Rashes

Your skin is surprisingly resistant to a wide variety of assaults, but it's still susceptible to various invaders. Viruses, parasites, fungi, heat and medications can all cause skin rashes and eruptions.

Though not life-threatening, rashes are often bothersome, uncomfortable or even painful. Some, such as heat rash and swimmers' itch, clear up on their own. Others, including rosacea and drug rashes, require medical treatment.

Christmas tree rash (pityriasis rosea)
Named for its sweeping presentation, the Christmas tree rash is a fine, scaly rash that ranges in color from pink to tan. It often starts as one larger spot at the spine or the midline of the back or front of the body (herald patch) and spreads outward.

The rash, which may be caused by a virus, is usually only mildly itchy and may flake or peel.

This skin condition is common in teenagers and young adults and occurs more frequently in the fall and spring. It usually resolves without treatment in four to six weeks but can last up to 12 weeks.

Christmas tree rash (pityriasis rosea)

Drug rash
Any medication can produce a drug rash - an allergic reaction to a medication. But the most common culprits include antibiotics, anti-seizure medications and diuretics. The rash usually starts within two weeks of taking a new medication and begins as discrete red spots that spread, covering large areas of the body.

A drug rash could be a part of a more serious and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. Contact your doctor promptly if you experience a rash after taking a medication. He or she can determine a treatment option that likely includes an alternative medication. A drug rash usually resolves one to three weeks after discontinuing the medication.

Drug Rash

Heat rash (miliaria)
Miliaria rubra (A), one type of heat rash, appears as red clusters of small blister-like bumps that can produce a stinging-like sensation. Miliaria crystallina (B), on the other hand, appears as clear, fluid-filled bumps that produce no other signs or symptoms.

Caused by active sweat glands, heat rash usually develops on the neck, upper chest, groin, under the breasts and in elbow creases.

This rash isn't serious. It often resolves with proper self-care methods, such as keeping the affected areas cool and dry, avoiding tight, restrictive clothes, and not using heavy ointments or creams when you expect heavy perspiration.

Heat rash (miliaria)

Intertrigo
In most cases, intertrigo occurs in warm, moist areas where skin rubs or presses together, such as under the arms, in the groin area, between abdominal folds or under the breasts (as seen in the image).

Moisture, bacteria or fungi can cause intertrigo, which is usually red and painful. In severe cases, the skin may crack and bleed.

This condition often resolves with proper self-care methods, such as keeping the affected areas dry and avoiding tight, restrictive clothes.

Intertrigo

Lichen planus
Typically, this rash appears as rows of itchy, flat-topped bumps (lesions) on the arms and legs. It can also involve the scalp or the mucous membranes that line the mouth, nose, vagina and anus. In some cases, lichen planus results from an allergic reaction to a medication or from chronic hepatitis. But in most cases, doctors are unable to identify a cause.

Lichen planus occurs most often in middle-age and isn't usually serious. The rash can last months or even years and may reappear after it goes away. When present in the mouth, it's important to see your doctor to reduce your symptoms and to speed the healing of the lesions. Though rare, long-term lichen planus in the mouth can result in the development of skin cancer.

Lichen planus

Rosacea
Though rosacea can look like acne, it's actually a chronic, inflammatory skin condition of adults. It causes redness in the face and produces small, red, pus-filled bumps or pustules.

Rosacea mainly affects those between the ages of 30 and 60, especially people with lightly pigmented skin. The cause of rosacea is unknown, but researchers believe it's likely due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

For most people, rosacea is cyclic, meaning it tends to flare up periodically, lessen in intensity, and then flare up again. Though it doesn't have a cure, treatments can control and reduce the signs and symptoms. If you experience persistent redness of your face, see your doctor for a diagnosis and proper treatment.

Rosacea

Shingles (herpes zoster)
Herpes zoster, more commonly known as shingles, develops when the virus that causes chicken pox (varicella zoster) reactivates after lying dormant within the nerve cells. As this virus reactivates, pain or tingling starts in a limited area, usually only on one side of the body or face. Subsequently, a rash with small blisters appears. These blisters break, leaving behind superficial ulcers that dry and form crusts.

Shingles usually resolves in two to three weeks without treatment. For people over 60, the discomfort of shingles can take many weeks to even months to resolve.

Shingles (herpes zoster)

Swimmer's itch
Parasites in contaminated water can enter the superficial layers of exposed skin - skin not covered by a swimsuit, wet suit or waders. The organisms soon die and cause a skin reaction called swimmers' itch. Initially, the reaction is mild and consists of redness of the affected skin followed by itchy, red, raised areas.

On subsequent exposures to the organisms, the reaction can be more severe and persistent, sometimes causing blisters.

Swimmers' itch isn't serious and usually resolves without medical treatment within one week.

Swimmer's itch

Impetigo
Impetigo (im-puh-TIE-go) is a highly contagious skin infection that mainly affects infants and children. Impetigo usually appears as red sores on the face, especially around a child's nose and mouth. Although it commonly occurs when bacteria enter the skin through cuts or insect bites, it can also develop in skin that's perfectly healthy.

Impetigo is seldom serious, and usually clears on its own in two to three weeks. But because impetigo can sometimes lead to complications, your child's doctor may choose to treat impetigo with an antibiotic ointment or oral antibiotics. Your child can usually return to school or a child care setting as soon as he or she isn't contagious - often within 24 hours of starting antibiotic therapy.

Symptoms of impetigo

• Red sores that quickly rupture, ooze for a few days and then form a yellowish-brown crust
• Itching
• Painless, fluid-filled blisters
• In the more serious form, painful fluid- or pus-filled sores that turn into deep ulcers

Types of impetigo

• Impetigo contagiosa
  The most common form of impetigo is impetigo contagiosa, which usually starts as a red sore on your child's face, most often around the nose and mouth. The sore ruptures quickly, oozing either fluid or pus that forms a honey-colored crust. Eventually the crust disappears, leaving a red mark that heals without scarring. The sores may be itchy, but they aren't painful.
  
  Your child isn't likely to have a fever with this type of impetigo but may have swollen lymph nodes in the affected area. And because it's highly contagious, just touching or scratching the sores can spread the infection to other parts of the body.
  
  
  
• Bullous impetigo
  This type primarily affects infants and children younger than 2 years. It causes painless, fluid-filled blisters - usually on the trunk, arms and legs.
  
  
  The skin around the blister is usually red and itchy but not sore.
  
  
  The blisters, which break and scab over with a yellow-colored crust, may be large or small, and may last longer than sores from other types of impetigo.

Ecthyma
This more serious form of impetigo penetrates deeper into the skin's second layer (dermis). Signs and symptoms include painful fluid- or pus-filled sores that turn into deep ulcers, usually on the legs and feet.

The sores break open and scab over with a hard, thick, gray-yellow crust. Scars can remain after the sores heal. Ecthyma can also cause swollen lymph glands in the affected area.

Rashes - When to call us:

If the rash is uncomfortable or painful.