Skin rashes appear on the body due to various reasons. Most rashes on the body are caused due to an inflammation of the skin. The skin changes its color and texture as a result of the inflammation. Rashes may appear on the entire body or on specific spots like the neck, face, arm, and legs. Rashes may manifest themselves in different forms and can be red, itchy or non-itchy, swellings or spots. You may also experience a stinging or burning sensation. The red color can be due to a number of reasons: a boil, a heat or food allergy, medication, or insect bites. It helps if you can identify the kind of rash and its cause so that an appropriate mode of treatment may be devised.
What to look for? Insect bites are the most common cause behind red, itchy, and bumpy rashes. The bites cause certain chemicals to be released, and hence the swelling and red rash. If it is not because of insect bites, it could be hives caused as allergy to food and/or medication. Another cause for red color circular marks could be macular stains, which are birth marks that develop in the blood vessels. These are called Angel's kisses and will disappear around the age of two. In general, there is no treatment for macular stains. Stork bites are another type of rash that appears on the neck; these might remain throughout one's life time.
Are there remedies? There are numerous remedies available for rashes. Many of these rashes can be easily cured with simple home remedies. Let's take a look at some of them.
- Yogurt is an excellent home remedy to heal rashes. Applying yogurt on affected areas cools the skin and helps to reduce the itching. Yogurt is especially effective against rashes that are caused by heat and allergies. You can also eat some yogurt to further speed up the healing process.
- You can also drink plenty of buttermilk with onion juice to cool the body and heal from within. Buttermilk is extremely effective to healing rashes that occur due to food allergies. Foods like seafood often cause allergies in people; these foods increase the body "heat" resulting in an allergy. Such rashes will disappear in few days.
- You can also mix a teaspoonful of turmeric powder with yogurt to form paste and apply it on the affected parts.
- aloe vera gel is also a good ointment for curing itchy rashes. You can even extract aloe vera directly from the leaves of the plant and apply it on your skin.
- olive oil can also be used in the treatment of these rashes. Apply the oil on affected areas to cure the rash.
- Rashes can also be cleared by boiling a few margosa leaves with a pinch of turmeric, straining the mixture, and using the water to cleanse the affected area. You can also prepare this in large quantities and use it for a bath.
- insect bites can be soothed by crushing a few betel leaves and applying them on the skin. Betel leaves belong to the family of pepper and is grown mostly in South East Asia. This leaf has medicinal properties that are effective in healing insect bites.
Note that for severe types of rashes, it is best to consult your dermatologist.
answered by G M