8 Common Types of Rashes and What They Look Like

The most common type of eczema is atopic dermatitis, though the terms are often used interchangeably.

With eczema, “the barrier of your skin is damaged, and you’re losing moisture,” says Katie Rodan, MD, a dermatologist and cofounder of Rodan + Fields, based in Oakland, California. She compares the condition to a leaky roof: “Anything irritating and allergenic can enter [the skin] more easily, making you more prone to rashes and infections.”

Rash Rx

First, stop scratching. “Eczema creates a vicious itch-scratch cycle,” says Ranella Hirsch, MD, a dermatologist in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “The skin’s dryness [causes] itchiness, which makes you scratch. Scratching makes your skin thicker, which itches more.”

• Use an anti-itch lotion, such as an over-the-counter (OTC) topical steroid with 1 percent hydrocortisone. If OTC products don’t work, a dermatologist can prescribe creams that control the itching and repair the skin. (Long-term use of steroid treatments isn’t recommended because they can thin the skin.)
• Choose mild soap that doesn’t include dyes or fragrances, and be sure to thoroughly rinse it off.
• Buy skin-care products that are fragrance-free, not unscented. “‘Unscented’ means they’ve used a chemical to mask a scent, and those chemicals can be irritating,” Dr. Hirsch says.
• Avoid long, hot showers, and instead take a bath with baking soda, uncooked oatmeal, or colloidal oatmeal. Pat the skin dry afterward, and apply moisturizer while the skin is still damp. “If you put a thin layer on damp, not dry, skin, it will penetrate quickly,” Hirsch says.

“It is usually not immediate; it takes a few days for contact dermatitis to appear on your skin the first time around,” Dr. Davis says. “The second time, it may appear sooner.”

Rash Rx

For both irritant and allergic contact dermatitis, treatment can include using an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream or ointment or a prescription topical steroid.

“Unfortunately, there is no ‘cure’ for an irritant or allergic sensitivity, although some can improve with time,” says Lisa Anthony, MD, a dermatologist at Summit Health in Rye, New York.

Preventing contact dermatitis, however, can be simple: Avoid what’s making you break out — if you’re able to identify the culprit. Identifying an allergic reaction may require a test, in which a doctor applies a small patch with allergens on it to see if your skin reacts.

If costume jewelry is the problem, try painting clear nail polish or apply clear tape on the underside to create a barrier between it and your skin.

Rash Rx

Seborrheic dermatitis on the scalp is often treated with over-the-counter dandruff shampoos with ingredients that reduce the skin’s fungal population, Dr. Anthony says. Look for shampoos with zinc, selenium, or ketoconazole. “Depending on your hair type, try to shampoo daily until the condition improves,” Anthony says. “For thicker scale, one can add mineral oil to soften and comb out stubborn flakes.”

If that doesn’t work, your doctor can prescribe stronger shampoos and medications.

“These areas create the perfect environment for fungus to breed,” says Crystal Murray Holmes, DPM, a podiatrist in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and an associate professor at the University of Michigan.

Rash Rx

After bathing, dry skin folds, feet, and the groin area well, and wear clean, loose-fitting underwear (to prevent jock itch) and socks made of microfiber (to prevent athlete’s foot), which is designed to wick moisture away from the skin,” Holmes says.

Also, use flip-flops in public showers and around pools or other wet spots, and try to rotate through different pairs of shoes to minimize moisture and fungus buildup.

Rash Rx

See a doctor immediately if you spot yellow pus or foul-smelling drainage from a wound, increased redness and pain at the site of the wound, changes in color or size, red streaks in the skin surrounding the wound, or if you come down with a fever. Hirsch says those symptoms are cause for concern.

You can also prevent skin infections from developing by cleaning every cut or wound immediately with soap and water and covering it with a bandage.

Rash Rx

Sometimes, hives disappear on their own without any treatment, though applying a cold washcloth to the area can help soothe the skin.

Of course, the best remedy is prevention. Try to identify your trigger for hives, and avoid it.

A herpes outbreak can be triggered by stress, illness, fatigue, and sun exposure. Though it’s rare, laser and injectable procedures (such as lip filler) at a doctor’s office can also trigger outbreaks, Davis says.

Herpes infections tend to recur in the same spot on your body because the virus lives in the nerve beneath the skin, Davis says. “When it gets triggered back to the skin, it’s within the same vicinity,” she says.

Rash Rx

Shingles, another viral rash, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes chicken pox. If you get chicken pox, the virus stays in your body for the rest of your life. Years later, it may reactivate as shingles. (If you’ve never had chicken pox you are not at risk for shingles.)

Rash Rx

The shingles vaccine should prevent the virus from reactivating. If you do get shingles, an antiviral medication can reduce the severity and duration of the outbreak, especially when taken within three days of the rash’s appearance.