Skin Rashes are very common and there is no need to worry too much about them unless they are severe in nature. In usual cases, it is caused due to the reaction of the body to some foreign substance. It can also happen due to some infection or when the body reacts adversely to some drugs. In most cases, there is no need to panic as they do not cause much harm and only cause temporary discomfort due to itchiness and red patches on the skin. You can get skin rash even due to a mosquito bite or when you are exposed too much to the sun. The best way to treat this condition is to visit a dermatologist who can analyze the type of skin rash and provide suitable medication to treat the issue. You can get relief within a few weeks in most cases.
Types of Skin Rash
– Psoriasis : This type of skin rash usually affects the knees and elbows along with lower back. In most cases, it is also widely seen on the scalp region and it has scaly skin patches that are easily visible. It can be itchy in some cases.
– Chicken Pox : The biggest problem with this condition is that it is contagious and it easily spreads all over the body in quick time. It is seen as blisters that contain fluids and it is usually red in colour. It can be very itchy and many patients also experience symptoms of fever and loss of appetite during this condition. It can also cause body pains. It heals within a few weeks in most cases with proper medication.
– Eczema : This can result in drastic hair loss in the affected area and it is usually seen as white or yellow coloured patches. They flake off rapidly and causes redness in the affected area. It is itchy and it can also become oily in some cases.
– Diaper Rash : This condition is common with children and it usually occurs in the thighs region. The affected area will be slightly warm when compared to nearby areas due to excessive blood flow to this region. The affected area is usually wet and redness can be seen in that region. Children usually get irritated due to such rashes and this leads to other complications.
– Hand, foot and mouth disease : This condition usually affects children and it causes blisters in the mouth. Along with that, red spots can be seen all over the hands and feet. This can also cause fever in some children due to immunity problems.
– Allergic Eczema : This condition usually affects the forearms and hands and it often resembles a burn. The skin can become red and lead to scaly patches. It also causes severe itchiness in some cases.
– Contact Dermatitis : This normally happens due to an allergic reaction and it can appear immediately or after a few hours or a few days after coming in contact with the allergen. The rashes appear where contact with the allergen has happened and the skin surface in that area can become red and scaly. It can be treated with medication and the symptoms can be controlled with creams.
– Ringworm : This appears in circular shape and the rashes will have a clear and visible border. However, the middle portion of the rash appears healthy and this helps to identify this type of rash. It is itchy in most cases.
– Impetigo : This condition usually affects children and it is common in the mouth and chin region. It can be filled with fluids and they become itchy in some cases.
– Rosacea : It is a chronic condition that can even relapse after fading away completely. It causes redness in the face and the skin in the affected area will become very sensitive. It can spread across the face in quick time and it gets triggered due to exposure to sunlight and other infections.
– Flea bites : This happens when you are bitten by a flea and the symptoms usually appear immediately after the bite. It can lead to red bumps that become itchy. It usually affects the exposed parts of the body and the hands and feet are more prone to getting such bites.
– Measles : It begins as a red rash and starts spreading all over the body. It also leads to fever and throat infection in some people. It can also cause watery eyes and other complications. The symptoms appear over a period of one week and the treatment for this usually takes few weeks.
– Kawasaki Disease : This condition usually affects children and it calls for a medical emergency. Some of the common symptoms include swelling of the tongue and high fever. Even the palms and feet can turn into red colour due to the swelling. In extreme cases, it can lead to complicated heart problems.
Symptoms of Skin Rash
The common symptoms of skin rash include redness of the affected area and it can become itchy in most cases. You can even see the patches of skin that flake off in some cases when they are dry. In other cases, it can cause blisters that are filled with fluid and they take time to heal. The healing happens usually after the blisters open up and begin to dry on their own. In some cases, it can cause other symptoms like fever and other infections, especially in children. This happens as an immune reaction and the symptoms usually subside on their own within a few days.
Causes of Skin Rash
– Rashes can happen due to an allergic reaction of the skin when it comes with a foreign substance. This is called contact dermatitis and the skin usually turns red or becomes inflamed and causes itchiness.
– This happens when you use some soaps or laundry products and beauty products that produce an adverse reaction on your skin. For this reason, you should always test any new product on a small patch of skin to see if there is any irritation and then continue to use such products.
– Some chemical dyes used in clothing can also cause such allergic reaction and produce rashes on the skin. Some people are allergic to rubber and latex products and they immediately get rashes when their skin comes in contact with such materials.
