What causes a rash on the stomach? Can one have it after surgery or during pregnancy? Get insight on causes including those that extend to the back, neck, breast, groin area, on belly button as well as itchy and non-itchy ones. You will also learn more about cases of toddlers as well as treatments.
Stomach rashes appearance may create a lot of concern and worries especially in cases where they may be blotchy, swollen and red.
There are many possible causes of a stomach rash some not serious such as a reaction on the skin while others will be more serious such as with the cause of stomach infection as well as infection of surrounding organs.
Causes
Many things can cause a stomach rash. Some of the most common causes include the following:
Cellulitis
This type of rash is caused by bacteria known as staph or strep. Those from cellulitis will appear red, painful, warm, tender, and swollen; possibly have blisters or dimpling as well. Also, it can spread surprisingly fast and one of the more telltale symptoms is that the rash is changing shape or otherwise growing.
Lyme disease
This rash brought about by the tick bite and it is typically a bacterial infection that can begin appearing after a month or so after you have been bitten when it will start growing i.e. you will have a red rash expanding.
Doctorhealthpress.com further states that “the rash is not painful and is clearer near the middle, giving a hallmark “bulls-eye” appearance. Other symptoms are similar to those of the flu, such as fever, chills, fatigue, and aches”.
Atopic dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis or eczema often appears as itchy skin that may be red and dry with small bumps at times. Although the condition is common in the face and limbs, it can also happen on your stomach. Causes of atopic dermatitis (eczema) are thought to relate to genetics and environmental factors such as dry weather.
Contact dermatitis
This condition is brought about by the reaction of the body towards some exposure. Some of the possible triggers including things such as poison of oak or ivy, soap, cosmetics, clothing fabrics, detergents used for washing undergarments and other things one could be allergic to.
Furthermore, exposure to some industrial chemicals can trigger an allergic reaction.
Stomach rashes are sometimes used to help an individual to remember if you recently began using a new brand of skincare products, soaps or detergents for laundry.
Psoriasis
This skin problem is due to an autoimmune disorder where one experiences excessive skin cell growth. Some of the common characteristics include red patchy skin that is covered with scales that are silvery which will keep on appearing and disappearing in a cyclic manner and each episode may stay for several weeks or several months in some instances.
Another common characteristic of psoriasis is dry skin that cracks and in case one have an itchy or a burning sensation, bleeding may occur especially when the patches are scraped off.
Chickenpox
Chickenpox is a contagious infection which can have serious effects on adults compared to young children. One will have raised red or pink bumps that become blisters (fluid-filled) and once they burst, they begin to crust.
Other symptoms of may experience include a headache, fever, malaise, and reduced appetite. To avoid spreading chickenpox, one must be isolated until the scabs formed from bursting blisters have completely disappeared.
Christmas tree rash
The name is due to how it looks. It is a fine, itchy and scaly rash that usually develops first as a single patch on the chest, abdomen or back. After this first appearance, the rash may spread as small patches to other parts of the back, chest, and neck.
Intertrigo
This condition is caused by skin rubbing together (friction) and is common in warm moist areas such as on your skin folds including stomach skin folds, under your breasts, on your groin, underarms, inner thighs as well as in between your toes.
The affected skin will tend to be painful and develop some sensitivity. In extreme cases, expect bleeding, skin breaking and sores that ooze.
How does it look like?
As healthline.com describes it, “a rash is a noticeable change in the texture or color of your skin. Your skin may become scaly, bumpy, itchy, or otherwise irritated. There are numerous causes, including allergies, medications, cosmetics, and certain diseases.” With this description, you should be able to tell when you have a rash on your stomach even without pictures.
The following pictures will assist you to understand the causes and even know how to differentiate them easily. I hope they will help you seek medication.
On stomach and back
Stomach rash may have many possible causes, including allergens, infections, autoimmune disorders, or other causes such as stress. The following are some of the samples of rashes that appear at the back:
Pityriasis Rosea: This one may form a pattern on the back that resembles the outline of a Christmas tree. It usually goes away without treatment in four to 10 weeks, but it can last months.
Drug rash: These usually appear as the side effect of prescriptions of drugs or as an allergic reaction to it. One caused by drugs may be caused by many different medications, including antibiotics and water pills (diuretics).
Swimmer’s itch: This refers to an itchy or burning rash that can be anywhere including your stomach caused by allergic reaction towards a parasite found in water and often burrows into your upper skin layers.
Although the parasite dies afterward, you will be left with a rash characterized by small blisters or bumps.
