Chickenpox gives small spots, scattered around the body.They can be a little bit uncomfortable but aren't actually painful or itchy. Hand, foot and mouth disease causes tiny bumps - on the palms of your hands, the soles of your feet and even in your mouth.Similarly, with the rash of measles or German measles you can't really feel it at all even though it looks really bad: you just feel generally ill from the virus.Although they look really bad, you can't really feel them at all. It usually starts with a slightly bigger oval, typically on your tummy or chest, and then dozens, even hundreds, of tiny ovals come out. Pityriasis rosea gives you oval-shaped pale red patches scattered pretty much over all your body, apart from your face and head.It is pretty harmless and not passed on by physical contact (contagious). It can come out when your child has a high temperature (fever), or even a couple of days after having an illness. Family doctors (GPs) see this all the time. This is probably the most common type of viral skin condition, referred to sometimes as a 'reactive viral rash'. Australasian College of Dermatologists Tel.Why does my child come out in a rash if they are a bit ill?.
Phototherapy using UVB ultraviolet light may be helpful.Early morning or late afternoon are the best times. However, avoid sunburn and don’t stay in the sun too long. Some cases may respond to ultraviolet light, so mild sunshine may be beneficial.Mild moisturising creams can be applied generously and often.Oral antihistamines may help in cases of severe itching.Steroid creams can be used to help reduce itching.Bathe using plain water or some kind of moisturiser, such as bath oil.Avoid using soap as this can irritate the rash.It is not possible to make the rash disappear any faster, so treatment aims to manage the symptoms. A skin biopsy of one of the patches may be taken for laboratory analysis. Other less common illnesses, such as syphilis, may also cause a similar rash. Pityriasis rosea can be mistaken for skin conditions such as tinea (a fungal skin infection also known as ringworm) or psoriasis, so careful diagnosis is needed. Pityriasis rosea doesn’t seem to be highly contagious, but other members of the household may prefer to practise more stringent personal hygiene just for peace of mind. Recurrences are rare - a person who develops the skin rash has only a two per cent chance of experiencing it again. Children and young adults are more susceptible, for reasons unknown. The virus has recently been identified as one of the herpes viruses. Pityriasis rosea is caused by a viral infection. Occasionally, the rash may spread to include the neck and lower face.
#TINY PINPOINT RED DOTS ON SKIN CAUSED BY VIRUSES PATCH#
A fine rash of small spots starts to appear within a week of the first patch appearing.The herald patch is scaled and coloured red to tan.A large single spot (herald patch) forms.The signs and symptoms of pityriasis rosea include: Pityriasis rosea isn’t thought to be highly contagious. No scars are left, although people with darker skin may have spots of skin discolouration for a little while. Generally, pityriasis rosea is a one-off event - once it has gone, the rash doesn’t reappear. There is no treatment available to speed recovery, but the symptoms can be managed. The rash lasts around one or two months then clears up completely. Often, the patches are confined to the upper body and may follow the ribs in lines. It starts with a large scaled spot called a ‘herald patch’, which is then followed within a week by clusters of smaller patches. It tends to be common in autumn and spring, and young adults - particularly women - are most susceptible. Pityriasis rosea is a skin rash caused by a virus.