Small Red Blotches On Skin

Rubella: Small Red Spots All Over The Skin

Another viral skin rash that affects children and young adults is rubella, or German measles. Rubella causes a rash of red skin spots that spreads like chickenpox from the face down. The skin rash can be itchy. Other symptoms include sore throat, fever, swollen glands, headache, and runny nose. There is a vaccine for rubella, and the Centers for Disease Control note that the virus has been eliminated from the United States, but it is still common in other countries. Rubella can be very dangerous for pregnant women because it can cause birth defects. Treatment includes rest and acetaminophen to relieve discomfort.

Impetigo: A Skin Rash Caused By Bacteria

Impetigo is a rash caused by a skin infection, usually traced to one of two bacteria, group A streptococcus or Staphylococcus aureus. This skin rash appears as brown, crusty sores or blisters around the nose or mouth area. The rash is very itchy and very contagious. Scratching the rash and then touching other areas of the body, or other people, will cause it to spread. Treatment of impetigo is with antibiotic creams or lotions, and for more severe cases, with oral antibiotics.

When To See A Board

Because many conditions can cause your face to turn red, its essential to get the right diagnosis. Board-certified dermatologists are trained to treat thousands of conditions that affect the skin.

If the redness on your face lasts more than 2 weeks, make an appointment to see a dermatologist.

Have a skin, hair, or nail problem?

Discover the benefits of seeing a dermatologist.

ImagesImages 1,2,3,4,5,8,9: Used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides.

Images 6, 10: Used with permission of Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology:

• 6 – J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008 58:959-63.

• 10 – J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017 77:719-27.

Image 7: Getty Images

ReferencesChamlin SL and Lawley LP. Perioral dermatitis. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatricks dermatology in general medicine . McGraw Hill Medical, USA, 2008:709-12.

Cohen DE. Irritant contact dermatitis. In: Bolognia JL, et al. Dermatology. . Mosby Elsevier, Spain, 2008:223-30.

Cohen DE and Jacob SE. Allergic contact dermatitis. In: Wolff K, Goldsmith LA, et al. Fitzpatricks Dermatology in General Medicine . McGraw Hill Medical, New York, 2008: 135-46.

Costner MI, Sontheimer RD. Lupus erythematosus In: Wolff K, Goldsmith LA, et al. Fitzpatricks Dermatology in General Medicine . McGraw Hill Medical, New York, 2008:1515-35.

Crawford GH, Pelle MT, et al. Rosacea: I. Etiology, pathogenesis, and subtype classification. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004 51:327-41.

Also Check: Does Immunotherapy Work For Squamous Cell Carcinoma

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

Are Petechiae A Rash

Petechiae may look like a rash, but theyre not. These pinpoint red dots on the skin are caused by broken capillaries, tiny blood vessels under the skin. They are not itchy or painful.

If you press on petechiae, theyll stay purple, red or brown. But if you press on a rash, it will turn pale or lighter.

Also Check: Is Skin Cancer Raised And Bumpy

Tips To Care For Red Spots On Face

• Use salicylic or glycolic acid-based skincare products. These ingredients help to gently exfoliate the topmost layer of your skin and reduce redness.
• Moisturise the area at least twice a day to keep your skin calm and hydrated.
• If you have dry skin, ensure that you use a facial oil in your daily night-time skincare routine to wake up to smoother, softer and calmer skin.

What Are Complications Of Purpura

Purpura itself doesnt usually cause complications however, the underlying condition or disease causing purpura can. If a blood clotting disorder is causing the purpura, it could cause severe or fatal bleeding. Talk to your healthcare provider about any suspicious blood spots or bruises so they can treat the cause and minimize your risk of complications.

Recommended Reading: Can Skin Cancer Cause Pain

Pityriasis Rosea Appearance And Causes

Casey Gallagher, MD, is board-certified in dermatology. He is a clinical professor at the University of Colorado in Denver, and co-founder and practicing dermatologist at the Boulder Valley Center for Dermatology in Colorado.

Pityriasis rosea is a common, self-limiting rash that typically occurs in healthy adolescents and young adults. The cause of the rash is largely unknown, although some studies have suggested that it may be viral or bacterial in nature.

Despite the fact that we know little about the causes of the condition, there are a number of commonalities that researchers have been able to identify:

• The condition tends to occur between the ages of 10 and 35.
• The outbreak is often preceded by acute infection and is usually accompanied by fever, fatigue, headache, and sore throat.
• It occurs more often in the colder months.
• It occurs in all races equally.
• Only two percent of people will have a recurrence.

