Skin Conditions & Rash Evaluation in Loxahatchee, West Palm Beach & Belle Glade, FL

What it involves

Skin diseases are on the practice's own list of conditions it sees. A skin visit is a primary care visit: your provider looks at the area, asks when it started and what has changed, reviews your medicines and any new products, and decides whether it can be managed in the office or needs a specialist's eyes. MedlinePlus notes that many primary care providers are comfortable dealing with common rashes, while more complicated skin disorders may call for a referral to a dermatologist.

Who this is for

• Adults with a rash, itching, or dry, scaly patches that has lasted more than a few days
• Patients who started a new medicine, soap, or lotion and then noticed a skin change
• Patients with a mole or spot that has changed in size, color, or shape
• Patients with a skin problem who also have diabetes or another condition that affects healing

What to expect

• Questions about when the skin change began, where it is, and what makes it better or worse
• A look at the affected skin and a review of your medical history and medicines
• A decision on whether the problem fits an office visit or needs a dermatology referral
• Clear guidance on which changes mean calling back sooner or getting urgent help

What your skin does, and why a change matters

MedlinePlus calls the skin the body's largest organ. It holds body fluids in, keeps harmful germs out, and helps you feel heat, cold, and pain. Because it is the part of you that touches everything, it reacts to what you touch, take, and breathe, and a change in it can also be the first outward sign of something happening inside the body. That is why a rash that does not fit an obvious cause deserves a look from a provider who can see your whole health history.

Common causes of a rash

MedlinePlus says a rash is often dermatitis, which means inflammation of the skin. It lists these among the frequent causes:

• Contact dermatitis, from things your skin touches such as soaps, detergents, latex, cosmetics, dyes, or poison ivy
• Seborrheic dermatitis, with red, scaly patches around the eyebrows, nose, mouth, or behind the ears, and dandruff when it is on the scalp
• Eczema, which tends to appear in people with allergies or asthma and is generally red, itchy, and scaly
• Psoriasis, with red, scaly patches over the joints and along the scalp
• Shingles, a painful blistered rash that usually affects one side of the body
• Medicines and insect bites or stings

Gentle steps that are usually safe while you wait for a visit

MedlinePlus says many simple rashes improve with gentle skin care and by avoiding whatever is irritating them. It suggests not scrubbing, using gentle cleansers and warm rather than hot water, patting dry instead of rubbing, stopping any recently added cosmetics or lotions, and leaving the area open to the air when possible. Over-the-counter 1 percent hydrocortisone cream may soothe many rashes. Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine on your own, even if you suspect it is the cause. Call the office and ask first. Dry, itchy patches that keep returning are often eczema, and the eczema guide explains the daily skin care and triggers MedlinePlus describes.

When a skin change should be checked soon

MedlinePlus advises contacting a provider if a rash comes with joint pain, fever, or a sore throat, if there are streaks of redness or very tender, swollen areas that could mean infection, if you started a new medicine, if you may have had a tick bite, or if home care does not work or the rash gets worse. For skin spots, MedlinePlus says a doctor should check any suspicious skin markings and any change in how your skin looks, because treatment is more likely to work well when skin cancer is found early. A red, scaly, itchy, or painful scalp along with hair loss deserves a visit, and the hair loss guide lists the scalp signs MedlinePlus says to report.

Emergencies are different

MedlinePlus says to call 911 if a rash comes with shortness of breath, a tight throat, or a swollen face, and to call 911 if a child has a purple rash that looks like a bruise. Those are not situations for a scheduled visit.

What to bring to the visit

• A list of every medicine, supplement, and skin product you use, including anything started in the last month
• When the skin change began and whether it has spread, itched, burned, or blistered
• Photos of the area from earlier days if it changes through the day or week
• Notes on new soaps, detergents, plants, travel, or insect bites
• Any earlier diagnosis of eczema, psoriasis, allergies, asthma, or diabetes

How this fits with the rest of your care

Skin changes are often one piece of a larger picture, so the visit can also cover diabetes management for patients whose skin heals slowly, and a patient with a fever alongside the rash can be seen through the same-day sick visit option the offices offer. Acne has its own page, the acne guide, which explains the self-care steps MedlinePlus lists and when stronger prescription treatment is worth discussing.

Sources

• MedlinePlus — Rashes
• MedlinePlus — Skin Conditions
• MedlinePlus — Skin Cancer