From eczema to allergies to bug bites, here’s how to figure out what might be irritating your skin. It’s more than fair to wonder what’s happening if you suddenly develop a skin rash, especially if they’re not a regular thing for you. But rashes happen for a range of reasons, from products that irritated you to underlying health conditions. Figuring out what’s behind your rash can go a long way toward helping to clear things up. That’s where skin rash pictures come in handy. “Skin rashes are very common,” says Ife J. Rodney, M.D., founding director of Eternal Dermatology + Aesthetics. “Almost everyone gets a rash at some point in life or another, and there are so many different types.” But that makes it challenging to know what you’re dealing with if you can’t actually see skin rash photos to compare with your own situation. Even dermatologists have trouble diagnosing skin rashes without actually seeing them, Dr. Rodney points out. At baseline, “a rash is essentially inflammation in the skin that can be caused by either an external exposure or an internal factor,” says Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Essentially, a rash is your skin giving you the heads up that either something is going on in your body or you’ve been exposed to an irritant. Meet the experts: Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City; Karan Lal, D.O., M.S., F.A.A.D., double board-certified adult, pediatric, and cosmetic dermatologist with Affiliated Dermatology in Scottsdale, AZ; Ife J. Rodney, M.D., founding director of Eternal Dermatology + Aesthetics While there are a variety of rashes out there, they all have inflammation in common, according to Dr. Zeichner. That could mean a little irritation or something more intense that alters the surface or shade of your skin. (Just keep in mind that some of the chronic skin conditions listed below, like acne and rosacea, might not be considered rashes by all dermatologists—even though they look like rashes.) What causes skin rashes? There are a lot of potential causes of skin rashes, but Dr. Zeichner says they generally can be divided into two categories: outside-in and inside-out. Outside-in rashes happen in response to your skin being exposed to an outside irritant, allergen, or organism. That can mean certain chemicals like household cleaners, allergens like poison ivy, or organisms like ringworm or scabies. Rashes that are considered inside-out happen as a result of genetics, allergies, or infections. Genetic rashes, like eczema or psoriasis, appear because your skin or immune system is triggered to produce them. Allergic rashes, like a drug rash, occur when you ingest an allergen, including certain foods, such as peanut allergies, or medications. And viral infections, like coronavirus, can also result in rashes. Many outside-in rashes will clear up with the right treatment, but inside-out rashes can be a little trickier, particularly those that are caused by genetics. If you have a rash that won’t go away and you’re not sure what’s behind it, it’s a good idea to see a dermatologist for a proper evaluation. But while you’re waiting to be seen, look ahead to explore photos of common skin rashes, along with the symptoms to look for, to help give you some idea of what you could be dealing with. It’s important to note that rashes can look different depending on your skin tone. Also, no two rashes are exactly alike. As a result, this should serve as more of a general guide

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