Overview
The Day Treatment Service (DTS) at the National Skin Centre offers a range of treatments to assist patients with the practical outpatient management of their skin problems. Patients with extensive skin diseases who need instructive and specialised nursing care on cream / lotion applications, medicated baths and scalp treatment will benefit from attending our DTS. Patients have to be referred by dermatologists to receive the following treatments:
Skin treatment procedures available at our DTS include:
1. Scalp treatment
This is particularly suitable for patients who have thick scales or lesions on their scalp and who need intensive treatment to remove the scales. It is also suitable for patients requiring application of lotions / ointments onto their scalp lesions. Patients with psoriasis, seborrhoeic dermatitis and atopic dermatitis with scalp involvement will benefit from this treatment.
2. Medicated baths
Skin disorders with generalised lesions that are inflammed or scaly will require medicated baths to relieve itch and irritation, reduce inflammation, and remove scales. Thick scales on the body cause discomfort and itch and also impair penetration of creams applied onto the skin. Some patients do not have a long bath at home, or do not know how to prepare the medicated baths properly. Such treatment at our DTS will ensure that these patients receive the best medical care. Our special baths include
- Emulsifying ointment bath – this is particularly therapeutic for dry and scaly dermatoses e.g. eczema and generalised exfoliative dermatitis.
- Potassium permanganate bath – for weepy skin lesions.
- Oatmeal bath – for patients with extensive inflammed skin, to relieve itch and irritation, e.g erythrodermic psoriasis.
- Coal tar bath – this is therapeutic for psoriasis and occasionally for eczema.
Patients requiring medicated baths include those with:
- extensive psoriasis
- extensive atopic dermatitis
- extensive seborrhoeic dermatitis
- congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma