Rash

Adult Skin Problems Slideshow Pictures Quiz: Can You Identify These Skin Conditions? Gallery of Skin Problems and Images Collection

Medical Author:

Nili N. Alai, MD, FAAD

Nili N. Alai, MD, FAAD

Dr. Alai is an actively practicing medical and surgical dermatologist in south Orange County, California. She has been a professor of dermatology and family medicine at the University of California, Irvine since 2000. She is U.S. board-certified in dermatology, a 10-year-certified fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and Fellow of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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• Rash Overview
• Rash Symptoms and Signs
• Rash Causes
• Exams and Tests
• Rash Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medications
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Author and Editor
• Read more on Rash from Healthwise
• Viewer Comments: Rash - Effective Treatments

Rash Overview

Rash is a general, nonspecific term that describes any visible skin outbreak. Rashes are very common in all ages, from infants to seniors, and nearly everyone will have some type of rash at some point in their life. There are a wide variety of medical diagnoses for skin rashes and many different causes. It is not possible to fully cover every type of rash in such an article. Therefore, special mention has been given to some of the most common types of rashes. A dermatologist is a medical provider who specializes in diseases of the skin and may need to be consulted for rashes that are difficult to diagnose and treat.

While there are many different types, rashes may basically be divided into two types: infectious or noninfectious.

Noninfectious rashes include eczema, contact dermatitis, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, drug eruptions, rosacea, hives (urticaria), dry skin (xerosis), and allergic dermatitis. Many noninfectious rashes are typically treated with cortisone (steroid) creams and/or pills.

Infection-associated rashes such as ringworm (Tinea), impetigo, Staphylococcus, scabies, herpes, chickenpox, and shingles are treated by treating the underlying cause. Infectious agents that can cause a rash include viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites.

Determining the specific cause of rash usually requires a description of the lesion, shape, arrangement, distribution, duration, symptoms, and history. All of these factors are important in identifying the correct diagnosis.

The reported history will help characterize the duration, onset, relationship to various environmental factors, skin symptoms (such as itching and pain), and constitutional symptoms such as fever, headache, and chills. Based on the health-care provider's initial impression of a rash, treatment may be started. The treatment may need to be modified pending various laboratory and special skin examinations.