When to Seek Urgent Care for Your Rash

Your skin is red and bumpy and may itch a little, no big deal. It’s only a rash. 

In truth, not all rashes are the same, and they don’t all get better with over-the-counter anti-itch creams. 

You don’t need urgent care for all skin rashes, but it’s important to know when to take your skin condition seriously so you can get the help you need. At Pro-Health Urgent Care of Midland, our urgent care specialists treat all kinds of unexpected illnesses and injuries, including rashes.

In this blog, we tell you about different types of rashes and when it’s time to seek urgent care.

Skin rash 101

Rashes come in many forms. They may appear as blotches or blisters, and they can be red and itchy or scaly and dry. You can have a rash on only one part of your body, or it may spread to multiple areas.

Skin rashes affect people of all ages, and there are different types, including:

Contact dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is a rash that occurs when your skin touches an irritating substance such as poison ivy, chemicals in detergent, or nickel in jewelry.

Eczema

Eczema is a long-term skin condition that causes a red, itchy rash that comes and goes throughout your life. This type of skin rash tends to run in families.

Hives

Hives are red, itchy welts on the skin. This type of rash is a common reaction in people with allergies that involve the skin, such as insect stings or latex. Extreme changes in temperature and stress may also cause hives. 

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that causes a dry, itchy, flaky rash that often affects the outside of the elbow or the inside of the knee. 

When you need urgent care

Most rashes aren’t serious medical issues. However, a rash isn’t something you should ignore altogether. The rash means your skin is reacting to something, and it’s important to know what and why. 

You should seek urgent care for your rash if it:

• Covers a large portion of your body
• Occurs with a fever
• Develops and spreads quickly
• Starts out as a blister
• Causes pain

You should also seek urgent care for a rash if you suspect it’s infected. Chronic skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis are prone to infections because they trigger an incessant need to itch, leading to breaks in the skin that create an entry point for germs. 

Treating your skin rash

At Pro-Health Urgent Care of Midland, we take a detailed history of your skin condition, including when it started and the activities you think triggered the rash. We also review your medical history and ask about family history. 

We examine your skin and may take a sample to confirm or rule out an infection. At urgent care, our main goal is to stabilize your condition until you can get an appointment with your primary care provider or dermatologist.

We may prescribe oral or topical anti-itch and anti-inflammatory medications to reduce your discomfort. You may need an antibiotic or a corticosteroid. We also provide at-home care instructions that can help you feel more comfortable, such as applying cold, wet cloths to the rash to reduce itching.

Any concerning rash warrants a visit to urgent care. There’s never a wrong time to get help when you have health concerns, and our specialists provide prompt and comprehensive care for people of all ages. 

Call our office in Midland, Michigan, or use the online booking tool to schedule your urgent care visit. We can even provide rash care through telehealth.