The most common cause of skin rash, in both children and adults, is contact dermatitis. Eczema is a broad term for dermatitis and the two terms are often used interchangeably. Allergens can cause dermal irritation that leads to rashes. The most common reactions are from skin contact with chemicals or plant oils, while some will come from certain foods a person might be allergic to when consumed.
. Some animal dander will even cause allergic reactions that lead to rashes.Skin mites and topical parasites can also be a factor in the development of rashes or irritation. Scabies is the most common and is caused by contact with a person or animal that has a poor immune system. Proper hygiene will prevent the mites from becoming too populated and causing damage. Mosquito and flea bites can cause large, itchy welts to form on the skin and if a person is severely allergic to the insect's saliva that individual can develop a rash. Antihistamines and over-the-counter steroid creams will usually help calm the itch and reduce the rash, although a doctor should probably have a look at them.Rashes can sometimes develop from viral or bacteria infections. Scarlett fever is one example of a bacterial infection which results in a skin rash. Yeast and other fungal infections, which are caused by suppressed immune response, can produce skin rashes and irritation. In these cases a doctor will usually prescribe antibiotics or antifungal medicines.Psoriasis, dermatitis herpetiformis, systemic lupus erythematosus and dermatomyositis are all autoimmune conditions that can cause distinct skin rashes. These diseases occur when the body cannot differentiate between its own healthy, normal cells and foreign invading cells, usually due to lack of "practice" with real invasive microorganisms. Psoriasis is characterized by patches of dry, silvery scales of skin that occur mostly over joints. Dermatitis herpetiformis causes intense rashes of blisters to form on the skin that are often very itchy. Lupus will cause a butterfly-shaped rash to form across a person's face, wrapping itself over the bridge of the nose and flaring under the eyes. Dermatomyositis will appear as patches of red, inflamed skin mostly occurring on the patient's knuckles. With these diseases and others like them, steroids are often used to suppress the immune system, thereby relieving some symptoms.Visit http://images.google.com/images?q=skin%20rashes&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi for additional information and photos on skin conditions that cause a rash. More reference links: http://images.google.com/images?q=skin%20rashes&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eczema
