What Is Pityriasis Rosea
Pityriasis rosea is a harmless temporary skin condition that’s common in older kids and teens. This pink or gray scaly skin rash can last for 4 to 8 weeks or, sometimes, months. The rash usually starts with one big patch on the chest, abdomen, thighs, or back that’s often mistaken for ringworm.
As the rash spreads, the original patch is joined by a number of smaller spots that spread out across the torso. In some cases, the spots spread to the arms and legs . The spots can be slightly itchy.
Pityriasis rosea is not contagious. Although sometimes the spots take a while to fade completely, most kids have no lasting traces of the rash after it’s healed.
How To Use Topical Corticosteroids
When using corticosteroids, apply the treatment accurately to the affected areas. Unless instructed otherwise by your doctor, you should follow directions on the patient information leaflet that comes with the corticosteroid.
Do not apply the corticosteroid more than twice a day. Most people will only have to apply it once a day.
To apply the topical corticosteroid, take the following steps:
- apply your emollient first and ideally wait around 30 minutes before applying the topical corticosteroid, until the emollient has soaked into your skin
- apply a good amount of the topical corticosteroid to the affected area
- use the topical corticosteroid until the inflammation has cleared up, unless otherwise advised by your GP
Speak to your prescriber if you have been using a topical corticosteroid and your symptoms have not improved.
Natural Remedies For Red Dots On Legs
Essentially, there various natural products that are very applicable in treating skin disorders including red spots on legs. Some of these products can be blended while others can just be used alone. While applying these products, you first have to establish the causes of your red spots. Below are examples of natural remedy products:
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Dry Itchy Skin On Legs
1. Skin conditions
Skin conditions that can lead to itching include:
- eczema where the skin is dry, flaky and also very itchy
- contact dermatitis inflammation of skin that happens when you come into contact with an allergen
- urticaria also called the hives, or nettle rash urticaria is usually triggered by an allergen and also leads to a raised, red itchy rash to develop
- lichen planus is an itchy rash of unknown cause
- psoriasis a skin condition that leads to red, crusty patches of skin that is usually covered with silvery scales
- dandruff a common skin condition that leads to a dry white or even the grey flakes of dead skin that are seen in the scalp or hair
- folliculitis a skin condition brought about by inflamed hair follicles
- prurigo small blisters that are very itchy
2. Allergies and skin reactions
Itching is brought about by an allergen, irritant or any other environmental factor, which includes:
- cosmetic ingredients, like the preservatives, hair dye and also the nail varnish hardeners
- certain metals, like the nickel or even cobalt in jewelry
- rubber which includes latex
- textiles especially the dyes and also the resins that are in them
- some plants like the chrysanthemums, daffodils and primula
- an allergy to some foods or even types of medication
- prickly heat is an itchy rash that normally appears in hot and humid weather conditions
- sunburn skin damage brought about by exposure to the suns ultraviolet rays
3. Parasites and insects
4. Infections
How Is Dry Skin Treated
Treatment for dry skin focuses on rehydrating or bringing moisture back to your skin. Treatment for dry skin could include:
- Using moisturizers: Moisturizers are the main form of treatment for most types of dry skin. They smooth and soften dry skin to help prevent cracking and work to recreate your natural skin barrier. Moisturizing products come in ointments, creams, lotions and oils and include ingredients like emollients, which soothe and hydrate your skin, and hyaluronic acid, which increases moisture in your skin
- Taking medications: For extremely dry skin thats itchy or prone to cracking, your healthcare provider may prescribe a topical steroid, which acts to decrease the swelling in your skin that causes a rash and itching. In severe cases, oral or injectable medication may be appropriate.
What type of lotion or moisturizer is best for dry skin?
There are several different moisturizer options available if you have dry skin. When choosing a moisturizer for your dry skin, look for products that:
When choosing a moisturizer, remember that your skin is unique and a product that works for someone else might not be best for you and your skin. Your healthcare provider or your dermatologist can help you choose skin care products designed for you and your dry skin.
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How To Tell If Your Legs Are Dry
The good news is that for lots of people dry skin on their legs starts off in smaller areas. This is because the skin on our legs is different from the rest of our body. The skin on our legs is a lot stronger than the skin we have on our face and neck so when we get dry skin on our legs the main area it is noticeable is our knees, says Dr. Phillips. Howeverand heres the bad newsour dermis layers and oil control are vastly different on our legs and the cellular turnover is slower. So, if we suffer from dryness in this area, it will take longer to resolve.
And how can you spot it? Dry skin isn’t always the nicest thing to look at. “In mildly dry skin, you might have rough, slightly scaly skin that is red and can sometimes be itchy. Moderately dry skin is more scaly, itchy, and red. The skin can become inflamed and crack which can be painful. In severe cases of dry skin, the itching, pain, and scaliness are more intense. The cracked skin can become worse if not treated and this can lead to bleeding in some cases,” explains Dr. Phillips
When To Seek Medical Advice
See a pharmacist or GP if you think you may have discoid eczema. They can recommend a suitable treatment.
