Common Types of Skin Rashes
Rashes are reddish bumps or lines or areas of rawness present over the skin. They occur very commonly over the skin.
Almost every one of us have had rashes of some kind or other in our lifetime.
Rashes may be causes due to many factors, including allergies, infections, immune disorders, irritants like cold or heat, certain medications etc.
Contact Dermatitis
This happens when our skin comes in touch with something that doesn’t suit us. It may be some fabric, detergent, soap, cleaning chemicals etc.
Symptoms occur in a localized manner, only on the areas that come in touch with the allergen.
The affected area may appear red with rashes. These rashes may be itchy.
Avoiding the irritant may improve symptoms.
Diaper Rashes
Urine, sweat or feces are all irritants for a baby’s skin. If not cleaned well each them, the skin reacts to give rise to red rashes with a burning sensation These are called diaper rashes.
To prevent them, change the diaper frequently. Clean wash the baby with clean water each time he poops.
Atopic Dermatitis
The affected area of the skin is inflamed, that is, red and slightly swollen. It is itchy. There is a constant urge to scratch.
The common areas affected are the face, neck, trunk and the limbs.
Symptoms improve when kept covered and well moisturized.
Certain Medicines
An individual may be allergic to some medicines. Common among them are antibiotics, water pills or anti epileptic drugs.
The skin may react with the development of red rashes over the body. They may start over a small area, slowly spreading over larger areas.
They develop within a week of taking the medicine. Sometimes, the reaction is severe and includes peeling of the skin.
The management includes stopping the drug at once.
Heat or Cold
Extremes of both the temperatures, heat or coldness is taken as an irritant. There are people who get small red itchy rashes over the areas exposed to cold winds or water.
Similarly high temperatures or excessive sweat may give red rashes. These are usually small bumps filled tightly with a fluid, something like a blister.
Psoriasis
This is a skin condition which presents as red dry itchy red rashes or bumps over the affected area of the skin. The rashes are usually covered with dry scales which shed off.
The rashes are extremely itchy. They may appear silvery due to accumulation of scales over them.
Fungal Infestation
Commonly called ringworm. The rashes are red and appear in a circular form as in a ring. The ring may grow in size to become bigger and bigger.
These rashes are very itchy. They respond well to anti fungal medications.
Herpes Zoster
The rashes are like very small blisters clustered together over the affected area.
There is no itching. The patient may complain of burning sensation.
Mosquito Bites
Small red bumps may appear at the sites of mosquito bites. Slight itching may be there due to the insect saliva get gets in during the bite.
Skin Symptom in Certain Viral Illness
Measles, chicken pox and many other viral illness may give red rashes over the skin. The rashes are itchy, as in measles.
Usually, other symptoms like cough, sneezing or body weakness are also present.