Contact Dermatitis: A Skin Rash Caused By Irritation Or Allergy

Contact dermatitis can be caused by any allergy-causing substance or irritating substance that touches your skin. Irritating substances are more common and include solvents, pesticides, and detergents. Allergic contact dermatitis is commonly seen with poison ivy, cosmetics, certain metals such as nickel, and medications that are applied to the skin. The skin rash of contact dermatitis can appear as red skin, skin bumps, blisters, scales, crusts, or sores. Itching is common. Treatment of contact dermatitis includes washing the skin and using anti-itch lotions and steroids.

Read Also: Is Skin Cancer Easy To Treat

How Is Purpura Treated

Treating purpura involves identifying and stopping the underlying cause of the bleeding. Sometimes, treatment isnt needed and the purpura goes away on its own. Once your healthcare provider determines the cause, they can:

• Change medications causing purpura.
• Manage or treat the underlying disease causing the purpura.
• Discuss ways to help you cope with purpura .

Some common treatments for purpura are:

• Corticosteroids to stop platelets from being destroyed.
• Intravenous immunoglobin treatments to raise platelet levels fast.
• Immunosuppressive medicines to stop your immune system from destroying platelets.
• Thrombopoietin receptor agonists to increase platelet levels.
• Blood transfusion to add platelets directly into your blood.

As with most treatments, there are potential side effects. Discuss these with your healthcare provider to make sure you know what to expect.

Prickly Heat: A Skin Rash When Sweat Blocks Pores

Prickly heat, or heat rash, causes red skin that stings and itches. Small skin bumps may form as well. Heat rash is caused when sweat gets blocked in your pores. This is a common rash in babies, but can occur at any age. This skin condition tends to form where skin rubs against skin or clothing, such as in skin folds of the neck, breasts, groin, and underarms. The best treatment is to cool off, dry off, and reduce friction.

Read Also: Dry Rough Skin On Buttocks

Check If You Have Scarlet Fever

The first signs of scarlet fever can be flu-like symptoms, including a high temperature, a sore throat and swollen neck glands .

A rash appears 12 to 48 hours later. It looks looks like small, raised bumps and starts on the chest and tummy, then spreads. The rash makes your skin feel rough, like sandpaper.

The symptoms are the same for children and adults, although scarlet fever is less common in adults.

Urgent Advice: Ask For An Urgent Gp Appointment Or Get Help From Nhs 111 If:

• you think you or your child may have measles
• you’ve been in close contact with someone who has measles and you’ve not had measles before or you’ve not had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine
• you’ve been in close contact with someone who has measles and you’re pregnant measles can be serious in pregnancy
• you have a weakened immune system and think you have measles or have been in close contact with someone with measles

Measles can spread to others easily. Call your GP surgery before you go in. They may suggest talking over the phone.

You can also call 111 or get help from 111 online.

You May Like: Can Cancer Cause Skin Rash

Ringworm: Causes Symptoms And Treatment

How to Identify and Treat Ringworm

• Symptoms of Ringworm

Ringworm is a skin infection caused by a fungus. It’s highly contagious and spreads easily by skin-to-skin contact, meaning you can get ringworm by touching someone with the infection. Ringworm also can be passed along from animals and pets, especially puppies and kittens. It’s even possible to get ringworm from objectsby sharing hats, for example.

Research shows that fungal infections of skin and/or nails affect as much as 20% to 25% of the world’s population and can affect anyone at any age. Children are especially susceptible to ringworm.

Ringworm is easy to recognize, treat, and prevent, and rarely causes serious complications.

When To Contact A Doctor

If a person suspects an infection of the skin, they should always consult a doctor.

People should also speak with a doctor if their rash does not improve despite using OTC or at-home treatments.

People should also seek medical attention if they have a skin rash accompanied by the following symptoms:

Recommended Reading: How Often Does Basal Cell Carcinoma Recur

What Are The Complications Of A Skin Rash

Theyre bothersome and unsightly, but skin rashes usually respond well to treatment. They rarely cause serious problems. Potential issues include:

• Anaphylaxis: A severe allergic reaction can cause a skin rash and a life-threatening condition called anaphylaxis. Extreme swelling from anaphylaxis can close air passages. People in anaphylaxis need an immediate epinephrine injection to counteract this allergic response. If youve ever felt your throat or mouth swelling when you get a rash, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to carry an EpiPen®.
• Infection: Scratching an itchy rash can break open the skin, allowing germs to get in. Scratching puts you at risk for developing a bacterial skin infection.

