Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCan Amoxicillin Cause a Rash?What Does the Rash Look Like?How Long Does the Rash Last?How To Treat the RashSigns of a True Allergic ReactionWhen To Stop Taking ItFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Can Amoxicillin Cause a Rash?
What Does the Rash Look Like?
How Long Does the Rash Last?
How To Treat the Rash
Signs of a True Allergic Reaction
When To Stop Taking It
Frequently Asked Questions
Amoxicillin (brand names Amoxil or Moxatag) is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics in the U.S.Antibiotics are medicines that kill or limit the growth of bacteria.
Amoxicillin is derived frompenicillin. It’s used to treatear infections,strep throat, and other bacterial infections in the following sites:
About 10% of people who take amoxicillin orAugmentin(amoxicillin with clavulanic acid) develop a rash.
Here’s how to determine if an amoxicillin rash is a side effect or a true allergy, how to manage it, and when to call a healthcare provider.
JORGE CORCUERA / Getty Images
A skin rash is a common side effect of amoxicillin.It’s important to know that although these rashes can be worrisome, they’re usually not cause for alarm.
Allergies to amoxicillin and other antibiotics are undoubtedly possible. However, manyvirusescan cause non-allergic rashes in people who take amoxicillin.Keep in mind that antibiotics only target bacteria, not viruses. If you happen to have a virus at the same time you’re taking amoxicillin for a bacterial infection, the virus can affect the way your immune system reacts to the medicine.
This is well-documented in children who take amoxicillin while infected with the Epstein-Barr virus that causesmononucleosis (mono). Up to 30% develop a rash that mimics a drug allergy but is not.
A Word on Probiotics
Try probiotic supplements or addyogurtor kefir to your diet while taking amoxicillin. This might help prevent some side effects likenauseaordiarrhea.Taking probiotics after finishing antibiotic treatment also helps rebuild your gut microbiome.
What Does Amoxicillin Rash Look Like?
A non-allergic amoxicillin rash is described asmaculopapular.This means that the rash can have either flat or slightly raised bumps. These bumps are usually small and may be red or pink.
An amoxicillin rash can affect most parts of the body. Common sites of a rash while taking amoxicillin include the following:
How Long Does Amoxicillin Rash Last?
Remember that some nutrients and herbal supplements can increase amoxicillin levels in the body and increase the risk of side effects. These include:
Avoiding these supplements while you’re on amoxicillin is safest.
How to Treat Amoxicillin Rash
If you have a non-allergic rash while taking amoxicillin, it will likely resolve independently without treatment. In general, these rashes are not very itchy or painful.
If your rashisitchy, the following medicines can help:
Your healthcare provider or pharmacist can help you tailor your treatment to make sure it’s appropriate for you and screen for drug interactions with your other medications.
Notably, a non-allergic rash does not mean that you can’t take amoxicillin or other drugs in this class. The good news is that 90% of people who get a nonallergic rash with their first course of amoxicillin won’t have another one the next time they take the medicine.
Warning Signs of a True Allergic Reaction
Less than 1% of people are allergic to amoxicillin.Allergic reactions happen when the body’s immune system mounts a defense against the medicine itself.
Be aware of signs of an actual allergic reaction to amoxicillin. These can include:
Stop taking amoxicillin and inform your healthcare provider if you experience any of these symptoms.
Call 911 immediately if you experience any signs ofanaphylaxis, which is life-threatening.
When to Stop Taking Amoxicillin
Most of the time, a non-painful rash isn’t considered a true allergy, but knowing for sure can be tricky.
If you are concerned that your or your child’s rash is due to an allergic reaction to amoxicillin, contact your healthcare provider for guidance on the next steps. If you have a true allergy to amoxicillin, you will need to stop the medicine and may need to avoid penicillin antibiotics altogether.
On the other hand, if you have a nonallergic rash while taking amoxicillin, continuing your entire course of the medicine rather than stopping or switching antibiotics is best.
Stopping your amoxicillin course early can cause your infection to last longer or become more severe.
In addition, switching antibiotics can result in a misdiagnosis of penicillin allergy. A penicillin allergy on your medical record limits the antibiotics for which you can get a prescription. Ruling out penicillin often means you’ll get broad-spectrum antibiotics instead. These medicines are active against more types of bacteria but have some significant downsides.Some of these include:
Summary
One in 10 people will develop a rash while taking amoxicillin. Not all of these rashes are true allergies or reasons to stop taking the medicine.
A rash with small, flat, or raised red bumps on the skin and no other signs of an allergic reaction rarely means a true allergy. These rashes do not require treatment and will go away independently, typically in less than a week. Continuing the entire course of amoxicillin in these cases rather than switching to a different medicine is recommended.
Allergic reactions to amoxicillin generally include hives and may involve other organ systems besides the skin.If you have hives, trouble breathing, swelling under the skin, or any other signs of anaphylaxis, stop taking amoxicillin and immediately seek emergency medical help.
