The skin is the largest organ of man, and the first manifestations of many diseases appear on it. Any skin reaction or damage is a signal that the processes of a disease have begun in the body, so any rash should be shown to a doctor.
The appearance of skin rashes may indicate the following problems in the body:
- impaired immune system;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- allergic reactions;
- neurological problems.
Skin rashes - description
A rash can be considered any changes in the skin or mucous membranes. Such changes can be in the form of ulcers, boils, blisters or nodules, and they also sometimes appear in the form of discoloration of individual skin areas, peeling, suppuration, itching in the affected area. There are varieties of rashes that have typical places of their manifestation, for example, on the hands or face, while others can spontaneously manifest themselves on any part of the human body.
Skin rashes (photos are presented in the article) appear, as a rule, in the form of a sudden phenomenon. Again, the rash is characterized by changes in the skin, their pallor or redness, itching and the appearance of plaques, vesicles, blisters and other types of rash on it. A similar skin reaction can be caused by many different factors, but most often it is an independent disease.
There are a lot of diseases that are characterized by skin rashes.
Etiology
Skin rashes on the skin can be triggered by the following factors:
- allergy;
- blood diseases;
- vascular causes;
- infection.
The most common causes of skin rashes
However, the most common cause of skin rash is infection with certain types of infections. Rashes of an infectious nature include such as measles, chickenpox, rubella, herpes, scarlet fever and others. These diseases are manifested, as a rule, by fever, chills, decreased appetite, indigestion, pain in the throat and abdomen, as well as headaches.
If allergies became the cause of skin rashes, then the provoking factor in this case is contact with allergens, which can be various foods, household chemicals, plant pollen, animal excreta, and even ordinary house dust.
With vascular diseases, rashes on the skin are provoked, as a rule, by a violation of the function of platelets or a decrease in their number, as well as violations of the permeability of the vascular wall. Such non-infectious diseases include warts, rosacea, diaper rash, psoriasis, senile keratoma, seborrheic dermatitis, vitiligo, toxidermia, melanoma, etc. Itching also occurs without rashes.
A rash can occur with liver problems, a malfunction of which can cause swelling and rashes. Redness and rash, accompanied by itching, can occur after insect bites, with fungal infections, scabies and acne.
Classification of rashes
The clinical picture of skin rashes is such that these manifestations of certain diseases can be characterized as follows:
- spots of red, pale pink, white or brown;
- blisters - in the form of small rough formations on the skin of a dense nature;
- papules - a kind of nodules in the inner layer of the skin;
- vesicles - formations of various sizes, containing a transparent or yellowish liquid inside;
- ulcers and erosion - violation of the integrity of the skin;
- crusts are dry skin formations that can form on the site of healed ulcers or blisters.
All of the above manifestations can be primary or secondary in nature, depending on the stage of the disease, as well as its causes.
Symptomatology
Skin rashes, which were provoked by abnormalities in the liver, give a yellow tint to the skin, usually accompanied by vomiting, nausea, impaired stool, bitter aftertaste in the mouth, sudden weight loss, discoloration of the tongue, the appearance of small cracks on it, fever, severe sweating and many other symptoms.
The infectious nature of the skin rash manifests itself in the fact that such rashes appear initially on the surface of the skin of the legs and hands and gradually pass to the whole body. For example, chickenpox begins with rashes on the scalp, and rubella provokes a rash first on the face. The first foci of skin rash are localized, as a rule, at the places of bends of the limbs, on the back and buttocks. The color of the infectious rash is from white to dark brown. An infection can manifest itself not only with skin lesions, but also with symptoms such as fever, lymph node inflammation, weakness, malaise, tachycardia attacks, severe itching, drowsiness, photophobia, etc. Infectious skin lesions in the form of vesicles and red spots are characteristic of diseases such as rubella, scarlet fever, chickenpox and measles.
Features of a rash in various diseases
Consider, in connection with which skin rashes may appear in children and adults.
Rubella appears as a mild rash on the face and cervical region, after which it spreads throughout the body for several hours. Such rashes look like round redness with a diameter of up to 10 mm.
Measles is a disease that manifests itself, as a rule, catarrhally. The rash affects the skin only a few days after the onset of the disease and is deployed in the first hours on the face, and then spreads to the skin of the hands and chest.
