How To Deal With a Skin Rash and When To Seek Help

Skin rashes are no fun, but beyond their distressing symptoms, rashes may represent a significant health problem. At Savannah Dermatology Clinic, dermatologist, Dr. Adam Pritzker sees scores of Savannah, GA, individuals who need proper diagnosis, treatment, and relief of their rash symptoms. Here's the information you need about this uncomfortable condition.

A rash can come from an irritant or something more serious

Maybe you have become overheated, and the skin under your arms has broken out in prickly. red lesions. Or, you have a wool allergy, touched someone's winter coat and developed itchy, red wheels known as hives, or urticaria.

Whatever your circumstance, you need proper information to relieve symptoms or to seek professional help from your dermatologist in Savannah, GA, Dr. Adam Pritzger. Many benign rashes develop symptoms such as itching, redness, skin warmth, scaliness, and more. Applying cool compresses, avoiding a known allergen, and using over the counter moisturizers or antihistamine lotions can reduce or eliminate symptoms quickly.

For instance, topic dermatitis, or eczema, is a chronic rash that happens due to an overactive immune system. Psoriasis is another very unsightly rash in which the skin overproduces cells in locations such as the elbows, knees, and forearms.

While both these rashes are uncomfortable and distressing, they are not medically urgent. See your dermatologist for an ongoing care plan. Other kinds of rashes are very urgent, and you should seek medical attention immediately if you see them appearing on your own skin or that of a loved one.

When to seek medical help

Here are the danger signs associated with rashes:

1. Your rash occurs suddenly and spreads all over the body quickly.
2. Symptoms such as fever or shortness of breath accompany your skin rash.
3. Blisters appear around the genitals and/or eyes or in the mouth,
4. You see signs of infection associated with the bumps or wheals. Pus, swelling, extreme tenderness, and crusting often represent infection that requires treatment with antibiotics, says the American Academy of Dermatology.
5. Your skin really hurts--so much so that it is difficult to sleep, eat, or be touched.

We can help

At Savannah Dermatology Clinic, your board-certified dermatologist and his team have the experience and diagnostic skills to uncover the cause of your rash and help you feel better. To contact Dr. Adam Pritzker at his Savannah, GA, office, please call (912) 352-8974.