Yes. Skin rashes are a common side effect of amoxicillin and other antibiotics in the penicillin family. About 10% of people who take amoxicillin will develop a rash.
Signs of a severe reaction to amoxicillin include:
If you experience any of these warning signs of an allergic reaction, stop taking the medicine and seek emergency help immediately.
Amoxicillin rashes typically last from three to 14 days.
18 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Durkin MJ, Jafarzadeh SR, Hsueh K, et al.Outpatient antibiotic prescription trends in the United States: a national cohort study.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2018;39(5):584-589. doi:10.1017/ice.2018.26U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Amoxil (amoxicillin) capsules, tablets, or powder for oral suspension prescribing information.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical features of penicillin allergy.Dondi A, Parladori R, Mori F, et al.Viral rashes mimicking drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome in children after β-lactams intake: a diagnostic challenge.Eur J Pediatr. 2021;180(7):2327-2332. doi:10.1007/s00431-021-04010-5Anci E, Braun C, Marinosci A, et al.Viral infections and cutaneous drug-related eruptions.Front Pharmacol. 2021;11:586407. Published 2021 Mar 10. doi:10.3389/fphar.2020.586407Chovel-Sella A, Ben Tov A, Lahav E, et al.Incidence of rash after amoxicillin treatment in children with infectious mononucleosis.Pediatrics. 2013;131(5):e1424-e1427. doi:10.1542/peds.2012-1575Lopez-Santamarina A, Gonzalez EG, Lamas A, et al.Probiotics as a possible strategy for the prevention and treatment of allergies. A narrative review.Foods. 2021;10(4):701. Published 2021 Mar 25. doi:10.3390/foods10040701Guo Q, Goldenberg JZ, Humphrey C, et al.Probiotics for the prevention of pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;4(4):CD004827. Published 2019 Apr 30. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004827.pub5Zhang L, Zeng X, Guo D, et al.Early use of probiotics might prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea in elderly (>65 years): a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC Geriatr. 2022;22(1):562. Published 2022 Jul 6. doi:10.1186/s12877-022-03257-3Ónodi-Nagy K, Kinyó Á, Meszes A, et al.Amoxicillin rash in patients with infectious mononucleosis: evidence of true drug sensitization.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2015;11(1):1. doi:10.1186/1710-1492-11-1Kimura M.Late-onset rash in patients with group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis treated with amoxicillin.Pediatr Rep. 2015;7(4):5951. doi:10.4081/pr.2015.5951Weisser C, Ben-Shoshan M.Immediate and non-immediate allergic reactions to amoxicillin present a diagnostic dilemma: a case series.J Med Case Rep. 2016;10:10. doi:10.1186/s13256-016-0801-2Ali B, Amin S, Ahmad J, et al.Bioavailability enhancement studies of amoxicillin with Nigella.Indian J Med Res. 2012;135(4):555-559.Chakraborty AJ, Mitra S, Tallei TE, et al.Bromelain a potential bioactive compound: A comprehensive overview from a pharmacological perspective.Life (Basel). 2021;11(4):317. doi:10.3390/life11040317Abreu A, Nunes S, Botelho C.Eosinophilia in amoxicillin-induced rash in infectious mononucleosis.Cureus. 2023;15(1):e33504. doi:10.7759/cureus.33504Guarnieri KM, Xie SS, Courter JD, et al.Distinct characteristics and chronology of amoxicillin-associated reactions in pediatric acute care settings.J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2022;10(11):2951-2957.e3. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2022.07.002Liu MY, McCoul ED, Brooks EG, et al.Inaccurate penicillin allergy labels: consequences, solutions, and opportunities for rhinologists.Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2023;13(6):973-978. doi:10.1002/alr.23173Shenoy ES, Macy E, Rowe T, et al.Evaluation and management of penicillin allergy: a review.JAMA. 2019;321(2):188-199. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.19283
18 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Durkin MJ, Jafarzadeh SR, Hsueh K, et al.Outpatient antibiotic prescription trends in the United States: a national cohort study.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2018;39(5):584-589. doi:10.1017/ice.2018.26U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Amoxil (amoxicillin) capsules, tablets, or powder for oral suspension prescribing information.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical features of penicillin allergy.Dondi A, Parladori R, Mori F, et al.Viral rashes mimicking drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome in children after β-lactams intake: a diagnostic challenge.Eur J Pediatr. 2021;180(7):2327-2332. doi:10.1007/s00431-021-04010-5Anci E, Braun C, Marinosci A, et al.Viral infections and cutaneous drug-related eruptions.Front Pharmacol. 