Flowers aren’t the only things that bloom in the springtime. Several skin rashes are more
common as the weather warms up. 

Below, we’ll review some of the more frequent rashes we encounter in children this time of year.

HEAT RASH– Seen most often in humid, hot weather, this rash is caused by sweat accumulating in blocked ducts. It appears as small, raised bumps that are usually skin-colored or mildly red.

SUN ALLERGY– Also known as PMLE (Polymorphous Light Eruption), this rash often presents as the weather changes and skin that has not seen the sun in many months is exposed to its radiation again or in stronger doses. Lesions appear as itchy, red bumps on sun-exposed areas of skin.

SWIMMER’S ITCH– Small, itchy bumps appear on skin that’s been in fresh- or salt-water bodies of water, like lakes or ponds. The irritation is a result of bites of tiny parasites that come from infected snails.

POISON IVY/ OAK/ SUMAC– These fall into a category of Contact Dermatitis. This rash results from interacting with plants that contain a skin irritant in their sap. Poison Ivy in particular causes a blistering rash that is usually arranged in a linear fashion, as this is how the plant’s leaf
scratches the skin. The urushiol oil that is released from the plant can be transferred to others on clothing, but touching the rash itself is not contagious.

INSECT BITES– Mosquitoes, chiggers, fire ants, and ticks can all leave marks after biting the skin. Certain ticks can carry diseases like Lyme, which has its own characteristic target-pattern rash. Vermin like bedbugs, fleas, and scabies also cause irritation by biting, and these rashes are
typically densely packed and extremely itchy.

SUNBURN– First-degree burns look red and feel warm. Second-degree burns blister and can leak clear fluid. More serious burns might require specialty intervention and may leave permanent scars. A single bad sunburn in childhood or adolescence can more than double the risk of developing melanoma later in life. Repeated sunburns are linked to increased risks of other skin cancers as well, like basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas.         

Not all rashes are preventable, but taking care to protect your skin from prolonged or intense sun exposure, trying to keep cool and avoid excessive sweating, showering after swimming in outdoor bodies of water, using insect repellant when appropriate, and steering clear of certain triggering plants can help you avoid contracting the most common spring and summer rashes. Skin conditions associated with fevers are more likely to be infectious or contagious and should be evaluated by a medical professional.

Written by Dr. Carly Wilbur, UH Pediatrician and PSI Medical Director.