Other causes may include:
- Chickenpox or shingles
- Erythema nodosum
- Measles, mumps, rubella, roseola, and scarlet fever
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Extreme cold or heat
- Stress
Rash on stomach after surgery
We found a very good answer to the question ‘What causes skin rash after surgery’ found in reference.com where the provided answer was:
“An allergy to the anesthesia the patient receives sometimes causes a skin rash after surgery, according to the World Allergy Organization. The skin can also swell and redden in patches due to the irritation of the blood vessels there”.
Fortunately, these kinds will fade on their own. Furthermore, people who are more vulnerable to bad allergic reactions after surgery are those below the age of 6 years as well as those above the age of 65. This is because the metabolism of those below 6 years has not developed well as well as functions such as that of excretion and absorption while for those who are above 65years, the functions have begun to diminish.
Rash on the stomach while pregnant – PEP
Is the skin on your abdomen breaking out in itchy bumps? Rash on the stomach while one is pregnant can begin on your belly in an area that has stretch marks. They can lead to itchiness, a condition known as plaques of pregnancy or pruritic urticarial papules.
The red rash is lumpy and bumpy, containing itchy hives. Sometimes, if the rash is scratched, the pimples will ooze a little fluid, and then crust over.
This rush is not considered risky to you or to the baby. However, in some rare cases, the baby may be born a mild PEP skin rash which will soon disappear.
On stomach and neck
Rashes on stomach and next are unpleasant on most occasions since some of them have a burning sensation and are itchy which in most cases creates a lot of discomforts. Here are some of them:
- Eczema
- Folliculitis
- Food allergies
- Measles
- Psoriasis
- Scarlet fever
On stomach and breast
A breast rash can have a variety of causes, and it may indicate something occurring in the breast itself or suggest a systemic (body-wide) condition. Those on the breast may have many possible causes, including allergens (agents that cause allergies), infections, autoimmune disorders, or other causes such as stress.
Here are some of the causes:
- Mammary duct ectasia
- Mastitis (infection or inflammation of the breast)
- Kawasaki disease
- Fungal organisms (Candida albicans)
Rash on stomach and back toddler
Children are constantly exposed to a variety of illnesses and irritants that can cause rashes. They are usually benign but can cause discomfort to the baby and consternation to the parents.
It is important to identify the rash and any other accompanying symptoms to try and identify potentially serious causes that might require treatment.
Here is the common one that usually affects toddlers:
- Heat rash
- Insect bites
- Contact rash
- Viral illness
- Eczema
- Hives
On stomach and groin area
An appearance of rashes that has the itching effect according to healthhype.com “on the groin is as common as itching anywhere on the body. For most of us, it is an occasional itch that quickly subsides and is not a persistent problem. An itchy groin is often more distressing than itching elsewhere on the body largely due to the social component of it being”.
There are a number of different causes of itchy rashes under groin. It is a symptom of some underlying problem usually involving the skin of the groin region. They include:
- Personal hygiene.
- Exposure to irritants.
- Skin infections and sexually transmitted infections.
- Parasitic infestations.
- Psoriasis of the groin region, particularly inverse psoriasis.
- Contact dermatitis.
Onn the belly button
A rash occurring in and around the navel may be caused by an infection or moisture. An allergy may also cause it when one uses products that contain metal or other substances allergic to the skin including an allergic reaction or infection of the belly button piercing.
An infection of the navel tract may cause the rash by substances such as lint, hair, or other forms of debris that may enter the navel canal and trigger an inflammatory reaction. Whenever there is an infection of the belly button canal, it is often accompanied by itching and discharge.
Psoriasis is a condition that affects the skin and may contribute to the belly button rash. Psoriasis creates red, prickly patches that appear on the skin.
Pemphigoid gestationis is another possible cause of navel rash. This is an autoimmune blistering disease, which affects women. The immune system of the body reacts against its own skin causing blistering.
Rash on the stomach but not itchy
In this modern world, most people experience rashes that are not itchy but they create a lot of unpleasant when they are socializing around.
Get acquainted with the potential triggers below and seek medication from your health care nearby:
- Birthmarks
- Acne
- Angiomas
- Allergic reaction
- Heat rash
Treatment options
To help deal with the problem of rash on stomach, here are some remedies and treatments which will be helpful:
Avoiding scratching the affected
It is normal to have the urge to scratch your rash. Avoid scratching your stomach rash since this will damage your skin and open it up for other infections. Furthermore, this will affect your healing speed. Try antihistamines, oatmeal bath, baking soda bath or calamine lotion to help soothe it.
Moisturize the skin
Psoriasis and eczema victims should moisturize their skin to stop it from drying and consequently cracking. Furthermore, try cool compresses as well as use a humidifier.
Use Antibiotics
In cases where your rash is due to bacterial caused skin problems, use antibiotics. The specific antibiotic you will use will depend on which strain of bacteria is causing your rash. Let your physician or dermatologist help you decide the suitable antibiotic to use.