The Best Ways To Get Rid Of Brown And Red Spots

Brown and red spots on your skin can be annoying, although theyre often not dangerous. You might develop brown spots with age or from being in the sun. Red spots, which can appear for many reasons, may not hurt or change, while some might be swollen, itchy, or painful. If youre wondering how to get rid of spots, the following skin care tips may help:

Creams and Lotions

There are many skin creams and lotions on the market. Purchased in stores without a prescription, skin lightening creams can help, but check the ingredients to make sure theres nothing harmful, such as mercury. A dermatologist in Covina can also prescribe a more effective, safer cream, so a doctors visit may be the solution to healthier-looking skin.

Some simple remedies you can try at home include:

Lemon Juice

Apply just one or two tablespoons to a cotton pad and apply directly to the spots. The acid in the juice can break down pigments causing brown spots, although it may take a month or two. Leave it on for a few minutes, or you can apply lemon slices directly for 30 minutes and rinse off with water. Lemon juice can cleanse your skin too, which helps red spots caused by acne.

Plant Enzymes

Enzymes are powerful substances that can break down melanin. By breaking up proteins, they can turn melanin into colorless components. To take advantage of this property, you can:

Aloe Vera

Dark spots may be reduced with:

Plain Yogurt

Vitamin E

Personalized Medical Treatment

CONTACT US

Read Also: How Can Light From The Sun Cause Skin Cancer

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.

Eczema: Red Dry Itchy Skin Anywhere On The Body

Another word for eczema is dermatitis, or inflammation of the skin. Eczema causes your skin to be itchy, cracked, red, and sometimes oozy. Scratching makes your skin red and inflamed. Eczema is not contagious, and common causes include detergents, soaps, wool, and synthetic fibers, dry skin, and stress. Eczema is common in babies and children, but can be seen at any age. The best treatment is avoiding substances that your skin is sensitive to and following a regular moisturizing skin care routine. Some topical and oral medications can help ease symptoms.

Don’t Miss: Best Foundation For Dry Skin 2021

Localized Versus Widespread Rash: How To Decide

• Localized means the rash occurs on one small part of the body. Usually, the rash is just on one side of the body. An example is a rash on 1 foot. Exceptions: athlete’s foot can occur on both feet. Insect bites can be scattered.
• Widespread means the rash occurs on larger areas. Examples are both legs or the entire back. Widespread can also be on most of the body surface. Widespread rashes always occur on matching sides of the body. Many viral rashes are on the chest, stomach and back.
• The cause of a widespread rash usually goes through the blood stream. Examples are rashes caused by viruses, bacteria, toxins, and food or drug allergies.
• The cause of a localized rash usually is just from contact with the skin. Examples are rashes caused by chemicals, allergens, insect bites, ringworm fungus, bacteria or irritants.
• This is why it’s important to make this distinction.

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.

You May Like: How To Heal Raw Skin Overnight

Treatment Of Common Childhood Rashes

If you think your child might be contagious, they should stay at home. Keep them away from school, childcare and other children. You should also keep them away from people who are pregnant, or who might be pregnant, since some childhood infections can cause serious problems in unborn babies.

You can use paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce fever read the packet instructions carefully to ensure your child receives the right amount for their age and weight.

Your pharmacist can advise you on treating the symptoms of common rashes. For example, you can use over-the-counter creams to prevent itchiness.

If you are concerned about your childs rash, call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436 to talk to a maternal child health nurse, or call Healthdirect on 1800 022 022 to talk to a registered nurse. Alternatively, contact your doctor.

This Type Of Rash Might Seem Harmless But It Can Indicate A Medical Emergency

Skin rashes can occur for lots of reasons and are common in infants, children, and adults.

Many rashes are irritated or itchy, so if you develop pinprick red dots on your skin that dont itch, you might be wondering whats going on.

Oftentimes, this type of rash is caused by tiny broken blood vessels beneath the skin that result in red dots known as petechiae.

Verywell / Theresa Chiechi

If a pinprick rash is indeed petechiae, it can indicate a serious underlying condition like meningitis. If you have pinprick red dots on your skin that dont itch and have emerged rapidly, you should see a healthcare provider immediately, even if you havent yet noticed any other symptoms.

Here is what you should know about petechiae and the causes of pinprick red dots that dont itch.

Recommended Reading: Dog Food For Skin And Coat

Open Sores And Wounds

Having high blood sugar for a long time can lead to poor circulation and nerve damage. You may have developed these if youve had uncontrolled diabetes for a long time.

Poor circulation and nerve damage can make it hard for your body to heal wounds. This is especially true on the feet. These open wounds are called diabetic ulcers.

Diabetes and feet

• Get immediate medical care for an open sore or wound.
• Work with your doctor to better control your diabetes.