2021;11:586407. Published 2021 Mar 10. doi:10.3389/fphar.2020.586407Chovel-Sella A, Ben Tov A, Lahav E, et al.Incidence of rash after amoxicillin treatment in children with infectious mononucleosis.Pediatrics. 2013;131(5):e1424-e1427. doi:10.1542/peds.2012-1575Lopez-Santamarina A, Gonzalez EG, Lamas A, et al.Probiotics as a possible strategy for the prevention and treatment of allergies. A narrative review.Foods. 2021;10(4):701. Published 2021 Mar 25. doi:10.3390/foods10040701Guo Q, Goldenberg JZ, Humphrey C, et al.Probiotics for the prevention of pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;4(4):CD004827. Published 2019 Apr 30. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004827.pub5Zhang L, Zeng X, Guo D, et al.Early use of probiotics might prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea in elderly (>65 years): a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC Geriatr. 2022;22(1):562. Published 2022 Jul 6. doi:10.1186/s12877-022-03257-3Ónodi-Nagy K, Kinyó Á, Meszes A, et al.Amoxicillin rash in patients with infectious mononucleosis: evidence of true drug sensitization.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2015;11(1):1. doi:10.1186/1710-1492-11-1Kimura M.Late-onset rash in patients with group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis treated with amoxicillin.Pediatr Rep. 2015;7(4):5951. doi:10.4081/pr.2015.5951Weisser C, Ben-Shoshan M.Immediate and non-immediate allergic reactions to amoxicillin present a diagnostic dilemma: a case series.J Med Case Rep. 2016;10:10. doi:10.1186/s13256-016-0801-2Ali B, Amin S, Ahmad J, et al.Bioavailability enhancement studies of amoxicillin with Nigella.Indian J Med Res. 2012;135(4):555-559.Chakraborty AJ, Mitra S, Tallei TE, et al.Bromelain a potential bioactive compound: A comprehensive overview from a pharmacological perspective.Life (Basel). 2021;11(4):317. doi:10.3390/life11040317Abreu A, Nunes S, Botelho C.Eosinophilia in amoxicillin-induced rash in infectious mononucleosis.Cureus. 2023;15(1):e33504. doi:10.7759/cureus.33504Guarnieri KM, Xie SS, Courter JD, et al.Distinct characteristics and chronology of amoxicillin-associated reactions in pediatric acute care settings.J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2022;10(11):2951-2957.e3. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2022.07.002Liu MY, McCoul ED, Brooks EG, et al.Inaccurate penicillin allergy labels: consequences, solutions, and opportunities for rhinologists.Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2023;13(6):973-978. doi:10.1002/alr.23173Shenoy ES, Macy E, Rowe T, et al.Evaluation and management of penicillin allergy: a review.JAMA. 2019;321(2):188-199. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.19283
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Durkin MJ, Jafarzadeh SR, Hsueh K, et al.Outpatient antibiotic prescription trends in the United States: a national cohort study.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2018;39(5):584-589. doi:10.1017/ice.2018.26U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Amoxil (amoxicillin) capsules, tablets, or powder for oral suspension prescribing information.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical features of penicillin allergy.Dondi A, Parladori R, Mori F, et al.Viral rashes mimicking drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome in children after β-lactams intake: a diagnostic challenge.Eur J Pediatr. 2021;180(7):2327-2332. doi:10.1007/s00431-021-04010-5Anci E, Braun C, Marinosci A, et al.Viral infections and cutaneous drug-related eruptions.Front Pharmacol. 2021;11:586407. Published 2021 Mar 10. doi:10.3389/fphar.2020.586407Chovel-Sella A, Ben Tov A, Lahav E, et al.Incidence of rash after amoxicillin treatment in children with infectious mononucleosis.Pediatrics. 2013;131(5):e1424-e1427. doi:10.1542/peds.2012-1575Lopez-Santamarina A, Gonzalez EG, Lamas A, et al.Probiotics as a possible strategy for the prevention and treatment of allergies. A narrative review.Foods. 2021;10(4):701. Published 2021 Mar 25. doi:10.3390/foods10040701Guo Q, Goldenberg JZ, Humphrey C, et al.Probiotics for the prevention of pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;4(4):CD004827. Published 2019 Apr 30. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004827.pub5Zhang L, Zeng X, Guo D, et al.Early use of probiotics might prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea in elderly (>65 years): a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC Geriatr. 2022;22(1):562. Published 2022 Jul 6. doi:10.1186/s12877-022-03257-3Ónodi-Nagy K, Kinyó Á, Meszes A, et al.Amoxicillin rash in patients with infectious mononucleosis: evidence of true drug sensitization.