Skin rashes
Skin rashes can arise from numerous sources, including insect bites, poisonous plants and chemical irritants, as well as more serious causes, such as eczema and viral infection. Urgent care can help diagnose and treat rashes with topical creams, steroids or antibiotics.
How we treat skin rashes and irritations
You are not alone if you have a skin condition — they are very common and often treatable.
Although most irritations and rashes are not serious, we know they can still impact your quality of life. Our teams at CareNow® urgent care clinics are specially trained to provide compassionate diagnoses and treatments.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties.
Different types of skin rashes and irritations
Anyone can be susceptible to skin irritations like dry skin or hives, so you are not alone. We are here to provide the knowledge, diagnosis and treatment for you.
Causes and symptoms of skin irritations
There are many causes for skin irritations, ranging from chafing to allergic reactions and hives. Most are harmless and disappear on their own without medical treatment.
Here are some common causes of skin irritations:
- Chickenpox
- Contact dermatitis
- Dry skin
- Eczema
- Hives
Rashes and skin irritations are rarely causes for concern, but when combined with other symptoms, they could indicate serious conditions.
How to treat dry skin
Dry skin may be bothersome, but it rarely needs to be examined by a provider. Home remedies like lotions and taking care of your skin during winter usually help. Here are five tips to help alleviate the irritation of dry skin:
- Coconut oil: used as a lotion, coconut oil's emollient properties help smooth skin
- Cooler showers: hot water tends to dry skin
- Humidifier: adding moisture to the air in your home can minimize overall dryness
- Oatmeal baths: oatmeal is a great anti-inflammatory remedy
- Water: drinking eight or more glasses of water a day promotes healthy skin
If your dry skin is causing fissures and cracks on the surface, this can put you at risk for infections. When these areas become red and swollen, an infection has developed and will require a visit to a healthcare professional.
Eczema treatments
People commonly use “eczema” to refer to the skin condition known as atopic dermatitis, which is a specific variation of skin irritation.
This skin condition is commonly found in babies and children. While adults can still get eczema, they aren't as susceptible due to increased tolerance to irritants. Cases of eczema can be acute or chronic, depending on the underlying causes.
Lifestyle changes may be necessary to combat and alleviate symptoms of eczema, such as using unscented or mild soaps and avoiding hot showers.
If medical treatment is necessary, you may expect one or all of the following:
- Antihistamines to reduce itching
- Antibiotics applied directly to the skin to treat infection
- Over-the-counter moisturizers or emollients
- Prescription steroid creams
In chronic cases, a dermatologist may recommend phototherapy treatments if skincare and medications are ineffective. Phototherapy uses ultraviolet light to reduce areas of inflammation.
Poison oak treatments
When touched, poison oak and its oil cause a red, itchy rash known as allergic contact dermatitis.
Touching or brushing up against any part of a poison oak plant causes the rash, even if the plant is dead.
You can also get the rash by touching something that's been in contact with poison oak.
A provider should be able to diagnose the rash by looking at it. They may ask about your outdoor activities, work, and hobbies, when you touched the plant, how quickly the rash developed and if you've had any other rashes.
If your poison oak rash is mild, they may offer you ways to treat it at home.
If your rash is more serious, they may treat it with oral or topical medications, including a prescribed antibiotic.
Poison ivy treatments
Similar to poison oak, you can get a rash after coming into contact with poison ivy. Direct or indirect contact with the oil causes the rash to appear. The rash is not contagious and cannot spread to other parts of your body.
If you have a severe case of poison ivy rash, you may need a steroid or antibiotic. You can ease the itching with cold compresses, calamine lotion or hydrocortisone creams.
Frequent short, warm baths can also help. To prevent infection, leave blisters alone and don't scratch your skin.
Seek medical attention if your rash doesn't improve in a week or if you're unsure the rash was caused by poison ivy.
Acne care
Although acne is not considered a dangerous medical condition, it can be frustrating when it flares up.
Acne is an inflammatory skin condition resulting in pimples on the face, shoulders, back, neck, chest and upper arms.
How to treat acne
If the acne is mild, it can usually be treated with over-the-counter remedies, like gels, soaps, pads, creams and lotions. For acne that is moderate or severe, you may need to see one of our skin specialists or dermatologists.
These specialists may recommend a corticosteroid injection to help prevent scarring, minimize inflammation and speed the healing process and can prescribe an oral antibiotic to minimize the occurrence. This type of treatment is usually used for a maximum of six months.
To help keep your face clear of acne, follow these recommendations:
- If you wear makeup, choose one made specifically for sensitive skin
- Keep your hands off your face
- Never pick at your face when a pimple appears
- Wash no more than twice daily with warm water and a gentle soap
Scabies
There are an estimated 130 million cases of scabies at any given time, but most people are unaware of the skin condition. With scabies, a parasitic mite called the Sarcoptes scabiei burrows into the skin. The result is an itchy, red rash referred to as "scabies."
Scabies is very contagious and easily passed from person to person via direct skin contact. It's also possible it can be transmitted through clothing or bedding that's been infested.
How scabies is treated
After exposure, it can take up to six weeks for scabies symptoms to appear. The most common sites on the body for scabies to appear include the:
- Armpit
- Buttocks
- Elbow
- Waist
- Wrist
To treat scabies, the infestation must be removed using prescription ointments, creams and lotions. In some cases, your provider may recommend an oral medication. For the medication to work, you will likely need to apply it to the affected area at night when the mites are most active. The medication can be washed off the next morning.
To help with some of the other symptoms that are associated with scabies, your provider may recommend that you take additional medication such as an antihistamine, antibiotic or steroid cream.
It's important to note that scabies symptoms often appear worse before they get better; however, you should notice less itching after the first week of treatment. If your symptoms haven't gone away after four weeks of treatment, you should revisit your provider.
Wart care
Although warts are unpleasant to look at, they are typically harmless.
A common skin wart is caused when an infection occurs in the top layer of skin as a result of the human papillomavirus—more commonly known as HPV. As the virus invades the top layer of skin, usually after a scratch in the skin has occurred, it causes cells to grow rapidly on the outermost layer of the skin, resulting in a wart.
Almost everyone will come in contact with the virus — which has more than 100 unique forms — at some point, whether it’s from shaking hands, turning doorknobs or simply typing on a keyboard. Some forms of the virus are more likely to cause warts on the hand, while others may result in genital warts.
How to treat warts
If you notice a wart on your skin, you should have it treated before it spreads. Typically, a dermatologist will recommend starting with a home remedy or wart removal, which can be purchased at the drugstore.
Home remedies usually include salicylic acid, clear nail polish or tape that will suffocate the virus. If you opt for an over-the-counter salicylic acid or propane freezing solution, it's important you're diligent when using it since it can take up to a few months for the entire wart to be removed.
For warts that are either physically or visibly uncomfortable, your dermatologist can freeze or burn them off. This may take multiple visits if the wart returns.
Unfortunately, it's nearly impossible to prevent exposure to HPV, but there are things you can do to minimize your risk. These include:
- Cleaning gym equipment before using it
- Washing your hands regularly with soap and warm water
- Wearing rubber flip-flops if you're planning to use a communal shower