You should also seek medical advice if you think your skin may be infected. You may need to use an antibiotic cream or, in severe cases, take antibiotics as a tablet or capsule.
A GP should be able to make a diagnosis just by examining the affected areas of skin. In some cases they may also ask questions or arrange some tests to rule out other conditions.
A GP may refer you to a doctor who specialises in skin conditions if they’re unsure of the diagnosis or if you need a patch test.
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What Causes Discoid Eczema
The cause of discoid eczema is unknown, although it is often accompanied by dry skin and is thought to be triggered by irritation of the skin.
Discoid eczema tends to affect adults and is rare in children. It is more common among men aged from 50 to 70 and women in their teens or twenties.
Some people with discoid eczema may also have other types of eczema, such as atopic eczema.
Read more about the causes of discoid eczema.
When To See A Dermatologist
Diabetes can cause many other skin problems. Most skin problems are harmless, but even a minor one can become serious in people who have diabetes. A board-certified dermatologist can recognize skin problems due to diabetes and help you manage them.
Are all dermatologists board certified?
No. See what it takes to become board certified.
ImagesImage 1: Image Courtesy of Clark C. Otley, MD. All Rights Reserved
Images 3, 7, 8, 9: Used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides.
Image 2 from DermNetNZ
Some images used with permission of Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Images 5, 6 and 10: Getty Images
ReferencesCohen Sabban, EN. Cutaneous manifestations of diabetes mellitus from A to Z. Focus session presented at: 74th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology March 4-8, 2016 Washington D.C.
Duff M, Demidova O, et al. Cutaneous manifestations of diabetes mellitus. Clinical Diabetes. 2015 33:40-8.
Kalus AA, Chien AJ, et al. Diabetes mellitus and other endocrine disorders. In: Wolff K, Goldsmith LA, et al. Fitzpatricks Dermatology in General Medicine . McGraw Hill Medical, New York, 2008:1461-70.
McKinley-Grant L, Warnick M, et al. Cutaneous manifestations of systemic disease. In: Kelly AP and Taylor S. Dermatology for Skin of Color. . The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. China, 2009:481-4.
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Yellow Reddish Or Brown Patches On Your Skin
Necrobiosis Lipoidica
This skin condition often begins as small raised solid bumps that look like pimples. As it progresses, these bumps turn into patches of swollen and hard skin. The patches can be yellow, reddish, or brown.
You may also notice:
- The surrounding skin has a shiny porcelain-like appearance
- You can see blood vessels
- The skin is itchy and painful
- The skin disease goes through cycles where it is active, inactive, and then active again
necrobiosis lipodica.
Take action
- Get tested for diabetes, if you have not been diagnosed.
- Work with your doctor to better control your diabetes.
- See a dermatologist about your skin. Necorbiosis lipodica is harmless, but it can lead to complications.
Yellowish Scaly Patches On And Around Your Eyelids
These develop when you have high fat levels in your blood. It can also be a sign that your diabetes is poorly controlled.The medical name for this condition is xanthelasma.
Take action
- Tell your doctor about the yellowish scaly patches around your eyes.
- Talk with your doctor about how to better control your diabetes. Controlling diabetes can clear the scaly patches.
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What Causes Itchy Legs With Bumps
This could be due to several conditions, such as:
Relief for itchy legs depends on the underlying cause. Self-care measures can help calm skin irritation and an itchy sensation. This includes keeping your skin moisturized with creams, lotions, or gels.
Apply moisture to your legs before and after shaving, as well as after a bath or shower.
Other topical products to relieve itchy legs include anti-itch cream, hydrocortisone, and calamine lotion. You can also take an oral antihistamine to stop an allergic reaction.
If itchiness doesnt respond to over-the-counter remedies, ask your doctor about a prescription steroid cream. This treatment might be effective if you have a skin condition that cause dryness, inflammation, and itchiness.
In the case of folliculitis, your doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic to treat itchy legs. If you have diabetes, your doctor may need to adjust your diabetes medication to better control your blood sugar level.
Along with over-the-counter and prescription medications, a few home remedies can help relieve itchy legs.
Small Red Spots On Legs
What are the tiny red spots on my skin? Actually, the development of small red spots on your legs can very be due to a number of reasons, including the ones we have already mentioned.
According to Jon Caniff, a holistic, certified nutritional practitioner from Institute of Holistic Nutrition, Canada, (It is not easy when you cant explain a particular symptom like this for example, you may ask yourself if its an allergic reaction, or if its skin cancer. These dots on the skin are the result of internal bleeding or leaking capillaries. The bleeding will cause red, purple, or brown spots to appear, sometimes in clusters, and it will often look like a rash. Usually, these tiny red spots on the skin are not itchy and flat, and they dont lose color when touched.
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What Is Itchy Skin
Itchy skin, also known as pruritis, is a common irritation of the skin that makes you want to scratch the itchy area. It can occur anywhere on the body and can be very frustrating and uncomfortable.
