Sri Lanka, July 16 -- A sudden rise in skin-related illnesses has been reported across the country, causing concern among health officals, the Health Promotion Bureau said.

Dermatologist Dr. Janaka Akarawita said that 20% of the patients are reported due to Ringworm, a contagious fungal skin disease, appearing as red, circular rashes and spreads through skin contact or shared items like towels and clothing.

He said that 1.6 billion suffer from skin diseases due to mental and social disorders.

Dr. Akarawita warned that steroids without proper disclosure lead to adverse effects such as skin atrophy, dryness, thinning of the skin, redness, itching, burning and a sticky texture.

Experts caution against using creams that are not registered...