Skin rash is an uncomfortable thing to experience. It is typically very delicate and comes with a noticeable texture or skin colour change. When skin rashes appear, they change the colour of your skin, and the texture becomes itchy, swollen or too dry. Rashes don’t have a specific reason as to why they appear. It could simply be because of a poisonous plant leaf that you may have touched or an allergic reaction that you may developed to a food or an illness. It can damage and rupture your skin, yet the itch will not stop you from scratching. We are all prone to skin rash at one time or the other. Read on to know the many kinds and their seriousness for your body. The mild ones can be treated at home and go away in one or two days. However, the more serious the condition, the more medication and time it will take.
Skin Rashes: Know The Infectious and The Non-Infectious Ones:
Here are some infectious skin rashes you need to be aware of. Infectious skin rashes spread and are caused by bacteria, fungi or viruses. Some of them will appear on the skin folds, a fungal infection. Therefore, these are not location-specific and will depend on the rash you develop. The bacterial infection can spread to other people. The impact on the skin will also depend on the organism that spreads it.
1. Ringworm:
Ringworms show a circular-shaped rash that is scaly and has a raised border. The ring’s edges spread outward, and the inside’s skin appears healthy. They are contagious fungal infections resulting from a parasite living on the cells in the outer layers of human skin. It spreads through direct contact from skin to skin. Doctors usually observe the affected area under a microscope to check if these are ringworms.
2. Impetigo:
Another infectious rash that results from injury to the skin. This results from another skin condition like dermatitis, an inflammation of the skin. It is, however, easy to treat and is not very serious. It is common among babies and children. The location is around the mouth, chin and nose, where the fluid-filled blisters pop off easily, thus forming a crust of honey colour. There are a range of antibiotic creams available which will help get rid of it in the initial stage. However, it can be very itchy and painful.
3. Staphylococcus:
The staph bacteria is known to cause skin infections in humans. The most common kind is the boil, which is pus that forms in the hair follicle or the oil gland. It is most often spread through skin-skin contact by touching the infected area. Staphylococcus causes other diseases like cellulitis, impetigo, toxic shock syndrome, etc. It can last for about two to three weeks before it fully goes.
4. Scabies:
Scabies are very itchy, made of tiny blisters, and can look scaly. It is more of an infestation than an infection, where mites called Sarcoptesscabiei set up their homes in the outer layer of the skin. The skin, however, will react vehemently to this; thus, there are angry rashes and itching. This extremely itchy condition can spread from one person to another through direct skin contact. They are known to stay around until they are treated, and even after the treatment, the dead tiny motes and their dead eggs will stay in the skin for about 2 to 4 weeks, which means the itching will continue.
5. Herpes:
Herpes are known to occur in the area of your mouth or genitals. They are wet-looking blisters with fluid. The HSV-1 is the one that causes sores around the area of the lips and mouth, while the HSV-2 will cause sores in your genitals. The most common symptoms are flu-like symptoms, urinating discomfort, and fluid-filled blisters. It is highly contagious and is not an STD.
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6. Chicken Pox:
another common skin problem we all face once in our lifetime is chicken pox. It has a rash of inflamed pimples and is an infectious disease. It can cause mild fever. Chickenpox can easily spread through closeness or even in the air. They are typically red spots of fluid-filled blisters. It is caused by a varicella-zoster virus, which leads to intense itching. It takes about five to ten days to get cured.
7. Shingles:
This is a painful skin rash, the same virus that causes chicken pox. The typical symptoms include itching and fluid-filled blisters. They appear on the side of a person’s neck or body. An intense, angry rash accompanies it. There are antiviral drugs that are used for healing shingles.
Non – Infectious Skin Rashes Your Body is Prone To:
Besides the infectious one, there are a couple of non-infectious skin rashes. Some of them are as mild as diaper rash that are not contagious but can be irritating and uncomfortable. They do not spread and tend to disappear in a day or two. It is caused by yeast infections that appear in the diaper region. Here are some non-infectious skin rashes.
1. Eczema:
Eczema is when the person’s skin becomes itchy, red and swollen. It also leads to a rough and cracked look. The common cause of eczema is allergy, like skin irritation seen more often in children than adults. It is not contagious, but if the allergic area gets infected, the agent of this infection can be contagious. The exact reason is not understood, while it is thought of as an overactive response by the body and its immune system towards an irritant.
2. Dermatitis:
Dermatitis is a broad term used to describe an inflammation of the skin. It is typically characterized by itch, redness and rash. In some cases, blisters also develop. Moisturizers and steroid creams are known to provide relief for dermatitis. Usually, the rash occurs when the body part comes in touch with substances that irritate the skin and thus cause an allergy. The most common ones occur in the hands, arms, face and legs. The blisters it produces will leak fluid when scratched.
See More: Home Remedies for Rashes on Inner Thighs
3. Psoriasis:
This one is a non-contagious but chronic condition that produces thick-scaled skin. Patients with psoriasis have patches of abnormal skin, which are red, itchy and scaly. Their severity varies from small patches in one body area to covering the entire body. Psoriasis is the result of several factors, including the immune system. The immune system becomes overactive when psoriasis creates inflammation inside the body. This is what you essentially do outside of your body.
4. Seborrhoea:
Seborrhoea dermatitis appears on the scalp; the symptoms may be anything from dry and flaky to yellow scalp or greasy scales with red skin. It is possible to develop seborrhoea on any oily areas of the body, that could be the face or even the chest and back side. Oily skin is understood as one factor that leads to seborrhoea, and patients with this condition seem to have growth of skin years in the affected areas.
5. Rosacea:
Dermatologists suggest that abnormalities in the blood vessels, the facial blood vessels, lead to flushing, redness, and visible blood vessels. It is a chronic, non-contagious, curable acne-like skin condition that can be controlled and managed. It is known to affect the face and especially the nose.
6. Hives:
Hives is a condition that leads to red, itchy, raised welts on the skin. It comes in varying shapes and sizes and is not known to last more than twelve hours. In the worst case, it will last for a week. It is usually the outbreak of pale red bumps or wheals that appear on the skin, especially after the body’s reaction to allergen. They are itchy and sometimes sting and burn. They are non-contagious and are known to occur in the chest or back.
Some skin rashes need extreme care, while others don’t even let you know when they come or go. However, we understand how difficult and uneasy it is to walk around with rashes. Therefore, always keep yourself clean and consult an expert or dermatologist for the right medication. If you choose to try something on your own, be double sure. You don’t invite any other side effects. Take care!
