Skin Rashes: Types, Causes, and Treatment

When you go out in hot summer, you may have experienced your skin getting red sometimes, or maybe by chance you have taken some medicine that does not suit your body; you may have observed some kind of allergy. Each of us might have noticed any kind of change in our skin at least once in a lifetime. The texture or color of the skin would have changed due to different reasons, which sometimes may be known to us or perhaps unknown. That identical change on the skin is called a rash. When one gets rashes on the skin it becomes scaly, bumpy, itchy, or otherwise irritated.

Different Skin Rashes:

It is seen that different person experiences different types of rashes based on different reasons having their unlike symptoms as:

• Flea bites: It can be anywhere but generally located in clusters on the lower legs and feet. It is itchy and we can find red bumps surrounded by a red halo. The symptoms begin just after being bitten by the flea.

• Fifth disease: Common symptoms for this are headache, tiredness, low fever, sore throat, runny nose, diarrhea, and nausea. Children are more likely to get affected by this kind of rash than adults. If one is infected round, bright red rash appears on the cheeks. Lacy-patterned rash on the arms, legs, and upper body are visible that may become more visible if a hot shower or bath is taken.

• Rosacea: It is a chronic skin disorder that undergoes cycles of fading and relapse. These relapses may get activated by the consumption of spicy foods, alcoholic beverages, sunlight, stress, and the intestinal bacteria Helicobacter pylori. There are four subtypes of rosacea which consist of a wide variety of symptoms. Common symptoms are facial flushing, raised, red bumps, facial redness, skin dryness, and skin sensitivity.

• Impetigo: It is commonly found in babies and children, and it is mostly found in the area around the mouth, chin, and nose. These rashes are irritating and fluid-filled blisters that pop very easily and a honey-colored crust is formed during that time.

• Ringworm: It is a circular-shaped, scaly rash with a raised border. In this type of skin present in the middle of the ring seems to be clear and healthy but the edges of the ring are unrolled outwards and feel very itchy.

• Contact dermatitis: It appears hours to days after getting in contact with a person already suffering from the same. It has visible borders and appears wherever your skin touches the irritating substance. The skin becomes itchy, red, scaly, or raw and the blisters occur that weep, ooze and become crusty during the time.

• Allergic eczema: It may seem similar to a burn. It is usually found on hands and forearms. Symptoms include skin being itchy, red, scaly, or rawand even a blister occurs that weep, ooze and become crusty.

• Hand, foot, and mouth disease: Children under age 5 get affected by this kind of rash. It is painful and red blisters occur in the mouth and on the tongue including gums. It is flat or raised red spots found on the palms of the hand and soles of the feet. Spots may also appear on the buttocks or genital area.

• Diaper rash: It happens on areas that get in contact with a diaper. Skin becomes red, wet, and irritated. It feels warm when touched.

• Eczema: This type of rash has a yellow or white scaly patch that chips off. An affected area gets red, itchy, greasy, or oily and the affected person can go through hair loss in the area with the rash.

• Psoriasis: In this scaly, silvery, sharply defined skin blotches occur. It is commonly found on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back. It might be itchy or asymptomatic.

• Chickenpox: A cluster of itchy, red, fluid-filled blisters that heal at different stages appears all over the body. Fever, body aches, sore throat, and loss of appetite is seen along with the rashes. It is transmissible until all blisters have encrusted.

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): It is an autoimmune disease; a wide variety of symptoms are seen that hamper different body systems and organs. A wide arrangement of skin and mucous membrane symptoms is seen that starts from rashes reaches to ulcers. They are butterfly-shaped face rash from cheek to cheek and go over the nose. Sun exposure may make these rashes appear more badly.

• Shingles: They are extremely painful rash that may burn, tingle, or itch, even if in the absence of blisters. Group of fluid-filled blisters appear that break easily and release fluid. rash occurs in the form of a linear stripe pattern that is most commonly found on the torso, but other parts of the body may be affected, including the face. Low fever, chills, headache, or fatigue can also be seen.

• Scabies: The symptom for this rash appears in four to six weeks. They are extremely itchy rash, pimply, formed by tiny blisters and raised, white, or flesh-toned lines are seen.

• Measles: People infected by measles have symptoms such as fever, sore throat, red, watery eyes, loss of appetite, cough, and runny nose. After three to five days of first symptoms, red rash are developed from the face to down in the body and small red spots which have blue-white centers appear inside the mouth.

