Reader's Digest

128 | July• 2018

WHAT’S THAT RASH?

WHAT CAUSES IT:This one’s easy:

chickenpox.Evenonceyouhave

fully recovered from that virus your

body never totally beats it; it simply

liesdormantinyournervecells

wheredecadeslateritcanre-erupt

asshingles.You’remorelikelytoget

them if you’re immunocompromised

or over 50. Although some people

choosetogetthevaccineforshin-

gles at that age it will remain efec-

tive when the body becomes more

vulnerable overall.

HOW TO TREAT IT:If you suspect

youhaveshinglesseeyourdoctor

immediately. “You have to go right

away because studies show that

people do much better if the antivi-

ralpillsarestartedwithin72hours

oftherashonset”saysCohen.Ad-

ditionally sufferers are often given

medication like a local anaesthetic

or codeine to help control the pain.

POSSIBLE RED FLAG:The real

worryisthatforsomepeopleifitis

not contained quickly the virus can

lead to longer-term pain lasting over

threemonthsandinsomecasesover

ayear.Iftherashappearsonthe face

itcanevencauseblindness.

ALTHOUGH DHANJI WASfortunate

not to suffer complications from her

untreatedshinglesshestilllearned

an important lesson: “Even if you’re

super busy sometimes you have to

takethatbreaktogetcheckedout”

she says. “It’s so important to know

what you’re dealing with.”

acquiretheconditionifyouhave
sun-damaged skin. “Rosacea usually
begins around the age of 35 and gets
worsewithtime”saysKellett.People
often ind their lare-ups come after
eating or drinking speciic things.
HOWTOTREATITFor many pre-
ventingactivationofrosaceaisas
simple as avoiding triggers – but that
canbeaserioustestofwillpower.
“hoseareoftenthegoodthingsin
life” says Beleznay citing coffee
spicyfoodsandalcoholascommon
aggravators. Some women ind that
makeup is enough to cover up the
cosmetic impact of the condition
while others use prescription creams
orlaserorlighttherapytoreduce
redness.Forthosewhoserosaceain-
cludesbumpstopicalcreamsororal
antibioticsoftengetridofthem.
POSSIBLE RED FLAGRarely what
lookslikerosaceacanbeconfusedfor
thebutterlyrashthat’sasymptomof
lupusaseriousautoimmunedisease.
Thebutterflyrashisnamedassuch
becauseoftheshapeitmakes on the
noseandbothcheeks.

Shingles

WHAT IT’S LIKEShingles often starts
outasatinglynumborbruisedfeel-
inginasmallareamostcommonly
on the abdomen. A few days later a
painfulrashwithblistersappears
over those places. As the condition
followsthepathofanervetherash
eventually presents as a stripe that
lasts from two to six weeks.