We usually think of COVID-19 as a viral illness that causes respiratory symptoms, like congestion, sore throat, and a cough. But, like a surprising amount of other viruses, the coronavirus can also lead to annoying, itchy, and even painful skin rashes.<\/p>\n
When you see a rash as part of a virus, you’re not really seeing the virus go into your skin directly, Dr. Andrew Walls, assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School, tells TODAY.com.<\/p>\n
Instead, what you’re usually seeing “is the virus activating your immune system to a high degree as it’s combating the virus,” he explains. While it’s not a common symptom of COVID, a rash is yet another manifestation of your body’s overall immune response to the virus.<\/p>\n
Hives, also called urticaria, can be related to allergies. But they also appear after a viral infection, including COVID-19.<\/p>\n
The condition can present as raised, itchy, red, pink, or flesh-colored bumps. They can occur in isolated patches or large clusters. And they can appear pretty much anywhere on the body, including your back, chest, legs, and face, Walls says.<\/p>\n
A typical viral exanthem is a rash made up of smooth, raised pink dots that can collect into larger patches, Walls says. The rash tends to start on the chest or back. Then, over a few days, it spreads to the extremities. (Some people only have a small area of their body covered while others have very large areas with rash.)<\/p>\n
Dermatologists have also seen COVID-related rashes that resemble those caused by the Coxsackie virus, also called hand, foot, and mouth disease.<\/p>\n
You may remember a lot of talk about “COVID toes” early on in the pandemic. But it’s not something dermatologists see a lot of these days, the experts say.<\/p>\n
Vasculitis is an autoimmune condition caused by inflammation of the blood vessels, and it can present as a rash.<\/p>\n
In addition to causing skin rashes, COVID-19 infections can also exacerbate or trigger a recurrence of pre-existing skin issues you may have.<\/p>\n
Kids can get skin rashes due to viral infections, including COVID-19. In fact, children are “a little more prone to these skin reactions with viruses than adults are,” Walls explains.<\/p>\n
“If you have a rash and COVID, it is absolutely worthwhile to go to see your primary care physician and discuss it with them,” Gehlhausen says.<\/p>\n
If your rash is severe, covers a large area of your body, or is especially painful or itchy, you should definitely check in with a doctor or dermatologist, Walls says. They may be able to prescribe medications, like topical antihistamines or steroids, to help your skin heal.<\/p>\n
COVID-19 can cause a range of skin rashes, from mild and itchy to severe and painful. While most of these rashes are not a cause for concern, it’s important to see a doctor if you experience any unusual symptoms or if your rash persists or worsens over time.<\/p>\n
Q: What is the most common type of COVID-related skin rash?<\/strong> Q: Can COVID-19 cause skin rashes in children?<\/strong> Q: Should I see a doctor if I have a mild COVID-related skin rash?<\/strong> Q: Can COVID-19 cause skin rashes to last for a long time?<\/strong> COVID-19 Can Cause Skin Rashes: What to Expect and When to See a Doctor We usually think of COVID-19 as a viral illness that causes respiratory symptoms, like congestion, sore throat, and a cough. But, like a surprising amount of other viruses, the coronavirus can also lead to annoying, itchy, and even painful skin rashes. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2346,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2345","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health-wellness"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/media.nbcmiami.com\/2024\/11\/COVID-skin-rashes.jpeg?quality=85&strip=all&resize=1200%2C675&w=1200&resize=1200,675&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2345"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2345"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2345\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2347,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2345\/revisions\/2347"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2345"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2345"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2345"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nA: Hives are the most common type of COVID-related skin rash.<\/p>\n
\nA: Yes, children can get skin rashes due to viral infections, including COVID-19.<\/p>\n
\nA: No, if you have a mild COVID-related skin rash, you can usually treat it at home with over-the-counter antihistamines or pain medication. However, if your rash is severe, covers a large area of your body, or is especially painful or itchy, you should definitely check in with a doctor or dermatologist.<\/p>\n
\nA: While most COVID-related skin rashes are self-limiting and resolve on their own, some people may experience persistent or recurring skin rashes. In these cases, it’s important to see a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"