Rashes can occur year-round, but summer brings its own set of skin irritants, from poison ivy to stinging insects. How can you know when to see a healthcare provider for a rash?

Kinds of Rash

Whenever the special immune system cells in your skin come into contact with a suspicious substance, they begin a chain reaction that leads to dermatitis – a rash, as it’s commonly known. All rashes involve a change in the color, feeling or texture of your skin. Many rashes are red and itchy.

According to MedlinePlus, simple dermatitis can be caused by:

• Chemicals in elastic, latex and rubber products.
• Cosmetics, soaps and detergents.
• Dyes and other chemicals in clothing.
• Poison ivy, oak or sumac.

Additional Causes of Rash

Diseases and medical conditions can also cause a rash. Here are a few:

• Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is associated with allergies or asthma. The rash is usually red, itchy and scaly.
• Psoriasis tends to appear as red, scaly, patches over joints and along the scalp. It is sometimes itchy. Fingernails may also be affected.
• Impetigo, common in children, is from bacteria that live in the top layers of the skin. It appears as red sores that turn into blisters, ooze and then form a honey-colored crust over all or part of the rash.
• Shingles is a painful blistered skin condition caused by the same virus as chickenpox. The virus can lie dormant in your body for many years and re-emerge as shingles. It usually affects only one side of the body.
• Childhood illnesses such as chickenpox, measles, roseola, rubella, hand-foot-mouth disease, fifth disease and scarlet fever cause rashes.
• Medicines and insect bites or stings can also cause a rash.

Home Treatments for a Rash

Many simple rashes clear up with appropriate gentle skin care. MedlinePlus offers the following guidelines for treating a rash:

• Avoid scrubbing your skin.
• Use gentle cleansers.
• Avoid applying cosmetic lotions or ointments directly on the rash.
• Use warm (not hot) water for cleaning. Pat dry; don't rub.
• Stop using any recently added cosmetics or lotions.
• Leave the affected area exposed to the air as much as possible.

Hydrocortisone cream (1%), which is available without a prescription, may soothe many rashes. Stronger hydrocortisone or other steroid creams are available with a prescription. If you have eczema, apply moisturizers over your skin. Try oatmeal bath products, available at drugstores, to relieve symptoms of eczema or psoriasis. Oral antihistamines may help relieve itchy skin.

When to Seek Medical Help

Seek medical care if home treatment doesn't work or your symptoms get worse.

Call 911 or the local emergency number for these symptoms: shortness of breath, tightness in the throat or a swollen face. Call 911 or the local emergency number if a child has a purple rash that looks like a bruise.

See a healthcare provider immediately if any of these symptoms are present:

• A rapidly spreading rash.
• Joint pain, fever or a sore throat.
• Streaks of redness, swelling or very tender areas – all of which may indicate an infection.
• Rash over most of your body.
• Blisters, open sores or raw skin.
• A tick bite.
• Pain associated with the rash.
• A rash involving the eyes, lips, mouth or genital skin.

You should see a healthcare provider if you are taking a new medicine and develop a rash. Do not change or stop any of your medicines without talking to your provider.

To find an Aultman primary care provider near you, visit AultmanDocs.com.

Sources:
American Academy of Dermatology Association
MedlinePlus
National Institutes of Health, News in Health