eTopical Precious Finds
What causes skin rashes? Are there different types of skin rashes or are they all the same? Can you get a non itchy skin rash and what would be its cause?
- Common Itchy Skin Rashes
- What Causes Itchy Skin Rashes?
- Itchy Skin Rash Pictures Adults
The skin has several complications. If you are not dealing with dry and itchy skin, you could be dealing with protrusion on skin in form of pimples, skin tags, warts and rashes among others. A rash can be unsightly and may cause you a lot of discomfort. However, the greatest hurdle lays in identifying its cause. The good thing is that you can tell the difference between an itchy skin rash and a non itchy kind from the sensation it gives you.
Its cause however, is definite and the same time a mystery if you have never dealt with one before. There are over 50 causes and types of skin rashes. In this article, you will learn most of these causes of skin rashes, the different types; itchy and non itchy rash and what you should expect to see in the pictures of skin rashes.
What Causes Skin Rashes?
There are various reasons as to why you could have a single rash or many rashes spreading on a localized area or all over the body. To begin with, if you have dry skin due to lack of enough moisture in the air or from sunburn, you are bound to itch like never before. This is why it is important to stop itchy skin from sunburn within 24 hours. This way, you will avoid getting a rash or blister.
What causes skin rashes on the other hand, could be allergic reactions to harsh chemicals that your skin is exposed to from various household and beauty products. According to howstuffworks.com, about 25% of people who use cosmetics get reactions from the beauty enhancers. In the same way, you do not have to use a new product on your skin in order to have a reaction according to webmd.com; the same old cosmetics you are used to could turn against your skin and have you covered with rashes.
Your skin may also have rashes due to chemicals ingested in form of drugs and some types of foods. This is why it is important to pay attention to the food you eat and how your skin reacts. This will enable you to eliminate the food items that could be making you get rashes. You can also read or ask your doctor about the possible side effects of the drugs you are using.
What causes skin rashes? Various infections may also be culprits of causing you the unsightly red bumps. When it comes to infections, they could have viral, bacterial or fungal infections.
Parasites and insects may also bite you and leave you with skin rashes. These include lice, mites, fleas, and bedbugs among others. Some rashes especially in children are genetic. Inherited rashes include porphyrias and phenylketonuria.
Other causes of rashes are autoimmune diseases and other systematic ailments. You will have rashes if you have Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Alternatively, you may have rashes if you have sexually transmitted disease such as syphilis, which causes you to have rashes on your palms and feet and systematic Gonococcal infection. Syphilis caused rashes can be confused with Dyshidrotic eczema; this is why it is important to consult a doctor when you notice you have a rash on these areas to rule out the specific kind or cause.
Different Types of Skin Rashes
There are two types of skin rashes, the itchy kinds and non itchy rashes. You can tell that you have an itchy rash because of the tendency to scratch around the bump. Sometimes you may even scratch to the point of blistering the bump. Although itchy skin rashes are in the same category, they tend to itch; there are different types of skin rashes in this category.
Some can be infectious and others non-infectious. Therefore, you need to know in which category your kind falls so you avoid spreading it to those around you. On the other hand, if you have the non-infectious kind, you do not have to isolate yourself for fear of passing it around. All the same, whatever type of rash you have on your skin, those around you will always think the worst about it.
You also have to keep your skin and the rash clean at all times to avoid making it worse. Itchy skin rashes can get bacterial infections if you use your fingernails to scratch them. This is because the nails can break the skin on the rash and leave an entry for bacteria. If you develop the urge to itch on the different types of skin rashes, avoid using your fingernails. In fact, make sure that your fingernails are as short as possible, and if you have the tendency to itch aggressively only at night, wear gloves to bed to avoid hurting the rashes further in your sleep.
Different types of itchy skin rashes include:
- Hives
- Bug bites
- Scabies
- Eczema
- Herpes
- Ringworm
- Impetigo
- Staphylococcus
- Chicken pox
- Shingles
- Acrodermatitis
- Typhus
- Sarcoidosis
- Molluscum contagiosum
- Swimmer’s itch
- Heat rash
Another kind of skin rashes involves the life threatening kinds. This forms a group of different types of skin rashes that occur not only on the skin surface, but also in the mucous membrane such as the nose, mouth, head of the penis, vagina and eyes. They are not only pus-filled rashes, but they also have blisters on them as well. These rashes if left unattended or if treated late could lead to death. These kinds of rashes include:
- Pemphigus Vulgaris
- Stevens Johnson Syndrome
- Addisonian Crisis/ Acute Adrenal Crisis
- Toxic Shock Syndrome
- Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis
- Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome
Pictures of Itchy Skin Rashes
Any rash will not look exactly like another unless the cause is the same. Furthermore, even rashes caused by the same condition or problem will appear differently when they are just sprouting out and when they are in their advanced stages. This therefore, makes it difficult to identify the cause of your rash. A dermatologist who happens to be a skin specialist on the other hand, can tell the difference of the rashes and their cause from the various tests he or she can carry on you skin.
Pictures of itchy skin rashes show bumps, patches and nodules. Some are filled with white pus, while others are just a colored bump or patch. Some rashes may appear on a localized area such as the palm of hands, feet, torso, cheeks and nose while others will appear all over the body. If a rash affects a localized area, you should be able to judge so from the given pictures below. On the other hand, if a rash appears all over the body, you should be able to tell the difference.
Non Itchy Skin Rash
A non itchy rash, does not give you the discomfort of grazing your skin anyhow. However, it makes the texture of your skin change. A non itchy skin rash may even pop up without you noticing it. Whatever the case, a non itchy rash just like the itchy kind may be:
- Raised or flat
- A small bump with pus or clear blisters
- Red or pink
- Silvery with white scales
- Annular
- Scratched
- Dry, scaly rough and thickened
Most of these are caused by conditions such as rosacea, psoriasis, and Christmas tree rash among others. You should not just ignore a rash because it does not pain, if there are other symptoms such as the ones mentioned below, you should see a doctor as soon as possible:
- Tightness of throat
- Increased discoloration on the rash
- Swelling on face
- New rash
- High or low fever
- Vomiting
- Neck, joint or head pain
- Dizziness or confusion
- Sore throat
- Tender areas around the rash
- diarrhea
- if bitten by a tick
Itchy Skin Rash on Face
An itchy rash on face could be from any new skin care products you are using on your face or on your hair. It could be an allergic reaction to the ingredients used in those products. Similarly, if you are using dirty tools to apply the cosmetics, your face may react to that dirt with eczema.
Another major cause of itchy skin rash on face is bug bites from mosquitoes. Additionally, you may have hives from coming into contact with poisonous plants such as poisonous ivy, sumac and oak.
Acute HIV infection rash is also a common itchy rash on the face.
Burning Itchy Skin Rash Cause and Treatment
A burning itchy rash probable cause would be the sunburn. If you go outdoors in summer months or even on sunny winter days without wearing sunscreen or while wearing inadequate sun protection, you will be burned. A sunburn causes you to have a burning itchy skin rash if not treated immediately.
Here is how to stop itchy skin from sunburn so you avoid getting a rash. However, should you get a rash, clean it with a mild soap, make sure the skin around it is moisturized and do not cover the rash. Leave it open so that it can heal as it gets some air. If a rash does not clear after 3 weeks, you really need to see a doctor about it.
