Skin Symptoms: Causes

What causes skin symptoms?

Many different diseases, disorders and conditions cause a variety of skin symptoms, including allergic reactions, infections, autoimmune disorders, and other abnormal processes.

Infectious causes of skin symptoms include bacterial or fungal infections as well as viral infections, such as roseola. Autoimmune causes of skin symptoms, particularly rashes and dry skin, include systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren’s syndrome. Other immune-related disorders include allergic reactions, psoriasis, and rosacea. Skin symptoms can also be due to very serious or life-threatening illnesses, such as melanoma (a type of skin cancer), an anaphylactic allergic reaction, or a bleeding disorder. In some cases, the underlying cause cannot be determined.

Infectious causes of skin symptoms

Skin symptoms may be caused by a variety of infectious diseases including:

• Cellulitis (bacterial or fungal infection of the skin and surrounding tissues)

• Folliculitis (infection of a hair follicle)

• Impetigo (bacterial infection of the uppermost layers of skin)

• Molluscum contagiosum (viral infection)

• Sexually transmitted disease, such as genital herpes or syphilis

• Shingles (viral infection)

• Viral infections, such as roseola, measles and chickenpox

Allergic causes of skin symptoms

Skin symptoms may be caused by an allergic reaction including:

• Allergic contact dermatitis, such as an allergy to an ointment

• Drug reaction

• Eczema (atopic dermatitis) including chronic eczema

• Irritant contact dermatitis, such as poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac

• Scabies (allergic reaction to mite bites)

Autoimmune and inflammatory causes of skin symptoms

Skin symptoms may be caused by autoimmune and inflammatory disorders including:

• Psoriasis (chronic skin disorder involving overproduction of skin cells)

• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Rosacea (chronic inflammatory skin disorder)

• Sjogren’s syndrome (autoimmune disorder in which your immune system attacks the moisture-producing glands in the body)

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (disorder in which the body attacks its own healthy cells and tissues)

• Vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels)

Parasites or insects that cause skin symptoms

Skin symptoms may be caused by parasites or insects including:

• Bedbugs

• Fleas and ticks

• Head lice or pubic lice

• Mosquitoes (mosquitoes also carry parasitic diseases)

Other causes of skin symptoms

Skin symptoms can be caused by other underlying conditions or diseases including:

• Heat (rash or red skin)

• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)

• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)

• Raynaud’s phenomenon (spasms of small blood vessels of the fingers and toes, reducing blood circulation). Raynaud’s phenomenon is secondary to many autoimmune disorders such as lupus.

• Stress, anxiety or depression

Life-threatening causes of skin symptoms

In some cases, skin symptoms may accompany a serious or life-threatening condition, including an allergic reaction resulting in anaphylactic shock. Life-threatening conditions include:

• Acute or severe cardiovascular or respiratory conditions, such as respiratory failure, heart attack, acute asthma, and heart failure

• Allergic purpura (severe allergic reaction with bleeding under the skin)

• Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction with hives and swelling of the face, tongue or throat)

• Bleeding disorder, such as hemophilia or thrombocytopenic purpura

• Blood circulation problems, such as peripheral artery disease (PAD)

• Erythema multiforme (type of allergic reaction)

• Organ disease or failure of major organs, such as the heart, liver or kidney

• Meningitis (infection or inflammation of the sac around the brain and spinal cord)

• Septic shock and other forms of shock

• Skin cancer, such as melanoma

• Toxic epidermal necrolysis

Questions for diagnosing the cause of skin symptoms

To diagnose the underlying cause of skin symptoms, your doctor or licensed health care practitioner will ask you several questions about your symptoms. Providing complete answers to these questions will help your provider in diagnosing the cause of your skin symptoms:

• Describe all diseases and conditions in your medical history and list all the medications, supplements, and herbal drugs you are taking. Do you smoke? How much do you drink?

• Do you have any other symptoms?

• Have you been in recent contact with any unusual substances or environments, such as being exposed to chemicals or unusual plants, taking new medications or supplements, or traveling to a foreign country?

• Have you had similar symptoms before?

• What do the skin changes look like?

• When did the skin symptoms first appear and in what area of the skin?

What are the potential complications of skin symptoms?

Complications associated with skin symptoms can be progressive and vary depending on the underlying cause. Because skin symptoms can be due to serious diseases, failure to seek treatment can result in complications and permanent damage. It is important to visit your health care provider when you experience any type of persistent or recurrent skin symptoms. Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, following the treatment plan outlined by your doctor can lower your risk of potential complications including:

• Bacterial or fungal infection of the skin

• Open sores and lesions

• Permanent change in skin texture and scarring

• Permanent skin discoloration

• Skin breakdown from scratching