Skin rash is an uncomfortable thing to experience. it is typically very delicate and comes with a noticeable change in texture or the colour of your skin. When skin rashes appear, they change the colour of your skin and the texture of the skin becomes itchy, swollen or too dry. Rashes don’t really have a specific reason as to why it appears. It could simply be because of a poisonous plant leaf that you may have touched or allergic reaction that you may developed to a food or an illness. It can leave your skin more damaged and ruptured and 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 its 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 of the infectious skin rashes that you need to be aware of. Infectious skin rashes spread and are caused by bacteria, fungi or virus. Some of them will appear on the skin folds and is a fungal infection. Therefore, these are not location specific and will depend on the kind of rash you develop. The bacterial infection can spread from 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 are scaly and have a raised border. The edges of the ring spreads outward and the skin in the inside of the ring appears healthy. They are contagious fungal infection that are a result of 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 actually ringworms.
2. Impetigo:
Another infectious rash that results from injury to the skin. This is a result of another skin condition like dermatitis which is an inflammation on 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 that are available which will help in getting 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 infection in humans. The most common kind is the boil, which pus that forms in the hair follicle or in 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 tec. It can last for about two to three weeks before it fully goes.
4. Scabies:
Scabies are very itchy and are 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 and thus there are angry rash and itching. This extreme itchy condition can spread from one person to another through direct skin contact. They are know 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 still 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, discomfort when urinating and the fluid filled blisters. It is highly contagious and is not an STD.
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6. Chicken Pox:
another common skin problem all of us face once in our lifetime is the chicken pox. It has a rash of inflamed pimples and is an infectious disease. It can cause mild fever. Chicken pox can easily spread through closeness or even in the air. They are typically red spots of fluid filled blisters. It is caused by a virus called varicella-zoster, that leads to intense itching. It takes about five to ten days to get cured.
7. Shingles:
This one is a painful skin rash, one that is caused by the same virus as of chicken pox. The typical symptoms include itching, fluid filled blisters. They appear on the side of a person’s neck or body. It is accompanied by an intense angry rash. 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 also a couple of non-infectious skin rashes. Some of them are as mild as the diaper rash that are not contagious but can be irritating and uncomfortable. They do not spread and tend to go away in a day or two. It is caused by yeast infection that tend to appear in the diaper region. Here are some non-infectious skin rashes.
1. Eczema:
Eczema is a condition where the skin of the person becomes itchy, red and swollen. It also leads to a rough and cracked look. The common cause of eczema is allergy, more like skin irritation that is seen most often in children than adults. It is not contagious but if the allergic area gets infected, it agent of this infection can be contagious. The exact reason is however 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 that is used to describe an inflammation o the skin. It is typically characterized by itch, redness and rash. In some cases, blisters also develop. Moisturizers and steroid creams have known to provide relief for dermatitis. Usually the rash occurs when the part of the body 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 a 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 area of the body to covering the entire body. Psoriasis is the result of several factors that includes the immune system. The immune system becomes overactive when you have psoriasis and creates inflammation inside the body. This is what you essentially outside of your body.
4. Seborrhoea:
Seborrhoea dermatitis appear on the scalp and the symptoms may be anything from dry 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 of the body. 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 and redness, along with 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 that condition that leads to red, itchy raised welts on the skin. It comes in varying shapes and sizes and are 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 of the 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, make sure you 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!
