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What Causes A Red Rash All Over The Body?

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Posted on Mon, 24 Oct 2016
Question: A red rash covering my whole body appears every morning and goes away in a couple hours, spreads quick and itchs very bad
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dinah Levillard (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Hives, cause to be considered. treat as advised

Detailed Answer:
hello sir and welcome to HCM.
I'm Dr Dinah and I'll be answering your queries today.
You seem to be suffering from hives or urticaria, and we first need to find a possible cause.
before advising you regarding treatment , kindly clarify a few things -
-How long has it been since the rashes started? Is this the first time, or have you had similar allergies before?
-Do you have any previous history of allergies, asthma,eczema etc in the past, or as a child?
-Is there any new medication, supplement, new food products etc you have started recently. Any outside food/seafood?
-Any outdoor activity? Exposure to dust,pollen, plants, pets, excessive sun exposure etc/. Does it occur after a hot/cold shower?
-Change in residence, bed linen, detergent etc
-Are you diabetic or have any other chronic illnesses?
-Any similar complaints or itching in family members. Any evidence of bed bugs,mites etc?

These are some of the most common causes that can trigger allergies. it varies from person to person. In many cases a particular cause is difficult to pin point and may just be due to increased allergy levels in the body.
If you can think of possible triggers, it is necessary to avoid it to prevent it recurring.
When you get rashes do you notice swelling or wheals as well? Does it swell up along areas that you scratch?
To help with the rashes, you can apply a calamine or menthol based lotion to soothe the skin along with the antihistamine for a week.
In many cases the condition can take a few weeks to completely resolve on its own.
Do consult a dermatologist, preferably when the rash is present if possible. They may advise you certain blood tests to check the levels of allergy cells and IgE in your blood and then give you the necessary medication for a longer period of time to reduce the allergy levels.
Other skin tests may be suggested later on if it is still persisting. It is important to remember that urticaria can resolve on its own once the allergy levels settle down , but in some cases can take weeks.
Do get back to me with the above clarifications and I can guide you regarding further management.
Also, feel free to clarify any other doubts you may have.
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Dinah Levillard

Dermatologist

Practicing since :2010

Answered : 263 Questions

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What Causes A Red Rash All Over The Body?

Brief Answer: Hives, cause to be considered. treat as advised Detailed Answer: hello sir and welcome to HCM. I'm Dr Dinah and I'll be answering your queries today. You seem to be suffering from hives or urticaria, and we first need to find a possible cause. before advising you regarding treatment , kindly clarify a few things - -How long has it been since the rashes started? Is this the first time, or have you had similar allergies before? -Do you have any previous history of allergies, asthma,eczema etc in the past, or as a child? -Is there any new medication, supplement, new food products etc you have started recently. Any outside food/seafood? -Any outdoor activity? Exposure to dust,pollen, plants, pets, excessive sun exposure etc/. Does it occur after a hot/cold shower? -Change in residence, bed linen, detergent etc -Are you diabetic or have any other chronic illnesses? -Any similar complaints or itching in family members. Any evidence of bed bugs,mites etc? These are some of the most common causes that can trigger allergies. it varies from person to person. In many cases a particular cause is difficult to pin point and may just be due to increased allergy levels in the body. If you can think of possible triggers, it is necessary to avoid it to prevent it recurring. When you get rashes do you notice swelling or wheals as well? Does it swell up along areas that you scratch? To help with the rashes, you can apply a calamine or menthol based lotion to soothe the skin along with the antihistamine for a week. In many cases the condition can take a few weeks to completely resolve on its own. Do consult a dermatologist, preferably when the rash is present if possible. They may advise you certain blood tests to check the levels of allergy cells and IgE in your blood and then give you the necessary medication for a longer period of time to reduce the allergy levels. Other skin tests may be suggested later on if it is still persisting. It is important to remember that urticaria can resolve on its own once the allergy levels settle down , but in some cases can take weeks. Do get back to me with the above clarifications and I can guide you regarding further management. Also, feel free to clarify any other doubts you may have.