Skin rash with blisters

If blisters and spots appear on the body, this can be chickenpox. These are accompanied by severe itching. A prerequisite for the presence of chickenpox is that you have never had chickenpox before.

The body is immune against the pathogen after an infection. Vesicles are also characteristic of a herpes disease, this can be the typical lip herpes, which is accompanied by reddish blisters. Or the virus reactivates, resulting in shingles, which is accompanied by severe pain.

The virus can also lead to the development of genital herpes. Red patches accompanied by small blisters can also occur in the context of allergies or infectious diseases. The same applies to cold symptoms of the skin such as frostbite or burns.

Skin rash with red spots on different parts of the body

In the following, skin rashes with red spots that occur locally on different parts of the body are discussed. Skin rashes that manifest themselves as red patches can basically occur on any part of the body. In most cases the face (especially the cheek region), the chest or the back is affected.

In some cases the red spots start at the back and spread from there over the rest of the body. One of the most common causes of a rash with red spots that mainly affects the back is an infection with the herpes zoster virus. Colloquially this disease is called “shingles“.

The reason why the red patches of the rash of shingles are found on the back is because the symptoms tend to spread along the nerve tracts. As the disease progresses, the red spots on the back often develop into small blisters filled with fluid. The typical rash of herpes zoster infection is described by the affected patients as burning rather than itching.

General information about viral infections can be found here: Viral infection Incompatibility reactions/allergies to certain substances can also manifest themselves through a skin rash in the form of red spots on the back. In case of intolerance reactions, especially those parts of the skin that are in direct contact with the substance in question tend to develop red spots. For example, if the allergy is not a food intolerance (in which the entire body would be affected) but an allergy to a cream, ointment or detergent, the red spots may also appear locally on the back.

In addition, so-called “viral exanthema”, i.e. skin rashes that occur in small children in the course of a viral infection, often appear as a rash on the chest and back. For this reason, in the case of a conspicuous rash (of any form), the general condition should not be lost sight of. In particular, high core body temperatures, diarrhea, vomiting or impaired breathing can be helpful in the diagnosis.

A rash in the form of red spots on the back can also be an indication of a fungal infection.In these cases, however, a distinct scaling of the skin surface can be observed in addition to the red spots. In addition, any skin disease that leads to red spots can also manifest itself on the back. In this context it should be distinguished whether the rash is limited, i.e. only on the back, or generalized (all over the body).

Other reasons for the appearance of rashes with red spots on the back are

Chickenpox
Measles
Incompatibilities/allergies
So-called heat spots

Especially in the face a rash (red spots) can be interpreted as a symptom of various diseases. These diseases do not necessarily have to be pure skin symptoms. Red spots on the face are also often accompanied by severe itching and/or the formation of water or pus-filled blisters.

In order to be able to initiate an effective treatment for rashes (red spots) on the face, it is essential to establish the exact diagnosis in advance. Red spots on the face are generally one of the most common reasons for presenting a patient to a dermatologist. In most cases, this type of rash (red spots on the face) is a defensive reaction of the skin surface against various external influences.

Especially cosmetics, medication, direct sunlight, cold and dry heating air can lead to rashes in the form of red spots on the face. In addition, different life circumstances can have a decisive influence on the skin surface of sensitive people. Especially in particularly stressful situations, some people react by developing red spots on their face.

The psyche of the respective patient can therefore have a decisive influence on the appearance of the skin surface. Some patients react to strong emotional circumstances not only with the formation of a simple rash but also develop acne-like appearances. Other causes that can lead to red spots on the face are regular consumption of alcohol and/or tobacco products, insufficient fluid intake or permanent fatigue.

Furthermore, skin diseases such as neurodermatitis or simple dermatitis can often manifest themselves in the area of the face. A large number of patients also have facial skin diseases where a siege of microorganisms causes red spots to form. A classic example of such a disease is rosacea, which is a common condition in old age.

This is a disease caused by hair follicle mites, which among other things leads to skin rashes with red spots on the face. The affected patients develop pustules and papules, especially around the nose. Patients suffering from so-called Pfeiffer’s glandular fever can also develop a rash in the form of red spots on the face.

Another serious disease that can lead to a rash in the form of red spots on the face is the so-called “systemic lupus erythematosus” (synonym: wolf disease). This disease is an autoimmune disease that manifests itself mainly in the area of the blood vessels, the skin (especially in the face) and the kidneys. Typically, the visible skin symptoms remind of a wolf bite.

Hence the popular name “wolf disease”. However, much more concise in relation to systemic lupus erythematosus is the butterfly-shaped skin rash (red spots) that appear over the cheeks and nose of the affected patients. If a rash does not occur on the entire body, but only locally on an arm or leg, the trigger is usually an external factor, such as a contact allergy.

A disease that is triggered from within. Like an infectious disease, it usually spreads over a larger area. Another characteristic of an external factor as a trigger is also that the red spots are then not present on both arms or legs, but only occur on one side.

One speaks of a locally limited characteristic. Harmlessly, red spots that only appear on the arm or leg can be small pimples that do not require further treatment. In the infectious disease of ringworm, the rash that occurs on the inside of the arms and legs can spread in a ring shape.

Typically, the rash begins on the cheeks and is accompanied by cold symptoms. Neurodermatitis, for example, is a skin rash that appears with highly itchy red spots and typically occurs on the flexion sides of the arms and legs (hollow of the knee).The non-itching psoriasis on the other hand usually occurs on the extensor sides of the extremities. In addition to arms and legs, it often occurs on the sacrum and head.