Rashes, and their reasons

Those with an over-sensitive skin may develop rashes due to soaps, detergents, and dyes used in clothing.

Illustration: Tapas Ranjan

It was while sitting in office one day that Savita Verma (name changed) felt a bit of itching on her arm which she scratched involuntarily. The scratching left prominent red marks on the skin, which vanished after some time. “I didn’t think much of it. Perhaps the ACchilled environment of the office had caused dryness and itching,” she says. But that was not to be.

The itching and the subsequent redness increased over time, and it was when she realised these red marks were becoming a little puffy that she felt concerned. “The first two physicians I met dismissed these scratches. While one told me not to scratch, and the other gave me some anti-allergen saying it was an allergic reaction related to the environment,” says Verma.

It was when despite two months of popping anti-allergins didn’t help and rashes spread to the whole body that Verma consulted an Internist. “A series of tests later it was found that I had some infection in the intestine. I am now on medication and the situation is improving,” she says. Rashes are abnormal changes in skin colour/ texture, caused due to skin inflammation.

Those with an over-sensitive skin may develop rashes due to soaps, detergents, and dyes used in clothing. Sometimes, contact with rubber, elastic, orlatex- made products can also be the cause. Rashes also occur upon touching plants like poison oak, poison ivy, orpoison sumacetc.

“A small rash might look trivial, but it may indicate to a larger malady,” says Dr Ajay Gupta, Founder, Madhumeha, Internal Medicine Clinic at Mayur Vihar. “Usually, these are dermatological conditions - contact dermatitis (skin’s reaction to some foreign substance) being the most common cause.

But if the rashes persist, you should not delay meeting a specialist,” he adds.“Bug, flea, mite or tick-bites can also cause rashes, and must be immediately attended to as these bites can transmit disease,” says Dr Gupta.

TYPES OF RASHES:

• Scaly rashes indicate eczema, and occur in people with asthma or other allergies.
• Scaly and itchy red rash on scalp, elbows or joints may be psoriasis.
• Rashes, especially on cheeks and nose, may hint to an autoimmune diseas like Lupus erythematosus.
• A ring-shaped rash indicates fungal infection.
• If the rash is red, swollen and tender to touch, it may be due to a bacterial infection. This should be treated immediately as the infection can spread and become lifethreatening.

HOME REMEDIES

• Generally rashes are harmless and respond well to home remedies or over the counter ointments and lotions, especially those containing calamine. So try these first. Only persistent rashes need to be investigated into.
• Apply a cold, wet cloth or ice pack on the affected area for 5-10 minutes.
• Apply apple cider vinegar. It contains acetic acid which is a wound disinfectant and antiseptic.
• Apply coconut oil mixed with camphor - it has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.
• If you have sensitive skin, avoid fragrant cosmetics or creams.
• Use aloe vera gel to soothe itchy and irritated skin.
• A paste of baking soda with water helps relieve itchiness.
• Stress can aggravate itching so practice yoga and medication to reduce stress.