Rashes are a common problem that can be brought on by seasonal allergies, an infection or even stress. Rashes vary in terms of severity and location on your body. In this article, we will discuss rashes types, rashes causes, rashes symptoms and rashes treatment By Dr. Naval Parikh to help you get rid of rashes once and for all.
What are Rashes?
Rashes are red or skin-coloured blotches that develop on the surface of your skin. Rashes appear when there is a problem with how your body reacts to something either internally or externally.
Types of Rashes
Different rashes can develop on your skin. Some rashes may be more serious than others and the location of the rash will dictate how you should treat it. Here is a list of common rash types By Dr. Naval Parikh:
Eczema
Eczema rashes are a type of dermatitis that occurs when your skin is excessively dry. This rash can be triggered by allergies to foods, chemicals or anything else in the environment that causes an immune response from your body. You may develop eczema rashes on any part of your body and it will cause redness, rashes and dry skin.
Hives
Hives rashes are also known as urticaria. These rashes will appear when your mast cells release histamine in response to an allergen and cause a raised, red rash that is usually itchy and warm. The rashes may vary in size and can arise on any part of the body including hands, feet, face, scalp and tongue.
Granuloma Annulare
This type of rashes is a skin condition where small bumps form on the surface of your skin. This rash may appear anywhere but most often occur around joints such as elbows, knees and wrists or ankles, neck and scalp. It can also present itself in an arc-like shape with lesions at each end of the arc that is symmetrically shaped.
Lichen Planus
Lichen Planus rashes are chronic rash that appears on the surface of your skin. This type of rashes can appear anywhere but most frequently occurs on your forearm, legs, ankles and feet. It presents itself as pink or purple bumps with white lines running through them making it look like an organ pipe.
Pityriasis Rosea
Pityriasis Rosea rashes are a common type of rashes that can occur at any age. This rash is an irritation on the top layer of your skin and usually presents itself as oval or round patches with scaly borders. You may develop Pityriasis Rosea rashes anywhere but most often appear on the torso, arms and legs.
Causes of Rashes
Rashes are caused by an irritation or reaction to something. Some rashes occur because of internal factors while others develop due to external sources such as the environment, food and chemicals. Here is a list of common rashes causes:
Allergies
An allergy occurs when your immune system overreacts to a substance such as dust, pollen or pet dander. The rashes can vary in size and location depending on the allergen that triggered it.
Infections
When your skin is infected with bacteria or fungi rashes will appear to signify there is an infection. Some infections may cause rashes that are red, white or black while others may cause rashes to develop in a circular pattern.
Autoimmune Disorders
When you have an autoimmune disorder it means your immune system has mistaken healthy cells for viruses and bacteria causing rashes. Autoimmune disorders include conditions such as lupus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and eczema.
Diseases
Many diseases can cause rashes to develop including chickenpox, measles, hives, shingles and rubella. Some diseases may also lead rashes to form in a circular pattern or on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet.
Symptoms of rashes
Rashes may have different symptoms depending on the type of rashes you are dealing with. Here is a list of common rashes symptoms By Dr. Naval Parikh:
Itchiness
Some rashes will cause your skin to feel itchy as soon as they develop while other types of rashes may take up to a few weeks to develop itchiness.
Redness
Rashes can cause your skin to turn red or have rashes that are darker in color. Some rashes may even be bumpy and raised off of the surface of your skin.
Burning sensation
Some rashes will make you feel as if there is a burning sensation on your skin. In some cases, rashes can cause a stinging feeling in extreme irritation.
Swelling
If rashes are caused by an infection they may swell around the infected area and turn red or even purple. Also, if rashes spread it is common for them to become swollen as well causing rashes to look more pronounced.
Scaling
Rashes that are associated with eczema will often have dry, flaky skin on the rashes surface which is referred to as scaling. This type of rashing can cause your skin to feel rough and bumpy or even itchy depending on the severity.
Thickness
Rashes that are caused by an infection will often be thicker in appearance than rashes that occur for other reasons. These rashes may also appear to have a raised texture and what is known as vesicles which are small blisters filled with fluid or pus.
Oozing or bleeding
When rashes are caused by an infection they may ooze pus, blood or another liquid which is known as exudate. The rashes could also bleed if rashing occurs due to scratching the surface of your skin.
Prevention
There are some rashes that you may be able to prevent by taking certain steps. If you have any of the rashes mentioned above you need to take these precautions:
- Wear loose cotton clothing and avoid tight-fitting clothes.
- Avoid prolonged exposure to heat, humidity or cold temperatures.
- Avoid extreme temperatures and keep your home cool or warm depending on the time of year.
- Wash all new clothing before wearing it.
- Wash your bedding and towels regularly.
- Wear gloves when handling harsh chemicals or cleaning products.
Treatment of Rashes By Dr. Naval Parikh
There are many rashes treatments available to you but the best one is prevention. You need to use sunscreen whenever you go outside, wear protective clothing and avoid harsh chemicals that could irritate your skin. Here are some rashes treatment options:
Medications
Medications such as corticosteroids can help reduce rashes by stopping the skin cells from releasing chemicals that may irritate. This rashes treatment option is typically used for rashes caused by allergies and autoimmune disorders.
Cortisone Injections
A shot of cortisone is a rashes treatment option that can help reduce skin rashes and irritation. This rashes treatment is typically used for rashes caused by psoriasis, eczema or lichen planus.
Antihistamines
Antihistamine medications are commonly prescribed to treat mild rashes because they work to block rashes caused by allergies. This rashes treatment option is typically used for rashes that are localized to one area of the body and only affect a small surface area.
Light Therapy
Light therapy or phototherapy can be an effective rashes treatment especially if you have psoriasis, eczema or vitiligo rashes. This rashes treatment option uses ultraviolet light to reduce the number of rashes cells in your skin.
Oral Antibiotics
If you have a bacterial infection causing your rashes then antibiotics may be prescribed as part of your rashes treatment plan.
Retinoids
A retinoid rashes treatment option is typically prescribed for rashes caused by psoriasis and eczema rashes. This type of medication works to slow down the rate your skin cells grow which can help reduce rashes.
The Expertise of Dr. Naval Parikh
Dr. Naval Parikh is an experienced rashes doctor in Deerfield Beach, Florida with over ten years of experience. He has completed his rashes education at the Esteemed Medical University of South Carolina located in Charleston, South Carolina.
Dr. Parikh specializes in rashes treatment By Dr. Naval Parikh and he currently practices rashes treatments that include rashes medication, rashes diagnosis, rashes surgery among many other services to treat all types of rashing conditions.
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Naval Parikh Clinic:
Address: 1 West Sample Road, Suite 201. Deerfield Beach, Florida. 33064.
Phone: (954) 782-3170
