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How do you treat a skin rash?
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
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How to treat a skin rash depends on the cause of its occurrence.
Etiological treatment of the rash is selected taking into account the underlying disease (atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, urticaria, insect allergy, drug allergy). It includes:
- elimination of causative allergens;
- systemic pharmacotherapy;
- local treatment.
Elimination of causative allergens involves the use of protective regimens and individual elimination diets.
When conducting systemic pharmacotherapy, drugs from different groups are used.
[ How to treat a rash with anti-allergy medications?
- H1-histamine receptor blockers are used for atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, drug, food or insect allergies.
- First generation H1-receptor blockers: clemastine intramuscularly or intravenously 2 ml 1-2 times a day for 7-10 days, chloropyramine intramuscularly or intravenously 1 ml 1-3 times a day for 7-10 days.
- Second-generation H1-receptor blockers: desloratadine orally 5 mg once daily, fexofenadine orally 180 mg once daily or cetirizine orally 10 mg once daily until clinical effect appears. Dimethindene orally 20-40 drops 3 times daily for 7-10 days, loratadine orally 10 mg once daily until clinical effect appears, mebhydroline orally 50 mg 3 times daily for 7-10 days, mequitazine orally 10 mg once daily or 5 mg twice daily, ebastine orally 10-20 mg once daily until clinical effect appears.
How to treat rash with glucocorticoids?
Systemic glucocorticoids are used in acute, severe cases of atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, drug allergy, insect allergy: dexamethasone intramuscularly or intravenously 6-8 mg once a day or prednisolone intramuscularly 30-60 mg once a day for 3-7 days.
Local treatment of rashes with glucocorticoids is prescribed for moderate and severe atopic dermatitis, food and drug allergies. This type of treatment is not used for urticaria. External glucocorticoids of varying activity are prescribed: clobetasol, betamethasone, budesonide, fluticasone, halometasone, mometasone, fluocinolone acetonide, mazipredone, dexamethasone, prednicarbate, hydrocortisone, prednisolone. The drugs are used 1-2 times a day for 7-21 days.
External treatment of rashes with combination drugs: glucocorticoids in combination with antibiotics, antiseptics, antifungal drugs are used for complicated forms of atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, drug and food allergies. Various combination drugs are used for treatment.
Antibacterial treatment of rash is prescribed for secondary bacterial infection in atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, drug and food allergies. Treatment of bacterial infection should begin with external antibacterial agents: mupirocin, fusidic acid. The drugs are used 1-3 times a day for 7-30 days. It is possible to use combined external drugs.
Systemic antibacterial drugs are recommended when external therapy is ineffective and when the bacterial infection spreads to a large surface area of the body. Macrolides are considered to be the drugs of choice: azithromycin orally at 500 mg once a day for 3-5 days, clarithromycin orally at 250 mg twice a day for 7-10 days, roxithromycin orally at 150 mg twice a day for 7-10 days, or erythromycin orally at 0.25-1 g 4 times a day for 7-10 days.
Antifungal drugs are prescribed when a fungal infection occurs in atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, drug and food allergies. Treatment of fungal infection should begin with external antifungal and combination agents. If external treatment is ineffective, systemic antifungal drugs are used.