HIV Rash
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HIV Rash
HIV rash can develop quite quickly on an infected person. HIV is such a virus that it can develop into a serious and fatal disease if proper care is not taken in the initial stage s of the disease itself. There are a few symptoms that develop on the infected person which can indicate the presence of HIV in the person’s body. Skin rash can be said to be an important symptom that helps in identifying HIV as other symptoms of HIV are similar to common diseases like cough, fever, flu, etc.
A skin rash is such a symptom that generally starts occurring on the person after 3 weeks that the person has been infected by HIV. Rashes are not just exclusive to HIV, they can occur due to a variety of reasons. This is why, knowing the characteristics of an HV rash can help you understand the symptom better. The rashes that are formed due to HIV are generally called as an HIV rash. In fact, an HIV is rash is one of the most common symptoms of HIV. On an average, these rashes occur in about 85% of HIV infected people. However, not everyone will get these rashes after week 3. Some patients may get the rashes as late as after 4 weeks of infection while others may get them as early as 2 weeks!
Whether an HIV rash looks small or even visually frightening, it does not change anything. The looks of the rash do not determine the intensity of the disease. There are a variety of reasons due to which a person can develop rashes. It may be due to eczema or heat or even HIV. No matter what the reason for the rash maybe, it is always a wise idea to consult a physician. The result may be that you have HIV; however, the best thing to do is to keep panic away and have a sound mind.
There is no reason for others to worry as HIV rashes are not contagious and do not pass on form person to person through mere skin contact. Normally, you may not notice these rashes immediately as they occur. The reason for this is that they generally occur in the armpits. They may occur on other places like the hands, legs or the torso, but armpits are a more common spot for the rashes. These rashes rarely produce an itching sensation in the infected person and even if they do, the itching is quite mild. These rashes, unlike those of chicken pox, do not burst.
Having rashes does not necessarily mean that you have HIV. Yes, having HIV is the main reason for the occurrence of an HIV rash; however, this is not the only reason. If you eat any medications for HIV, this can also lead to HIV rashes on your body. HIV rashes generally have certain characteristics such as their color is generally dark brown and they occur with bumps. If the infected person has lighter skin tone, the rashes tend to have bumps that are red and dark brown in color. In individuals with a darker skin tone, the color of the bumps s generally black and deep purple.
Sometimes, when an HIV rash occurs in a person, they may even form or be accompanied by blisters. These blisters usually occur in areas that have a higher amount of moisture. Areas such as the genitals and the mouth are common places for blisters. Some individuals even develop these blisters in their eyes. If an HIV infected person gets an HIV rash, he becomes more probable to get diarrhea, fever, weight loss, problems with the vision as well as headaches. The rashes may or may not be itchy, but if the person also has herpes, the rashes get a higher probability of occurring and of being painful or itchy.
Normally, an HIV rash ends to last for a week or two. So, during this time, it is advisable that the affected person must not go out in the sun and bring direct exposure to the rash. Maintaining hygiene is essential and avoiding extreme heat or even cold is also advisable. Good luck!