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Table of Contents
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Amaculopapularrash is a mix of macules (flat discolored areas of skin) and papules (small raised bumps) that usually cover a large area of skin.It may appear red or pink if your skin is light, or darker than your natural tone if your skin is dark.
This type of rash is associated with childhood viruses like rubella and scarlet fever, but can also be due to an allergic reaction, an autoimmune disease, HIV, or another cause.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoDermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
What a Maculopapular Rash Looks LikeMaculopapular rashes:Are red or discolored patches of skinHave flat and raised areas no more than 1 centimeter in diameterHave areas where small bumps may mergeCover a large area of skin
What a Maculopapular Rash Looks Like
Maculopapular rashes:Are red or discolored patches of skinHave flat and raised areas no more than 1 centimeter in diameterHave areas where small bumps may mergeCover a large area of skin
Maculopapular rashes:
Causes of Maculopapular Rash Causes
Maculopapular rashes are associated with many medical conditions. Some causes of maculopapular rashes include:
Allergic Reactions
This type of rash appears shortly after you’ve been exposed to something you’re allergic to. Common allergens include nuts, shellfish, and latex. Since such a reaction may become life-threatening, you should seek medical attention at once.
Symptoms of a Severe Allergic Reaction
Skin Conditions
A maculopapular rash is a common symptom ofeczema,psoriasis, andcontact dermatitis(allergic skin reaction).
Drug Reactions
A maculopapular rash that develops four to 12 days after starting a new medication may be a drug reaction. When this happens, you may also have symptoms like muscle pain and a low-grade fever.
Drug triggers of maculopapular rash include antibiotics (e.g., penicillin), anticonvulsants,nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and specific antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV.
If you experience a rash after taking a new medication, contact your healthcare provider right away. In rare cases, this can indicateStevens-Johnson syndrome, a life-threatening reaction.
Environmental Triggers
Things you might encounter outdoors, such as bug bites and excessive heat, can cause maculopapular rashes in some people.
Autoimmune Disease
Cutaneous lupus erythematosusis an autoimmune condition that affects the skin. One of the symptoms is a maculopapular rash.
Associated Symptoms of Maculopapular RashSometimes maculopapular rash is associated with dryness and itching around the affected area.When viruses or bacteria are to blame, a person with a maculopapular rash will also develop symptoms such as fatigue or muscle aches.
Associated Symptoms of Maculopapular Rash
Sometimes maculopapular rash is associated with dryness and itching around the affected area.When viruses or bacteria are to blame, a person with a maculopapular rash will also develop symptoms such as fatigue or muscle aches.
Sometimes maculopapular rash is associated with dryness and itching around the affected area.
When viruses or bacteria are to blame, a person with a maculopapular rash will also develop symptoms such as fatigue or muscle aches.
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
This infection is usually mild and mostly affects children aged 5 and under.The associated maculopapular rash typically appears on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
Other symptoms include sores in the mouth, fever, sore throat, and loss of appetite.
Measles
Early symptoms of measles include high fever, cough, and red, watery eyes. The rash usually appears three to five days after the other symptoms appear.
It may start as flat, red, or discolored spots on the face that spread down to the rest of the body. Small bumps may appear on top of the flat ones, and the spots may look like they are fused.
Rubella
Also known as German measles, this common childhood virus causes a maculopapular rash on the face roughly two weeks after infection. The rash then spreads down to the feet.
Scarlet Fever
The rash tends to first appear on the neck, groin, or underarms before spreading to the rest of the body. A scarlet fever rash typically has very fine bumps that may feel like sandpaper.
HIV
People with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, may break out in a maculopapular rash on the upper part of their bodies two to six weeks after exposure to the virus. This is part ofacute retroviral syndrome, the flu-like symptoms that newly infected individuals sometimes exhibit.
The rash may resolve after a couple of weeks.
When to Seek Medical Care
You should see a healthcare provider right away for a rash that has any of the following features:
If you have a maculopapular rash, your healthcare provider will ask you a series of questions about:
You will likely also be asked if you’ve been exposed to someone with a rash-causing illness or if you have traveled to a place where certain viruses are common.
Your provider will perform a full physical examination that includes a close look at your skin. Sometimes the characteristics of a maculopapular rash can help identify the cause.
