they can become
quite sore and large.
Treatment:
♦ Wash the face twice a day with soap and hot water.
♦ Wash the hair every 2 days, if possible.
♦ Sunshine helps clear pimples. Let the sunlight fall on
the affected parts of the body.
♦ Eat as well as possible, drink a lot of water, and get enough sleep.
♦ Do not use skin or hair lotions that are waxy, oily, or greasy.
♦ Before you go to bed, put a mixture of alcohol with a little sulfur on the face
(10 parts alcohol to 1 part sulfur).
♦ For serious cases forming lumps and pockets of pus, if these do not get better
with the methods already described, tetracycline may help. Take 1 capsule
4 times a day for 3 days and then 2 capsules daily. It may be necessary to
take 1 or 2 capsules daily for months.
CANCER OF THE SKIN
Skin cancer is most frequent in light-skinned persons who spend a lot of time in
the sun. It usually appears in places where the sun hits with most force, especially:
on the ear
on the cheekbone
or temple
on the nose
on the lips
Skin cancer may take many forms. It usually begins as a little ring the color of
pearl with a hole in the center. It grows little by little.
Most cancers of the skin are not dangerous if treated in time. Surgery is
needed to remove them. If you have a chronic sore that might be skin cancer, see a
health worker.
To prevent skin cancer, light-skinned persons should protect themselves from
the sun and always wear a hat. Persons who have suffered from cancer of the skin
and have to work in the sun can buy special creams that protect them. Zinc oxide
ointment is cheap and works well.