HIV Skin Rash

HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus has nowadays become the most dangerous disease. There is no cure for this disease till date. It can only be prevented or its symptoms can be suppressed for some years. The virus affects the entire body but the initial symptoms usually go unnoticed. One of the initial symptoms is HIV skin rash. It can be either the initial symptoms or can be noticed as a side effect of medication and drugs for HIV. Let's find out more about the HIV rash symptoms and treatment.

Reasons Behind HIV Skin Rash

Skin rashes are one of the most common symptoms of HIV. The rashes are normal and are not contagious like chickenpox. They just appear for a short duration and can be easily treated with proper medication. There are two reasons behind the occurrence of skin rashes which are as follows.

• Skin rashes are some of the symptoms of HIV. It usually appears in the initial stage and then again the rashes appear after 8 to 10 years.
• The second reason behind the rashes are the medications. The drugs which are used to treat HIV like NNRTIs (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors), NRTIs (nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors), PIs (protease inhibitors), etc. result in skin rashes. These rashes are usually observed after taking any new medication. They stay for a few days and then disappear as you continue taking the medication.

Acute HIV AIDS skin rashes may result in the peeling of skin and formation of sores and blisters. These rashes then disappear with time. But severe or chronic rashes are very dangerous and can even result in death. Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) are types of skin rashes which are the result of anti HIV medications.

Symptoms of HIV Skin Rash

HIV rash symptoms in men and women are very similar to the other normal skin rash symptoms. Hence every skin rash should not be mistaken as the symptoms of HIV. Following are some of the symptoms of HIV rash which will solve your problem.

• In the initial phase, the skin may peel out which may sometimes result in painful sores.
• Blisters in the genital parts and other moist parts of the body like mouth, eyes, etc.
• You may also observe sores on the skin, hands, feet and face.
• Red spots on the skin which may appear bulged or flat.
• You may also experience fever and headache.

Treatment for HIV Skin Rash

As we all know that HIV cannot be cured, so the HIV rashes in women as well as in men can only be suppressed or treated. A doctor may prescribe some ointments and medications to get relief from the itching and pain of the rashes. In case of chronic rashes you may be hospitalized and kept under observation so as to stop the rashes from becoming critical. If the rashes are the result of medication then stop taking it and consult your doctor for further guidance. Apart from these treatments, you should take some precautions in order to avoid complications. Avoid exposure to extreme heat and extreme cold conditions as the rash will get worse.

You can stay away from HIV infection by taking precautions. Not all the rashes are HIV skin rash, so get tested for HIV first and then take the treatment. It is also not necessary that all the people affected with HIV will have skin rash. If you have rashes which are not healing within a few days then consult your doctor immediately before they become incurable. Have safe sex and be faithful to your partner, this will help you to stay away from one of the most dangerous diseases.