For example:
Blood or urine tests can help with diagnosis. In some cases, a biopsy (a small skin sample taken for examination under a microscope) can also be helpful.
Maculopapular Rash Treatment
The treatment for a maculopapular rash includes therapies to ease symptoms and address the underlying cause.
If there is a concern aboutanaphylaxis—a full-body, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction—you will immediately be treated withepinephrine.
At-Home Remedies
Options for relieving the symptoms of a rash at home include:
Medications
Your healthcare provider may recommend an over-the-counter or prescription topical ointment or cream to relieve itching from a rash.
Allergic rashes or rashes due to an environmental cause may also be treated with a topical anti-inflammatory ortopical steroid. Systemic steroids or NSAIDs may be recommended or prescribed in some situations.
Depending on the cause of your maculopapular rash, you may need other treatments as well.
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Summary
A maculopapular rash is a common type of rash that occurs with a variety of different medical conditions, infections, and exposures. This rash can be itchy or uncomfortable, but it is usually treatable. In some cases, it will simply go away on its own.
11 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.BMJ Best Practice.Evaluation of maculopapular rash.Penn Medicine.Rash.Lee J, Ramam M.Drug-induced vs. viral maculopapular exanthem—resolving the dilemma.Dermatopathology (Basel). 2022;9(2):164-171. doi:10.3390/dermatopathology9020021Penn Medicine. Becker ENT & Allergy.Understanding the link between latex allergy and foods.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Drug rashes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About hand, foot, and mouth disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Measles symptoms and complications.Altman K, Vanness E, Westergaard RP.Cutaneous manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus: A clinical update.Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2015;17(3):9. doi:10.1007/s11908-015-0464-yKang JH.Febrile illness with skin rashes.Infect Chemother. 2015;47(3):155–166. doi:10.3947/ic.2015.47.3.155American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Home remedies: What can relieve itchy eczema?
11 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.BMJ Best Practice.Evaluation of maculopapular rash.Penn Medicine.Rash.Lee J, Ramam M.Drug-induced vs. viral maculopapular exanthem—resolving the dilemma.Dermatopathology (Basel). 2022;9(2):164-171. doi:10.3390/dermatopathology9020021Penn Medicine. Becker ENT & Allergy.Understanding the link between latex allergy and foods.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Drug rashes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About hand, foot, and mouth disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Measles symptoms and complications.Altman K, Vanness E, Westergaard RP.Cutaneous manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus: A clinical update.Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2015;17(3):9. doi:10.1007/s11908-015-0464-yKang JH.Febrile illness with skin rashes.Infect Chemother. 2015;47(3):155–166. doi:10.3947/ic.2015.47.3.155American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Home remedies: What can relieve itchy eczema?
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.
BMJ Best Practice.Evaluation of maculopapular rash.Penn Medicine.Rash.Lee J, Ramam M.Drug-induced vs. viral maculopapular exanthem—resolving the dilemma.Dermatopathology (Basel). 2022;9(2):164-171. doi:10.3390/dermatopathology9020021Penn Medicine. Becker ENT & Allergy.Understanding the link between latex allergy and foods.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Drug rashes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About hand, foot, and mouth disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Measles symptoms and complications.Altman K, Vanness E, Westergaard RP.Cutaneous manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus: A clinical update.Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2015;17(3):9. doi:10.1007/s11908-015-0464-yKang JH.Febrile illness with skin rashes.Infect Chemother. 2015;47(3):155–166. doi:10.3947/ic.2015.47.3.155American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Home remedies: What can relieve itchy eczema?
BMJ Best Practice.Evaluation of maculopapular rash.
Penn Medicine.Rash.
Lee J, Ramam M.Drug-induced vs. viral maculopapular exanthem—resolving the dilemma.Dermatopathology (Basel). 2022;9(2):164-171. doi:10.3390/dermatopathology9020021
Penn Medicine. Becker ENT & Allergy.Understanding the link between latex allergy and foods.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Drug rashes.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About hand, foot, and mouth disease.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Measles symptoms and complications.
Altman K, Vanness E, Westergaard RP.Cutaneous manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus: A clinical update.Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2015;17(3):9. doi:10.1007/s11908-015-0464-y
Kang JH.Febrile illness with skin rashes.Infect Chemother. 2015;47(3):155–166. doi:10.3947/ic.2015.47.3.155
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Home remedies: What can relieve itchy eczema?
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