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Rashes Causes and Symptoms

by | Jan 3, 2023 | Info | 0 comments

Rashes Overview

A rash is any area of irritated or swollen skin on the body. Rashes are often itchy and painful and can appear differently on different skin tones. While they are often described as red, on darker skin tones they may be purple, gray, or white.

Rashes are abnormal changes in skin color or texture. They usually result from skin Inflammation, which can have many causes.

Skin rashes can be red, inflamed, bumpy as well as dry, itchy or painful. The main cause is dermatitis, which is when your skin reacts to allergens or irritants.

Bacteria, viruses, allergens and conditions including eczema, hives, and psoriasis can be the source of skin rashes. A variety of treatments can relieve your symptoms and get rid of the rash.

There are several types of rashes, including eczema, granuloma annulare, lichen planus and pityriasis rosea.


Types of Rashes

There are several different types of skin rashes, including the following:

  • Contact dermatitis: This form of dermatitis occurs when your body reacts to a substance that it doesn’t like. Many people are allergic to fragrances, preservatives, nickel (often found in costume jewelry) and poison ivy. Common irritants include soaps, detergents, chemicals and household cleaners.
  • Eczema: Also called atopic dermatitis, eczema often develops in infancy and often gets better as a child grows. It tends to run in families and transfers genetically. Patients who have asthma or allergies are more likely to have eczema, too.
  • Hives: Also called urticaria, hives cause raised, red, itchy skin welts. You may get hives if you have an allergic reaction to airborne allergens or insect stings. Extreme temperature changes and certain bacterial infections can also bring on hives.
  • Psoriasis: This lifelong skin disorder causes a thick, scaly rash. The rash often forms on the elbows, knees, lower back, scalp and genitals. Psoriasis can be inherited.
  • Viral: Skin rashes are a common symptom of many viral conditions, such as chickenpox, measles and molluscum contagiosum.


Causes of Rashes

Several things can cause skin rashes, including the following:

  • Allergens in the environment
  • Bacterial infections, such as strep throat
  • Irritants
  • Skin conditions like eczema
  • Viruses

A simple rash is called dermatitis, meaning inflammation of the skin. Contact dermatitis is caused by things your skin touches, such as:

  • Chemicals in elastic, latex, and rubber products
  • Cosmetics, soaps, and detergents
  • Dyes and other chemicals in clothing
  • Poison ivy, oak, or sumac

Seborrheic dermatitis is a rash that appears in patches of redness and scaling around the eyebrows, eyelids, mouth, nose, trunk, and behind the ears. If it happens on the scalp, it is called dandruff in adults and cradle cap in infants.

Age, stress, fatigue, weather extremes, oily skin, infrequent shampooing, and alcohol-based lotions aggravate this harmless but bothersome condition.

Other common causes of a rash include:

  • Eczema (atopic dermatitis) — Tends to happen in people with allergies or asthma. The rash is generally red, itchy, and scaly.
  • Psoriasis — Tends to occur as red, scaly, patches over joints and along the scalp. It is sometimes itchy. Fingernails may also be affected.
  • Impetigo — Common in children, this infection is from bacteria that live in the top layers of the skin. It appears as red sores that turn into blisters, ooze, then for a honey-colored crust over.
  • Shingles — A painful blistered skin condition caused by the same virus as chickenpox. The virus can lie dormant in your body for many years and re-emerge as shingles. It usually affects only one side of the body.
  • Childhood illnesses such as chickenpox, measles, roseola, rubella, hand-foot-mouth disease, fifth disease, and scarlet fever.
  • Medicines and insect bites or stings.

Many medical conditions can cause a rash as well. These include:

  • Lupus erythematosus (an immune system disease)
  • Rheumatoid arthritis, especially the juvenile type
  • Kawasaki disease (inflammation of the blood vessels)
  • Certain body-wide (systemic) viral, bacterial or fungal infections


Signs and Symptoms of Rashes

Skin rash symptoms vary depending on the type and cause. Rashes can develop in one area of the body or all over. A skin rash may be:

  • Dry
  • Blistering
  • Blotchy
  • Burning or stinging
  • Flaky or scaling
  • Hive-like (welts)
  • Inflamed or swollen
  • Itchy
  • Painful
  • Red


Diagnosis of Rashes

Since many things can cause a skin rash, diagnosis can be tricky. Your healthcare provider will examine the rash, assess your symptoms and take a medical history. You may undergo tests, such as:

  • Biopsy: Your healthcare provider can take a small sample (biopsy) of your skin or other tissue to check for the presence of a virus or bacteria.
  • Allergy test: Allergy tests such as skin prick (scratch) tests and patch tests, identify allergens. Prick testing is helpful for the diagnosis of urticaria; patch testing is helpful for the diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis. You might be tested for just a few allergens or many at once. You have an allergy if the skin turns red, swells or develops a rash.
  • Blood tests: Some skin diseases can be caused by antibodies circulating in your blood, which may be detectable by blood tests. Other rashes may be the manifestation of another systemic illness, and blood tests need to be done to check for involvement of other organ systems.


Treatment of Rashes

Treatment for skin rashes depends on the cause. It can take several weeks for the rash to go away. Skin rash treatments include:

  • Allergy medications: Oral antihistamines, a type of allergy medication, reduce itching.
  • Anti-inflammatory creams: Hydrocortisone creams like Cortizone soothe inflammation and itching.
  • Immunosuppressants: If the skin rash is from eczema or an immune system response, medicines can reduce the reaction. Calming it can minimize inflammation (irritation).
  • Oatmeal baths: Soaking in a warm bath with colloidal oatmeal can relieve dry, itchy skin rashes.
  • Steroids: If symptoms persist, your healthcare provider may prescribe a topical steroid cream or an oral steroid like prednisone. Steroids ease inflammation and itchiness.
  • Topical immunomodulators: These medications change (modulate) the body’s immune system response to allergens. Prescription medications include tacrolimus ointment (Pro-topic) and pimecrolimus skin cream (Elidel).


Prevention of Rashes

Skin rashes usually respond well to treatment. They rarely cause serious problems. Potential complications include the following:

  • Anaphylaxis: A severe allergic reaction can cause a skin rash and a life-threatening condition known as anaphylaxis. Extreme swelling (angioedema) from anaphylaxis can close air passages. Patients in anaphylaxis need an immediate epinephrine injection (EpiPen) to counteract this allergic response. 
  • Infection: Scratching an itchy rash can break open the skin, allowing germs to get in. Scratching puts the individual at risk for developing a bacterial skin infection.

 

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