Rashes

Rashes can be linked to a variety of factors, including underlying medical conditions—such as immune system disorders or bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic infections—heat, exposure to irritants, allergens, medications, or a genetic predisposition that makes a person more susceptible to a skin reaction.

The term “rash” is a very broad medical term, encompassing numerous types of skin conditions differing significantly in appearances, triggers, and effective therapies.

Most of the time, rashes cause the skin to become itchy, red, painful, scaly, bumpy, dry or moist, cracked, blistered, or irritated.

There are a multitude of rashes, each with its own unique presentation that can appear quickly or take several days to fully develop on the skin. Sometimes they affect only a small area, but can also spread to the entire body.

Below are some of the most common skin disorders associated with skin rashes:

• Eczema typically starts in childhood and causes a rash that is reddish, dry, and extremely itchy. The texture can be scaly, rough, or cracked. The most common form of this chronic condition is atopic dermatitis.
• Irritant and contact dermatitis are very common rashes seen in a dermatology practice. The skin develops redness, itching, and small bumps after coming in contact with an irritant or allergen. The skin may also weep, ooze, or become crusty.
• While uncomfortable, chickenpox will typically resolve on its own within a few weeks. It’s triggered by the varicella zoster virus and leads to the development of small, itchy, blisters on a red base (“dew drops on a rose petal”) on the face, body, and mucous membranes (e.g., mouth).
• Everyone has fungus and yeast that live on their body without issues. However, an overgrowth of these organisms can result in rashes that present with red lesions with a circular shape and raised borders, cracking, flaking, peeling, chafing, irritation, itching, and burning. Athlete’s foot, ringworm, and jock itch are common types of fungal infections caused by fungi called dermatophytes.

There are steps that patients can take at home to relieve uncomfortable symptoms, including changes to skin care routines, to make flare-ups less likely to occur. Gentle skin care regimens are most helpful to avoid exposure to irritants and allergens. Over-the-counter products like soothing moisturizers and topical hydrocortisone cream can be helpful for more mild cases. More extensive cases may require prescription topical and oral medications.

Dermatologists recommend the use of mild, unscented products, such as soaps designed for sensitive skin, using warm rather than hot water for washing and bathing, allowing affected skin to breathe instead of covering it with bandages, patting rather than rubbing the skin dry, applying unscented moisturizers, and not repeatedly scratching itchy areas.

For rashes that are not improving with over-the-counter medications, arrange a consultation with a dermatologist for accurate diagnosis and treatment.