Malaria is a serious tropical disease spread by mosquitoes. Malaria can be fatal if not identified and treated quickly with antimalarial medications. Antimalarial medications can also be used to treat conditions other than malaria, specifically certain dermatology problems and diseases including a range of skin conditions. What Causes Malaria? Malaria is actually caused by a type of parasite known as Plasmodium. There are many different types of Plasmodia parasites but only five of these cause malaria in people. The Plasmodium parasite is mainly spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes which tend to bite at dusk and at night. When the mosquito bites, then the parasites will pass into the bloodstream. What are Antimalarial Medications? Antimalarial medications are drugs with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects and these can be used to treat some skin conditions in addition to malaria. Antimalarial Medications in Dermatology Antimalarial medications used in dermatology include Chloroquine, Hydroxychloroquine, and Quinacrine. Hydroxychloroquine tends to be the medicine of choice of the three due to its better safety profile. These medications have all been used to treat skin diseases for over fifty years but more recent research has confirmed just exactly why they are so useful for certain skin conditions. Antimalarial medications reduce the production of cytokines that induce an inflammatory response so they are particularly useful for skin conditions that trigger inflammation and are a popular choice for treating Lupus, Sarcoidosis, and Dermatomyositis amongst many others. Drugs for malaria are not suitable for all skin conditions or, indeed, all patients so can only be prescribed by a specialist in dermatology after a proper diagnosis and comprehensive health review. Lifestyle habits such as smoking can reduce the impact of antimalarial medications for the treatment of some skin conditions plus all of these medications can have side effects. For advice on staying safe from malaria during your travels or the use of antimalarial medications for the treatment of skin conditions, consult ANP Pharma. Dermatology issues can benefit from medication commonly used for the treatment of malaria but these medicines may only be prescribed by a doctor. To find out more, take a look at our website www.anppharma.co.uk