– In other cases, getting in touch with poisonous plants can also produce rush rashes on the skin and you need to be careful when you venture outside.
– Medication is yet another major reason for skin rashes and it can also be due to the side effects of some medication. However, the same medication may not produce an allergic reaction in everyone and only people who are sensitive to such medication will get rashes.
– It is also common to get rashes due to bug and tick bites. This can happen when you are in open areas and such bites can instantly produce rashes on your skin.
– Some people suffer from asthma and they are allergic to various substances and they can get rashes when they touch such substances.
– Irritation due to dandruff on the scalp can also cause rashes and it is usually due to eczema condition. This affects the scalp and leads to itchiness and redness of the scalp region.
– Few people also get rashes due to a chronic skin condition is known as Rosacea and this usually produces redness in the face region and you can also notice rashes in this place.
– Along with this, some autoimmune disease can also cause rashes on the face. Other people experience rashes due to ringworm which is a fungal infection of the body.
– Tiny mites can get into your skin and cause itchy rashes which are known as scabies. You should be careful about such infestation and keep your living area clean.
– In rare cases, a bacterial infection called Cellulitis can cause rashes on the body and this can become painful if proper treatment is not provided at the right time. It can even spread and lead to fatal consequences in the future.
– Children usually develop rashes due to chickenpox and measles. This can be treated by reducing the viral infection in the body.
– Along with these causes, even scarlet fever and foot and mouth disease can cause redness and lead to rashes on the body.
Diagnosis of Skin Rash
– Physical examination : The diagnosis begins with a physical examination of the affected area. You should discuss the symptoms with your doctor and try to explain what caused the symptoms. In most cases, symptoms may be visible immediately after you get into contact with the allergen and this will help the doctors to quickly diagnose the problem.
– Blood Test : For further confirmation, blood tests may be advised to see if there is any complication out of the rash. In most cases, this will not be needed and the problem can be easily treated with regular medication.
– Allergy Test : Especially when there is a relapse of the skin rash, there is a need to check for some allergy and your doctor will prescribe the suitable test. With the help of this test, it can be determined whether you are allergic to some substance and you can avoid that in the future to prevent the rashes.
– Biopsy : In this method, a small portion of the skin is removed and it is examined in the laboratory. This can give a clear idea about the nature of rash and further treatment can be provided to the patient.
Prevention of Skin Rash
It is easy to prevent skin rash by maintaining proper hygiene about your skin. Always make sure that you wash your body thoroughly and dry it properly so that you will have clean skin. In some cases, it is essential to moisturize the skin properly and this can be done using lotions or some oils. When it comes to dealing with contact rashes, you need to avoid getting in contact with the allergen. If you are planning to go outside, make sure you wear full sleeves clothing and cover your legs so that there is less chance of allergens getting in contact with your skin. If you are already having rashes, do not cover them completely as this will delay the healing process. Provide them space to breathe and most of the rashes will be gone on their own within a few weeks.
Treatment of Skin Rash
In the early stages of this condition, the external application is suggested and creams are prescribed to reduce the symptoms. This can give relief in many cases and the symptoms will usually cool off in a few days. When the symptoms are not controlled in this manner, medication may be used to balance the immune system and reduce the symptoms. In very rare cases, medication may be avoided when you suffering from specific issues with kidney and liver.
Myths
Myth #1: Skin Rash needs immediate medical attention :
You need not panic when you are having a skin rash as most of it will be gone within a few days. Only in a few cases, you need to approach a doctor and take proper medication. This is usually suggested when you are suffering from the issue for many days and the symptoms become severe.
Myth #2: Psoriasis is not curable :
It can be easily cured with proper treatment and you need to give it some time to get back to normalcy. It usually goes away within a few months after proper treatment is given to the patient.
Myth #3: Only babies get heat rashes :
Anyone can get heat rashes when they are exposed to the sun for long hours. In some cases, heat rashes can occur when the temperature goes too high in the surrounding place. This usually happens during the summer season and the rashes disappear after a few days on their own without the need for any medication.
Conclusion
As you can see, skin rashes are so common that everyone has experienced at least one type of skin rash in their lifetime. It does no harm in a majority of cases and they will usually disappear on their own within a few days. Only when you notice that they are spreading and causing a lot of discomforts, you need to approach your doctor to get the suitable treatment. All forms of skin rashes can be treated and most patients get complete relief within a few weeks of treatment.
