skin rash and itch

Q: What causes hives?

Hives is a common skin eruption caused by a hypersensitivity reaction to something a person has been exposed to. It may be caused by foods, such as tomatoes, seafood, or artificial sweeteners, or any number of other things. Penicillin is the most common cause of hives. Physicians are not often able to determine the cause of hives unless it is obvious to the patient.

September means back to school – the end of a busy summer vacation season and time for Mom and Dad to relax as the kids are occupied with new friends and activities. Sometimes the close contact that kids have with each other can lend itself to the development of some common childhood skin infections. Here we review some of the more common infections seen in this age group:

We’ve slathered them with sunscreen all summer and forced them to wear shirts and hats on the beach. Now, as we send them back to school, our kids may be exposed to common skin infections, more likely to break out in groups where they play, roughhouse, and sometimes share personal items.

According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, psoriasis is the most commonly diagnosed autoimmune disease, affecting 7.5 million Americans and 125 million people worldwide. The skin disease is associated with other potentially serious conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and psoriatic arthritis.

We talked with 2 leading dermatologists to learn more about the disease.

Skateboard pioneer Andy Kessler died earlier this week from an allergic reaction to an insect sting. His death is a dark reminder of the dangers that insect stings carry.

Severe allergy (considered potentially life threatening) to insect stings are quite rare and occur in less than 5% of the US population. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, at least 40 people in the US die each year from insect stings.

Developing an itchy rash after a hike in the woods or a day of working in the yard is not particularly surprising. An inadvertent brush with poison ivy or poison oak and the annoyingly itchy rash that develops is a common summertime problem in the Eastern US. But developing similar symptoms after preparing a fresh meal in your kitchen seems unexpected. As it turns out, it’s not so rare.

Psoriasis does not discriminate; it has dispensed its misery to those in all walks of life and ethnicities for centuries. Unfortunately, this is one of the rare cases where tolerance will not be tolerated! We are working to rid the world of this “equal opportunity disorder,” but, regrettably, there is not yet a cure for psoriasis. Until that day comes, you can control your psoriasis and dramatically improve your quality of life.

Warm summer months can provoke some unusual but recognizable rashes due to a combination of sun exposure and leisure activities. Imagine the following: You’ve recently had a weekend barbecue where the signature drink was the mojito – a concoction of rum, lime juice, mint leaves, and some other basic ingredients on ice. You’ve enjoyed this drink before without any problems – so why have you developed a painful rash on your hands after serving them to your friends at your backyard party?