Elbow rash

Definition

The skin is the largest immunologically active organ in humans. It forms a natural protective barrier and is in constant contact with our environment. Various causes can cause the skin to react with skin rashes (exanthema).

In the following article we will deal with rashes on the elbow in more detail. These are newly appearing skin symptoms that can be on the outside as well as on the inside of the elbow. However, there is no uniform definition for skin rashes on the elbow, since they are by no means a uniform clinical picture. There can be many different causes behind such a rash.

Causes

The elbow is a body part that is very often affected or at least partly affected by rashes. There are rashes on the outside as well as on the inside of the elbow. The causes are very diverse.

In addition to infectious causes, such as viral diseases, allergies, such as to textiles (contact eczema) or to medication, can also cause a rash on the elbow. Parasitic diseases such as the itch mite infestation are also very common. Typically, several people in an environment are infected with itch mites.

Clothes lice can also cause a rash on the elbow. It can be transmitted to people in the surrounding area through clothing and textiles that are used together. Another very large field of diseases that can also cause rashes on the elbow are the inflammatory or chronic inflammatory diseases.

Two of them are particularly noteworthy, namely atopic dermatitis (neurodermatitis) and psoriasis. The following section is intended to provide an overview of the possible causes of a skin rash on the outside of the elbow:

  • Psoriasis: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that occurs in over 90% of cases after the age of 50. Typical are itchy, red skin rashes accompanied by scaling of the skin.

    The extensor sides are usually affected, so that the outside of the elbow is particularly affected on the arms.

  • Atopic dermatitis in babies: Atopic dermatitis in babies is particularly evident on the outside of the elbows. Typical symptoms are severe itching and dry skin. Food allergies are detectable in about 50% of cases.
  • Other causes: In the context of many other skin diseases, the outside of the elbows can also be affected by a skin rash.

    Many of these rashes are called generalized because they affect a large part of the skin surface. One example is the classic childhood diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox, which usually affect the entire skin. Other causes can be insect bites, clothes lice or allergic reactions.

Neurodermatitis, also known as atopic dermatitis, is one of the most common causes of a rash in the crook of the arm.

This is a congenital predisposition to the development of scaly skin rashes, whereby the area of the crook of the arm, along with the hollow of the knee and the face and neck, is one of the most frequently affected regions of the body. One speaks of so-called predilection sites. It occurs mainly in childhood and is usually accompanied by itching, dry skin and redness.

Those affected also frequently suffer from food allergies. A certain form of psoriasis (psoriasis inversa) is also frequently seen in the crook of the arm and in other body folds (e.g. abdominal folds, gluteal fold). Typical for this disease is a desquamation of the skin in the affected areas.

If the reddening of the skin is clearly limited to a round area, an infectious cause is more likely to be assumed. The two most common pathogens for such circular efflorescence (skin appearance) are Borrelia bacteria, which can be transmitted via a tick bite, and fungi. Skabies/scabies mite infestation can also cause skin a rash in the crook of the arm.

Scabies mites are skin parasites that are transmitted from person to person. They typically cause night-time itching, redness and burning 3 weeks after infection. The skin is red and elongated.

These are the mite ducts that the mites form under the skin.Often the elbows, wrists and the spaces between the fingers and toes are affected. Furthermore, allergies, insect bites, clothes lice and systemic skin diseases such as scleroderma (an inflammatory rheumatic disease) or lupus erythematosus are also conceivable. The latter, however, are among the very rare causes.

A skin rash on the elbow can have various accompanying symptoms depending on the underlying disease. In parasitic diseases such as the itch mite infestation or the clothes louse, itching is a very common accompanying symptom. Scratching the skin can cause a secondary painful swelling.

Redness and swelling can occur, for example, with infectious or inflammatory causes. Psoriasis and neurodermatitis are also accompanied by scaling of the skin. In the worst case, an allergic reaction can lead to general symptoms such as breathing difficulties or cardiovascular problems.

Many childhood diseases, which can cause generalized skin rashes and which also affect the elbow, can cause fever and general fatigue. Examples are measles and rubella. Itching is a very common symptom that occurs in connection with skin rashes.

There are a number of rashes on the elbow that can be accompanied by itching. A common cause is itchy mite or clothing lice. Particularly in the case of itchy mites, the itching is very severe and tormenting.

Other causes of an itchy rash on the elbow are atopic dermatitis (neurodermatitis) and psoriasis. However, itching can also be absent. Allergies to textiles, detergents or other allergens can also lead to itching.

The absence of itching is typical for some causes of an elbow rash. These include measles, for example, which is usually initially manifested by an (itchless) rash on the face and the mucous membrane of the mouth, which spreads throughout the body as it progresses. Also the rash caused by Lyme disease is usually not accompanied by itching and shows a characteristic ring-shaped redness with central pallor.

If the rash is caused by a fungal infection (e.g. seborrhoeic eczema caused by Malassezia furfur), itching usually does not occur either. Itching may also be absent in the case of a rash caused by certain drugs. Sweat is an irritating factor for the skin, partly due to its salt content.

Therefore, many people suffer from rashes caused by sweating. This heat rash is also called miliaria and is mostly formed in the facial area, as the skin is particularly sensitive here. However, parts of the body where skin rubs against skin (e.g. the crook of the arm) are also particularly susceptible to the development of a rash due to the additional mechanical irritation caused by sweating.

The skin rash due to sweating can manifest itself as a simple redness or even pimples. Infants are particularly frequently affected, as they are often dressed particularly warmly, which can lead to an excessive flow of sweat that clogs the swine glands. If the skin rash appears in the crook of the arm in connection with heavy sweating (for example, during sports), the clothing should be questioned first. Functional clothing (e.g. made of merino wool) is recommended, which absorbs the sweat and thus keeps it away from the skin. It also weakens the skin-irritating effect of the skin rubbing that is unavoidable during sports.