• Tick bite: It includes pain or swelling in the bitten area. Rash, burning sensation, blisters, or breathlessness is also seen. The tick often remains intact to the skin for a long time, but a bite does not appear in clusters.

• Seborrheic eczema: A yellow or white scaly patch appears in this kind of rash that chips off. An affected area gets red, itchy, greasy, or oily and even the person may experience hair loss in the affected area.

• Scarlet fever: It appears when the throat gets infected. Red rash appears all over the body (except on the hands and feet). “Sandpaper” like tiny bumps is made by the rash and tongue becomes bright red.

• Cellulitis: This kind of rashes may cause a medical emergency. Urgent care may be needed. It is caused by bacteria or fungi which enters by a crack or cut in the skin. The skin becomes red, painful, swollen and it spreads quickly. It feels hot and tender when touched. If fever, chills, and red streaking appear from the rash, it may be a serious condition which requires immediate medical attention.

• Drug allergy: This kind of rashes may cause a medical emergency. Urgent care may be needed. When a drug is taken mild, itchy, red rash may occur after days to weeks. Critical drug allergies can be endangering for life and symptoms include hives, racing heart, swelling, itching, and breathlessness. Other symptoms might be fever, stomach upset, and small purple or red dots on the skin.

• Kawasaki disease: This kind of rashes may cause a medical emergency. Urgent care may be needed. Usually, children under age 5 get affected by this kind of rash. The symptoms are red, swollen tongue (strawberry tongue) with high fever, swollen, red palms and soles of the feet, swollen lymph nodes and bloodshot eyes. It usually gets better by itself but may cause serious heart problems so consult a doctor if needed.

What are causes?

There are many reasons which cause rashes such as exposure to the sun, being allergic to specific things whether it is a fruit, vegetable, or any drink or anything. The main causes include:

Contact dermatitis:

Contact dermatitis is caused by:

• beauty products, soaps, and laundry detergent
• dyes in clothing
• contact with chemicals in rubber, elastic, or latex
• touching poisonous plants, such as poison oak, poison ivy, or poison sumac

Medications: Medication is always required and important for and everything if our body suffers from something. But it is wondering that going through medications may also cause rashes. They can form as a result of:

• an allergic reaction to the medication
• a side effect of the medication
• photosensitivity to the medication

When to see the doctor

You need to consult a doctor if the rashes do not disappear with home remedies. You should also consult them if you’re undergoing other symptoms with your rash and suspect you have an illness.

Immediate consultation is required if you suffer a rash along with any of these symptoms:

• Increase in pain or loss of color in the rash area
• tight or itchy throat
• breathlessness
• face swelling or extremities
• high fever
• confusion
• dizziness
• severe headache or neck pain
• repeated vomiting or diarrhea

One must consult the doctor if one has a rash along with other systemic symptoms which include:

• joint pain
• sore throat
• a fever above 38°C
• red streaks or tender areas near the rash
• a recent tick bite or animal bite

Treatment:

Most of the rashes can be easily treated at home depending on the cause. Even if the person has a history of rashes takes precautions from the start only it can be prevented. Some of the measures which can be used to prevent rashes are:

• Bath with Lukewarm water not with hot one.
• Pat the rash dry instead of rubbing it.
• Apply ice pack to the itching skin.
• Do not cover the rash with cloth if possible.
• Stop using things that trigger rashes such as new cosmetics or lotions.
• Avoid the use of scented products.
• Avoid scratching the rash as it can lead to infection.
• Take an oatmeal bath. This can soothe the itchiness associated with rashes from eczema or psoriasis.
• Go for loose and cotton clothes
• Avoid exposure to different temperatures
• Do not take a lot of stress

Over-the-counter medications can also be used for treatment such as:

• Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) in moderation for mild pain associated with the rash. Firstly, consult the healthcare provider before you start taking these drugs, and avoid taking them for an extended period because they can have side effects. One must not take them if you have liver or kidney disease or a history of stomach ulcers.
• Apply an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream to the affected area if the rash is very itchy and causing discomfort. Calamine lotion can also help relieve rashes from chickenpox, poison ivy, or poison oak.

Thus, Skin rashes are the noticeable change in the appearance of the skin. They can be caused due to many reasons and have various types. We can cure them with simple tricks, or we can take precautions to prevent the skin from getting affected by the usual rashes. If the rashes are intense or you experience other illnesses apart from rashes consultation with a doctor is advised. If the allergy occurs due to any medicinal reaction immediate consultation with the doctor is required.