Chickenpox is a disease that first affects the scalp. The rash quickly covers the entire skin in a few hours and looks like a lot of small vesicles filled with fluid. After the rashes cease to appear, the vesicles begin to gradually coarsen and crust, which indicates the end of the acute period of the disease.
With scarlet fever, skin rashes (photo below) are detected 24 hours after infection. It spreads most actively along the back, in the inguinal region, at the bends of the knees and elbows. Cyanotic spots sometimes appear on the skin. Most often appears on the cheeks.
Herpes is a viral disease characterized by the formation of small vesicles in the face, especially on the lips.
Syphilis is a disease in which there are spots on the skin that differ from other types of such rash in brightness, symmetry and profusion. With adequate treatment, these manifestations on the skin usually do not pass quickly - in about two months. What other types of skin rashes are available?
Candidiasis or diaper rash is formed in the skin folds, and is most common in obese people. At the initial stages, skin rashes are specific blisters that burst and transform into dark red erosion, constantly having a wet surface. On the surface of these skin lesions, whitish discharge accumulates, which is characteristic of fungal diseases.
A photo and description of skin rashes of various etiologies are presented in this article.
Scabies appears as vesicles or papules. At the same time, scabies in the form of whitish lines become noticeable on the skin. Scabies is a parasitic infection, which is characterized by severe itching in the area of rashes, which intensifies at night and subsides during the day.
Lichen is a disease that has several varieties, according to which it manifests itself in different ways. Among them are pityriasis, pink, red flat and shingles.
There are other causes of skin rashes.
Rubrophytia is a fungal disease when the affected area is the foot. The rash appears in the form of peeling of the skin between the fingers, its keratinization, as well as the appearance of ulcers and vesicles.
Osteofolliculitis is a kind of pustule with a diameter of up to 4 mm, containing purulent fluid inside. It is affected by rashes, as a rule, the skin of the head and face, the area of the limb bends. Within a week, these formations dry out and form crusts, which eventually disappear, leaving signs of pigmentation or peeling.
Inguinal epidermophytosis is a disease that is characterized by skin rashes in the area of inguinal folds. The surface of the rash is initially smooth and reddish, and over time it begins to become covered with scaly patches of keratinized skin.
Urticaria is a skin disease of an allergic nature, which manifests itself in the form of small blisters that can itch and itch. Around such rashes, as a rule, the skin is redder and looks inflamed.
Vitiligo is a disease that appears on the skin in the form of white spots of various shapes and sizes.
Diagnostics
When the first skin rashes appear, the patient needs to see a doctor to identify the causes of the disease and receive recommendations for combating it. The doctors who deal with this problem are, first of all, a dermatologist, and then specialists like an infectious disease specialist and an allergist.
After the initial examination, the doctor can prescribe a list of studies to the patient that will help identify the cause of the disease and make a diagnosis. Such studies may include laboratory tests, ultrasound of the liver, etc.
Treatment
If an allergic reaction has become the cause of damage to the skin, then the therapy of this ailment should be based on eliminating contact with the allergen. In order to determine what exactly is an annoying factor, it is necessary to make special tests.
Prickly heat
If the skin lesion is ordinary prickly heat or diaper rash, then this problem does not require medical treatment. At the same time, it is enough to carry out hygienic procedures on time, after which lubricate the skin areas on which the rashes appear, with a special drying cream that relieves swelling and itching. In addition, doctors recommend wearing clothes made from natural fabrics, and washing with baby soap.
With infection
In cases of infectious infection, the treatment of skin rashes involves taking specific medications, which can include antipyretic drugs, antiviral drugs, and antibiotics.
With diabetes
In diabetes mellitus, as well as liver diseases, therapy for skin rashes is to eliminate the causes of their appearance, that is, to normalize the liver and pancreas, and also, as far as possible, reduce the manifestations of diabetes on the skin. In this case, in addition to drug treatment, the patient will have to follow a strict diet.
With fungal infections
With fungal diseases, skin rashes are treated with special ointments, but the main condition for the disappearance of these diseases is careful observance of personal hygiene measures. In this case, it is very important to monitor the cleanliness of clothes, as well as living conditions - cleaning in the living room. In addition, the patient should regularly observe clean nails and skin.