Skin Problems & Treatments Health Center

Have you had any abnormal bleeding within the last 12 hours?

Do you have other signs of a serious illness? These symptoms may include:Severe neck stiffness or pain.Confusion or extreme irritability.Very sleepy and hard to wake up.Fever.Ongoing nausea or vomiting.Eyes very sensitive to light (photophobia).Unsteady on your feet that keeps you from standing or walking (ataxia or vertigo).New double vision, blurred vision, or blind spots in your vision.Very rapid, difficult breathing.Severe pain.New and different skin rash or severe bruises.

Do you have many new tiny purple or red spots (petechiae) or bruises without other symptoms?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have a fever of or higher?

Do you think that you have a high fever but you are not able to measure your temperature?

Do you have a fever and any signs of a serious illness?

Have you developed a rash that looks like a sunburn with a fever higher than ?

Have you developed a rash that looks like a sunburn and you think you have a moderate fever but you are not able to measure your temperature?

Do you know or think you have a fever?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have a red rash that peels skin away, leaving very large areas of tissue that weep or ooze fluid?

Have you developed a rash that looks like a sunburn with a fever higher than ?

Have you developed a rash that looks like a sunburn and you think you have a moderate fever, but you are unable to measure your temperature?

Is your rash painful?

Do you have a rash that has not gotten better after 2 weeks?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Has a hivelike rash that covers all or most of your body appeared over the past 1 to 3 hours?

Has swelling in your mouth or throat appeared within the past 1 to 3 hours but you do not have trouble breathing?

Do you think your rash may be caused by a medicine?Note: If your answer is Yes:Call the doctor who prescribed the medicine to determine whether you should stop taking the medicine or take a different one. An appointment may not be necessary. Do not take another dose of the medicine until you have spoken to your doctor.If you are taking a nonprescription medicine or an herbal remedy, stop taking the medicine. Call your doctor if you feel you need to continue taking the medicine.

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have diabetes?

Do you have peripheral arterial disease?

Do you have a disease or take medicine that causes problems with your immune system?

Do you have red streaks spreading from the rash?

Do you have increased pain, swelling, redness, or warmth around the rash?

Is the area around your rash more tender to the touch?

Do you have pus in or around the rash?

Do you know or think you have a fever?

Do you have a rash with honey-colored drainage which dries into crusts and covers an area larger than ?

Have you had mild pain and swelling with redness less than around the rash for longer than 24 hours?

Have you had swollen glands (lymph nodes) in the neck, armpit, or groin for longer than 72 hours?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have painful blisters in a band around one side of the chest, abdomen, or face or down one arm or leg?Note: Call your doctor as soon as possible. If shingles is causing your symptoms, there may be a medicine you can take that will relieve the pain and limit the rash. Medicines are most effective if begun within 2 to 3 days of the start of the rash.

Are you sexually active and you have a rash or sore in the genital area?Note: If you think that you have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease (STD), it is important to be checked right away by your doctor. This will help prevent serious health problems for you and will lower the chance of spreading the infection to others. Do not have sexual contact while waiting for your appointment. This will lower the chance of spreading a disease to your partner. Your partner may need to be checked as well.Do not douche. Douching may flush an infection up into the uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Many STD symptoms will go away or change quickly. This does not mean that the STD has gone away. It will be harder for your doctor to diagnose your STD after the symptoms have changed. A delay in being checked may lead to a more serious problem.

Do you have a ring-like rash?

Have you had a skin sore or ulcer for longer than 1 week?

Do you have a rash that has not improved after 2 weeks?

Do you have a mild rash that has lasted longer than 1 week?

Is a rash that has been checked by a doctor not following the expected course?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have a painful rash with severe itching?

Is severe itching stopping your usual activities or preventing sleep even after 12 hours of home treatment?

Do you have new patches of itchy, oozing rash?

Do you have moderate itching after 48 hours of home treatment?

Do you have moderate to mild itching that has not gotten better after 1 week of home treatment?

Have you had itching for longer than 1 week?

Do you have patches of itchy rash that have not been checked by a doctor or have gotten worse since being checked?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you may need immediate care. Call your health professional now to discuss your symptoms and arrange for your care.

• Symptoms are likely to worsen without medical care.
• If you do not have a health professional, seek emergency care.
• Emergency transportation is not needed. However, if you are not able to travel safely either by driving yourself or having someone else drive you, call an ambulance.

You do not need to answer any of the other questions.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you need to call your health professional to discuss your symptoms and arrange for care.

• An appointment today is usually needed.
• Symptoms are unlikely to improve without medical care.

Return to the Check Your Symptoms section and answer the questions. You may need to see a health professional sooner if you have other more serious symptoms.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you may wait to see if your symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or the specified time period). If symptoms improve, no appointment is needed.

• If symptoms do not improve after 24 hours (or the specified time period), an appointment within the next 24 hours is usually needed.
• If appropriate, try home treatment to relieve your symptoms.
• Check your symptoms in 24 hours, or sooner if there is any change.
• Call your health professional if symptoms get worse.

Return to the Check Your Symptoms section and answer the questions. You may need to see a health professional sooner if you have other more serious symptoms.