The skin is the largest organ in our bodies, and yet for some reason it’s the organ that receives the least attention from most people when it comes to health issues.

If you talk to pretty well any of your friends and relations about what health issues they’re most concerned with and you’ll probably (depending on age) get answers like heart health, gut problems, dementia and joint/skeletal health.

All of which is quite understandable as these areas of our bodies tend to receive the most publicity when it comes to health problems. However, our skin, just like any other organ or body part can develop problems, and some of these conditions can sometimes be fatal if left undetected and untreated.

Even if not fatal, the visible damage they create on the skin can have huge impacts on quality of life and general well-being. There are few things that seem to affect our self-esteem as much as visible skin conditions, and while this may just sound like vanity, it can cause serious and lasting emotional damage.

So take the time to check out these six early warning signs of relatively common skin issues that you should always take note of…