Itchy Rash On Chest

To describe a rash, one can say that it is an eruption of bumps on the body that alters the way the skin looks and feels. It can be localized or spread out to different parts of the body. Skin rash is generally caused by bacterial or fungal infection. You may experience it either in the form of scaly patches or red, itchy patches spread throughout the body. In most of the cases, both the scaly patches and inflamed, itchy rashes are harmless. Still, self-diagnosis is never advisable as there can be some serious dermatological disorder behind the outbreak of itchy rash on the body.

Causes of Itchy Rash on Chest
Following are some of the most probable causes of itchy rash on chest.

Anxiety
It is difficult to believe, but anxiety is one of the possible causes of itchy rash on chest. When you think very hard about something and feel stressed, your body may choose forming a skin rash on chest as one of its reactions. Therefore, do check out if you are stressed or tensed due to something these days. The itchy rash on your chest may be related to your tension.

Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis is a type of eczema that is identified by intense itching, inflammation and scaling on the surface of skin. Chronic atopic dermatitis involves lichenification. This is the thickening of the skin with prominence of the skin lines, to make a crisscross pattern. This results due to prolonged rubbing and scratching. Atopic dermatitis mostly affects young children on the face and on the sides of the arms and legs. Adolescents and adults, when affected, develop skin rashes on the sides of the neck and on the insides of the elbow and knee. It is believed that some sort of immune system complication leads to atopic dermatitis but the exact reason is still not known.

Contact Dermatitis
The inflammation or formation of itchy rash on the skin caused by direct contact with an irritating or allergy-causing substance is called contact dermatitis. The common examples of such substances are acids, cosmetics, adhesives, fabrics, clothing, medications and materials that are basic in nature, like soap and detergents. Contact dermatitis occurs when your body becomes over sensitive to a particular substance. Usually, it occurs within 24-48 hours of contact with the allergen but there can be some cases where it develops over time. For example, long term usage of a toilet soap may lead to the formation of itchy rash on chest and other parts of the body.

Microbial Infections
Another possible cause for the formation of itchy rash is the infection by a microbe. Most commonly, it occurs due to fungal infection. Among causative fungi, ringworm is the agent in a large number of cases. You can identify a fungal infection on your chest. The rashes are itchy and are circular or oval in shape. If you find similar itchy rash, visit a dermatologist as soon as possible, as it keeps on getting worse with time.

Pityriasis Rosea
Pityriasis rosea is a skin disorder that is similar to psoriasis. It is characterized by the formation of large, oval-shaped, inflamed, itchy rash on chest and other parts of the body. There is no medical treatment available for it till now, but there is still nothing to worry about as pityriasis rosea is harmless in nature and usually disappear within a couple of weeks' time.

Vaccination
Vaccines contain inactive cultures of micro-organisms that have the potential to cause disease. In case your body is allergic to the substances present in the vaccine, you may develop itchy rash on chest or somewhere else on your body.

Natural Treatments of Itchy Rash
Try out these home remedies to get rid of itchy rash on chest.

Essential Oils
Many essential oils have anti-inflammatory properties and the name usually found in the list is chamomile oil. It is basically a nerve soother. However, it has been observed that it gives excellent results when used topically to treat red itchy rash on skin. For the exact amount of application, consult an aromatherapist.

Ice Cubes
If you wish to get instant relief from the discomfort due to itchy rash, you should rub it gently with ice cubes. It will reduce itching as well as inflammation from the skin rash. For best possible results, do it 3-4 times a day till you notice recovery.

Aloe vera
Aloe vera has antibiotic, antifungal, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. To add to these, it causes a soothing effect on skin rash. Slit an aloe vera leaf to take out its pulp. Apply the pulp on the red itchy rash. Leave it on for about 10-15 minutes and then rinse it off. Do it 2-3 times a day for effective cure.

St. John's Wort
A herb called 'St. John's Wort' is known to treat anxiety and depression. If you feel that anxiety is the reason behind your itchy rash, then try this herb out. Seeking a herbalist's consultation would be a good idea.

Baking Powder
Baking powder will relieve the itching and redness from the skin rash to a great extent. There are two effective ways of using it. Take a tablespoon of baking powder and add a few drops of water to make a paste. Apply this paste on the itchy rash. Allow it to stay for about 5-10 minutes and then wash it off with cold water. Do it twice a day for a week to get relief. Secondly, add 2-3 tablespoons of baking powder to your bathing water. Take a bath with this mixture once a day, till you observe the skin rash to disappear.

With the help of home remedies for skin rash as mentioned above, marked improvement in the status of itchy rash on chest is expected. However, it will be a sensible idea to consult a medical professional so that the exact underlying factor can be known and prevented in future. Take the health of skin seriously, to stay healthy always.