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2015;11(1):1. doi:10.1186/1710-1492-11-1Kimura M.Late-onset rash in patients with group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis treated with amoxicillin.Pediatr Rep. 2015;7(4):5951. doi:10.4081/pr.2015.5951Weisser C, Ben-Shoshan M.Immediate and non-immediate allergic reactions to amoxicillin present a diagnostic dilemma: a case series.J Med Case Rep. 2016;10:10. doi:10.1186/s13256-016-0801-2Ali B, Amin S, Ahmad J, et al.Bioavailability enhancement studies of amoxicillin with Nigella.Indian J Med Res. 2012;135(4):555-559.Chakraborty AJ, Mitra S, Tallei TE, et al.Bromelain a potential bioactive compound: A comprehensive overview from a pharmacological perspective.Life (Basel). 2021;11(4):317. doi:10.3390/life11040317Abreu A, Nunes S, Botelho C.Eosinophilia in amoxicillin-induced rash in infectious mononucleosis.Cureus. 2023;15(1):e33504. doi:10.7759/cureus.33504Guarnieri KM, Xie SS, Courter JD, et al.Distinct characteristics and chronology of amoxicillin-associated reactions in pediatric acute care settings.J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2022;10(11):2951-2957.e3. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2022.07.002Liu MY, McCoul ED, Brooks EG, et al.Inaccurate penicillin allergy labels: consequences, solutions, and opportunities for rhinologists.Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2023;13(6):973-978. doi:10.1002/alr.23173Shenoy ES, Macy E, Rowe T, et al.Evaluation and management of penicillin allergy: a review.JAMA. 2019;321(2):188-199. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.19283
Durkin MJ, Jafarzadeh SR, Hsueh K, et al.Outpatient antibiotic prescription trends in the United States: a national cohort study.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2018;39(5):584-589. doi:10.1017/ice.2018.26
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Amoxil (amoxicillin) capsules, tablets, or powder for oral suspension prescribing information.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical features of penicillin allergy.
Dondi A, Parladori R, Mori F, et al.Viral rashes mimicking drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome in children after β-lactams intake: a diagnostic challenge.Eur J Pediatr. 2021;180(7):2327-2332. doi:10.1007/s00431-021-04010-5
Anci E, Braun C, Marinosci A, et al.Viral infections and cutaneous drug-related eruptions.Front Pharmacol. 2021;11:586407. Published 2021 Mar 10. doi:10.3389/fphar.2020.586407
Chovel-Sella A, Ben Tov A, Lahav E, et al.Incidence of rash after amoxicillin treatment in children with infectious mononucleosis.Pediatrics. 2013;131(5):e1424-e1427. doi:10.1542/peds.2012-1575
Lopez-Santamarina A, Gonzalez EG, Lamas A, et al.Probiotics as a possible strategy for the prevention and treatment of allergies. A narrative review.Foods. 2021;10(4):701. Published 2021 Mar 25. doi:10.3390/foods10040701
Guo Q, Goldenberg JZ, Humphrey C, et al.Probiotics for the prevention of pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;4(4):CD004827. Published 2019 Apr 30. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004827.pub5
Zhang L, Zeng X, Guo D, et al.Early use of probiotics might prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea in elderly (>65 years): a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC Geriatr. 2022;22(1):562. Published 2022 Jul 6. doi:10.1186/s12877-022-03257-3
Ónodi-Nagy K, Kinyó Á, Meszes A, et al.Amoxicillin rash in patients with infectious mononucleosis: evidence of true drug sensitization.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2015;11(1):1. doi:10.1186/1710-1492-11-1
Kimura M.Late-onset rash in patients with group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis treated with amoxicillin.Pediatr Rep. 2015;7(4):5951. doi:10.4081/pr.2015.5951
Weisser C, Ben-Shoshan M.Immediate and non-immediate allergic reactions to amoxicillin present a diagnostic dilemma: a case series.J Med Case Rep. 2016;10:10. doi:10.1186/s13256-016-0801-2
Ali B, Amin S, Ahmad J, et al.Bioavailability enhancement studies of amoxicillin with Nigella.Indian J Med Res. 2012;135(4):555-559.
Chakraborty AJ, Mitra S, Tallei TE, et al.Bromelain a potential bioactive compound: A comprehensive overview from a pharmacological perspective.Life (Basel). 2021;11(4):317. doi:10.3390/life11040317
Abreu A, Nunes S, Botelho C.Eosinophilia in amoxicillin-induced rash in infectious mononucleosis.Cureus. 2023;15(1):e33504. doi:10.7759/cureus.33504
Guarnieri KM, Xie SS, Courter JD, et al.Distinct characteristics and chronology of amoxicillin-associated reactions in pediatric acute care settings.J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2022;10(11):2951-2957.e3. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2022.07.002
Liu MY, McCoul ED, Brooks EG, et al.Inaccurate penicillin allergy labels: consequences, solutions, and opportunities for rhinologists.Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2023;13(6):973-978. doi:10.1002/alr.23173
Shenoy ES, Macy E, Rowe T, et al.Evaluation and management of penicillin allergy: a review.JAMA. 2019;321(2):188-199. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.19283
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