Itching may occur on a small part of the body, for example around the area of an insect bite, or it can affect the whole body such as an allergic reaction.
Itchy skin is usually not serious. But sometimes it can be caused by a serious medical condition.
Red Dots On Legs Due To Psoriasis
This condition usually occurs when the production of skin cells rises beyond the normal level. The most common type of psoriasis is plaque psoriasis, which develops alongside dry, itchy red patches on peoples skin including legs and it is usually accompanied by scaly and silver-white spots. Some other symptoms of psoriasis may have symptoms such as cracked, dry skin, stiff, swollen joints, itching and burning.
Some other conditions that can influence the occurrence of psoriasis condition include injuries, infections, stress, cold weather, smoking and some medications. Actually these conditions can influence the body`s T cells to erroneously attack healthy skin cells rather than the infections
Remember this is a problem of the immune system and it cannot be eradicated completely but there are many therapies available to manage it.
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Darker Area Of Skin That Feels Like Velvet
A dark patch of velvety skin on the back of your neck, armpit, groin, or elsewhere could mean that you have too much insulin in your blood. This is often a sign of prediabetes.The medical name for this skin condition is acanthosis nigricans.
Acanthosis Nigricans
Often causing darker skin in the creases of the neck, AN may be the first sign that someone has diabetes.
Take action
- Get tested for diabetes
How Is Itchy Skin Treated
The treatment of itchy skin depends on what is causing it. Your doctor may need to take a skin biopsy, blood, urine or stool samples, or order some radiology tests to diagnose the cause.
If you have itchy skin, here are some things that may help:
- Try not to scratch the area. The more you scratch, the more the skin will itch.
- Keep your nails short to prevent breaking the skin if you do scratch.
- A cool bath or shower may help provide short-term relief, but excessive showering or bathing may make it worse.
- After a bath or shower gently pat yourself dry with a clean towel. Do not rub or use the towel to scratch yourself.
- Do not use any soaps, shower gels or foam bath products as they can dry the skin and make the itching worse. Use a soap-free wash.
- Use moisturiser all over the skin at least 2 times a day, and more often if the skin feels dry. You can buy cooling moisturisers that contain menthol to soothe the itch.
- Try to wear loose cotton clothing which can help prevent you overheating and making the itch worse. Avoid fabrics which irritate your skin like wool or scratchy fabrics.
- Reducing stress and considering meditation, yoga, hypnosis or exercise can be helpful.
Your pharmacist may be able to recommend some products which can help with itchy skin.
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Watch Out For Infections
This is another important matter of concern. Usually, our skins are very sensitive to some infections. Some fungal or bacterial infection can lead to various severe skin conditions that can lead to red lesions in the body. Such lesions due to bacteria or fungi can take time before they are fully healed.
Other Types Of Eczema
Eczema is the name for a group of skin conditions that cause dry, irritated skin. Other types of eczema include:
- atopic eczema the most common type of eczema, it often runs in families and is linked to other conditions such as asthma and hay fever
- contact dermatitis a type of eczema that happens when the skin comes into contact with a particular substance
- varicose eczema a type of eczema that usually affects the lower legs and is caused by problems with the flow of blood through the leg veins
Page last reviewed: 30 October 2019 Next review due: 30 October 2022
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Problems Associated With Dry Skin
Dry skin very commonly produces itching, which can be severe and interfere with sleep and other daily activities. Repeated rubbing and scratching can produce areas of thickened, rough skin . Dry, thickened skin can crack, especially in areas subject to chronic trauma , causing painful cracks in the skin. Dry skin and scratching may result in a dermatitis or eczema when the skin becomes red in addition to dry and scaly. Round, scaly, itchy, red patches scattered over the legs, arms, and trunk may appear.
The appearance of yellow crusts or pus in these areas indicates that a bacterial infection is developing. If concerned about infection, consult your dermatologist or family physician.
Also, if your skin is very dry, or if you have an associated red dermatitis, it is a good idea to seek the advice of your dermatologist or family physician.
Other Causes Of Red Spots On Legs
Apart from the mentioned above causes, more potential causes can be linked to red spot that occurs on the legs. These cause may include, ingrown hairs, a reaction to sulpha drugs or birth pills, peripheral artery disease, diabetes mellitus, Erythema nodosum, Scleroderma, insect bites among other causes.
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What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of Pityriasis Rosea
Most kids and teens who get pityriasis rosea have no warning signs. Others can have flu-like symptoms a few days before the rash appears.
The rash itself usually starts with one large spot, called the herald patch or “mother” patch, which can appear anywhere on the skin but usually is on the chest, abdomen, back, or thighs. This patch can be raised and may feel scaly. In people with light skin, the patch is pink or red. People with darker skin can see a variety of colors, from violet to brown to gray.
The herald patch might be the only sign of this condition for up to 2 to 3 weeks. As the rash grows, however, smaller spots can appear across the torso and on the arms and legs. The spots look almost identical on both sides of the body. These small patches are usually oval shaped and often form a pattern on the back that looks like a Christmas tree.