What is a rash?
Rashes or skin rashes are temporary outbreaks of scaly, itchy, red, or bumpy patches of skin. This can often be accompanied by blisters or welts. Rashes are common and are not always an indicator of underlying disease.
What causes rashes?
Rashes can be caused by infection, disease, allergies, irritants, or even genes. Some rashes develop immediately, while others can form over several days. Often rashes can be treated at home with lotions, baths, cortisone creams, or moisturizers. Because rashes can be caused by a variety of things, it’s important to know what caused the rash before treating it.
What are the symptoms of rashes?
Rashes can have different symptoms depending on their causes. Some common symptoms include:
- Redness around the irritated area
- Infection around the irritated area
- Itchiness
- Blisters
- Dry, crusty, or scaly skin
- Bruising or small purple dots
Should I see a doctor for my rash?
You should seek medical care if you or someone you’re with has a rash that breaks out over the entire body or spreads quickly. This can be a sign of an allergic reaction. You should also seek medical care if the rash is painful or shows signs of infection, like being oozy, crusty, having red streaks, or is warm to the touch. Fever, blistering around the eyes, mouth, or genitals, and rashes in warm folds of skin (like between fingers or under breasts) are also signs that you should see your doctor or go to an ER.
Rashes in Children
Rashes in children are similar to rashes in adults in that they can have many causes, are fairly common, and usually resolve on their own. If a rash is only affecting a small portion of the body and has no accompanying symptoms (outside of the typical rash symptoms), it is likely not serious. There are some common childhood illnesses that can cause widespread rashes, such as chickenpox, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, roseola, scarlet fever (caused by strep bacteria), measles, and more. You should seek medical attention for rashes in children if they are experiencing any of the following:
- Widespread tiny purple or dark red colored dots that don’t fade when pressed on, with or without a fever. This may indicate a widespread bloodstream infection and requires immediate emergency medical attention.
- Widespread blistered rash
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Not moving, too weak to stand, or not alert while awake
- The rash is accompanied by a fever, vomiting, or a stiff neck
- The rash is crusty or oozing
- Your child was recently prescribed a medication
- The rash or lesions affect the eyes or there is a bloody crust on the lips
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