Rashes

Rashes

Lots of things cause rashes—plants, pets, jewelry, rubber, perfume, and fungi, to name a few. And if you’ve brushed up against poison ivy or developed athlete’s foot after using the shower at the local swim club, you know where the rash came from.

Many times, however, a rash seems to appear out of nowhere. When the skin comes in contact with an allergic substance, the reaction is not immediate. A few days may pass before the rash takes hold—though once you have it, the rash can last a week or longer.

One way to figure out the cause is to look at the location. If the rash is caused by an internal trigger like food, medication, or virus, the rash will generally be more widespread and symmetrical. If something external like detergents or poison ivy caused the rash, it will be confined to areas of the skin that were exposed to the irritant, says Patricia Farris Walters, M.D., clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans.

Although the onset of allergies is less common in seniors, allergies may develop at any age. Plus, if you’ve recently retired and moved to a new location, you may find yourself exposed to a new allergy problem. And since people over 60 tend to have thinner skin, they can be more sensitive to rashes than ever before, and their skin can be damaged more easily, experts say. Most rashes need to be looked at by a dermatologist if they last longer than two to three days. But meanwhile, you’ll want some methods to soothe the irritation, itching, and inflammation. Here they are.

Try This First

Cool with creams. An over-the-counter corticosteroid cream may provide relief from itching, burning, and irritation, says Thomas Fisher, M.D., dermatologist in private practice in Chicago. He says that application of 1-percent hydrocortisone applied thinly four times daily should provide some relief.

Or try an antibiotic ointment containing polymyxin bacitracin twice daily with hydrocortisone, Dr. Fisher recommends. Avoid over-the-counter ointments with neomycin, since it can cause allergic reactions.

Other Wise Ways

Cool it. If a rash starts oozing, Dr. Fisher recommends a cool compress with aluminum subacetate—Burrow’s solution. You can make Burrow’s solution from effervescent tablets that are sold in pharmacies as Domeboro.

To make a compress, soak a clean handkerchief or piece of gauze in Burrow’s solution, then place the damp cloth on the affected area for 5 minutes. Repeat this process four times for a total 20-minute session. Do this 20-minute treatment three times daily. Follow each treatment with medicated cream.

Try a hot rinse. The itch of poison ivy can be turned off for extended periods by running hot water over the affected area, says Andrew T. Weil, M.D., director of the program in integrative medicine and clinical professor of internal medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson. For 5 to 10 minutes, rinse the area with water that’s as hot as you can stand without risk of burning yourself, he says. At first, the hot water will increase the itch, but after a few minutes, “the nervous circuits seem to get overloaded and the itching stops for a long time,” he says.

Soak in soda. A half-cup of baking soda in a tub full of bathwater makes a rash-relieving soak. “You could also make a paste from a spoonful of baking soda mixed with a bit of water and dab that on your rash to soothe your skin,” says Dr. Walters.

Soothe with salves. As an alternative to cortisone, Dr. Weil suggests calendula cream, made from the petals of a marigold-like flower that is prized for its healing effect on skin. Calendula cream is available in health food stores.

Cover with care. Ordinarily, you leave a rash uncovered, says Dr. Walters, but if it’s wet, oozing, and blistering, you may want to cover it with a light gauze bandage to prevent an infection.

Take an antihistamine. To reduce swelling and itching, take a nonprescription antihistamine, like diphenhydramine (Benadryl), at bedtime, suggests Andrew P. Lazar, M.D., associate professor of clinical dermatology at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. Benadryl may make you drowsy, which can be an added benefit if the itch has been keeping you awake at night, he says. Before taking an antihistamine, however, be sure to check for any interaction with your prescription drugs, cautions Dr. Lazar. Some antihistamines can speed up your heart rate. And if you have an enlarged prostate, an antihistamine might impede urination.