What You Need to Know About White Skin Rash

For the average person, any form of skin rash in not considered welcome.  After all, skin is supposed to be smooth, clear, unblemished and flat, not pimply, bumpy or discolored.  Rashes can also be unattractive, regardless of whether they appear red, tan or white.  White skin rashes, for example, look dry and scaly and very often, shed off as dead skin cells.

A rash is a rash is a…

A rash is considered as such if it appears on the skin, deviating from its normal appearance, including its color and texture.  It could be a single bump or spot or it could appear in clusters, affecting only a localized area or the whole body.  Rashes can sometimes feel warm to the touch, frequently feel itchy and if left untreated, swell up and blister.

White skin rashes

Although rashes frequently appear as red or pink, there are certain skin rashes that are white or silvery in color.  Certain conditions cause this discoloration on the skin, including:

Acne

Acne often appears as red rashes on the skin.  Occasionally though, white skin rashes become visible.  Upon close examination, these rashes turn out to be pustules – raised bumps on the skin area that are filled with pus, thus making the bump look white.

Whiteheads

The sebaceous glands underneath the skin work to produce oil, which in turn provides a protective layer over the skin.  Unfortunately, this oil can also clog up the pores.  The results are tiny white skin rashes that resemble small dots on the oiliest areas of the face, such as the nose, forehead and cheeks.  Over time, as the blockage gets exposed to oxygen, they change in color, becoming darker.  They are then referred to as blackheads.

Although unsightly, whiteheads are generally harmless.  Regular washing of the face accompanied by the use of toners or cleansers will help keep this problem at a minimum.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin condition that is characterized by lesions.  These lesions appear as irregular red bumps on the skin surface.  The upper areas of these lesions form silvery-white crusts called plaques.  Because the area is discolored, these plaques are easily observed.

If you have psoriasis, never be tempted to peel or rub off the white skin rash.  It might look healed because it’s dry but scratching or scraping it off can actually cause the skin to tear.  The tear can excrete fluids that can attract bacteria.  If left unattended, these open lesions can lead to infection.

Milia

Milia is the term used to refer to the tiny white spots that appear around the area of an infant’s nose.  Milia are actually excess oils produced by the baby’s immature glands.  As these glands develop, so do the baby’s pores.  Around that time, milia would have already disappeared.

Dry skin

If the reason behind your white skin rash is merely dry skin, you can heave a sigh of relief.  Dry skin is relatively easy to treat and as long as it is not severe, it usually won’t lead to other more serious symptoms.  Using moisturizing agents, avoiding drying chemicals and conditions and hydrating the body will usually work as treatments.

Healed skin

Skin that has undergone some form of trauma or scarring very often will develop a crust over the affected area as the body heals itself.  This crust can sometimes appear dark or whitish-grey.  If white skin rash appears over a healed area of your skin, best leave it alone.  It will be shed off naturally or rubbed off during a shower.

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