Rash on the neck

definition

A rash on the neck is also called among medical professionals Rash designated. The rash can have a variety of causes and symptoms.
Some people have an itchy rash, while others develop small pimples.

Most of the time, the causes of the rash are harmless, but the rash on the neck should be assessed by a doctor.

causes

For a rash on neck there are several causes.

The most harmless cause for a rash on the neck is the so-called Stage Fright or just excitement.
Many patients develop when they are very excited large red spots which in the area of ​​the décolleté and neck spread. The reason for this is Dilatation of blood vessels. So the red spots on the neck are a similar phenomenon to the redness of the cheeks when a person is excited.
That "rash" on your neck disappears by itself again as soon as the patient is no longer excited.

Other causes

Another cause of a neck rash is one Inflammation of the affected areas of the skin. This can be caused by Viruses or bacteria. For example, it can be measles, chickenpox or with one Infection with Herpes viruses a rash in the neck area.
In this case, however, is not just the neck concerned, rather also other parts of the body, for example the belly, the poor or the face. As soon as the rash spreads over the body in general and none Vaccination protection or if you have had an illness, it is important to see a doctor.

The following topic may also be of interest to you: Measles rash

In rare cases it can also despite vaccination protection the disease break out, especially when one Contact with infected people would have.
Limited the rash on the neckso you can usually exclude infectious diseases.

It is much more common, especially in women, to have a rash on their necks when they wear necklaces on them react allergic. A very prominent example is that Nickel allergy. Nickel is especially in costume jewelry often contained and may cause an allergic reaction.
It can then too red spots up to Wheal formation, Pustules, Pimples and itching come.
The allergic reaction occurs whenever the affected jewelry is worn.
In some cases, patients are too allergic to certain fibers in a scarf, for example against wool. In this case, too, the allergic reactions described above occur, with a patient rarely any reactions shows, but much more one or two of them has more pronounced.

Another cause of a neck rash can also be a mild one allergic reaction to food be (for example on pineapples or nuts) or it can be a intolerance act (Gluten intolerance, Lactose intolerance).

In addition to an allergic reaction, a rash on the neck can also be an indication of one severe acne be. The acne mostly makes itself felt first on the face noticeable, but can then "wander down" over the neck to the back.
The root cause for acne is usually one Excess of male sex hormones, the Androgens. There are patients who (especially in the puberty) have an excess of androgens, but other patients inject the androgens themselves with it Muscle building to promote.

As mentioned earlier, acne occurs mostly in the facial area and then picks up also over the neck and back over.
However, a patient does just a rash on the neckthat looks similar to acne, it is probably more Heat rashwhich may occur multiple times and can become quite large, especially patients who very often a scarf wear and under sweat more (Rash from sweating) then suffer from the rash on the neck.

Lead less often various autoimmune diseases a rash on the neck. One can occur more frequently, especially in men Inflammation of the hair rootwhich then leads to a kind of large pus pimple. This is known as Folliculitis.
There Men mostly more hair in the neck area than women, this phenomenon occurs particularly in the male sex.
Also the Whiskers Can catch fire, in this case one speaks of one Barbae folliculitis.

Rash on the neck and décolleté

A skin rashwho suddenly or creeping on Neck and décolleté occurs can have very different causes.
So there is usually one allergic reaction behind. Sometimes recently changed shower or wash gels are to blame for the allergic reaction. As a rule, the complaints on the neck and décolleté start a short time after the product change. First of all, the allergic skin reaction gets from a Reddening of the skin initiated, which is soon accompanied by an annoying itchy skin. The initially only very small skin abnormalities on the neck and décolleté begin to spread soon afterwards. The skin can also take on a very dry and flaky appearance. These could all be signs of an allergic reaction. Recently used cleaning and care products should then be changed.
Also through frequent skin cleansing a rash on the neck and décolleté can occur. The reason for this lies in one Destruction of the so-called acid mantle of the skin. This stretches over the skin and is a natural defense barrier against pathogens. The more often the skin is washed and comes into contact with water, the thinner this protective coat becomes, with the result that the Skin dry and cracked as well as being reddened, itching and burning. In this case, you should reduce the frequency of washing and apply nourishing and oiling products to the skin. An improvement in the symptoms can be expected after a few days.

Symptoms

In addition to the rash on the neck, it usually comes to additional symptomsthat can be important for the doctor about a Differential diagnosis and then adjust the therapy depending on the symptoms.

With the so-called Flush phenomenon these are the typical symptoms of nervousness - the "rash" occurs on the neck and décolleté flushed cheeks and to one increased perspiration.
As soon as the The patient's nervousness decreases however, the symptoms of the rash on the neck and reddened cheeks will also go away by itself.
Please also read our article on this Flush syndrome

Is it a inflammation, triggered by measlesso the patient doesn't just have it on his neck but on the entire body red itchy spots.
Come often fever, Body aches and malaise added.

Even with the chickenpox show similar symptoms. In addition to the rash on the neck, there are also red pustules that are spread over the body. If chickenpox occurs in adulthood, it is classified as Shingles designated.
The shingles is with severe pain connected and loops around an area of ​​the body like a belt of red pustules (Dermatome).
In rare cases, shingles can also be noticeable as a rash on the neck, in which case it is particularly bad urgently needs therapy.

The symptoms of the rash on the neck are one allergy due to costume jewelry or components in the scarf, it usually comes to increased itching in the affected skin area while wearing.
It forms itchy pimples or the posts will be very red and wheals form.

In particularly bad cases, it can also shortness of breath come, rarely too nausea.

The same is true of an allergy that is caused by food (see also: Food allergy), for example from eating pineapples or nuts. This often leads to nausea or shortness of breath and rather seldom it comes to a redness around the neck, which could be interpreted as a rash on the neck.

In the acne the rash on the neck is characterized many, usually large and purulent pimples from. These can also itch or cause pain.

Heat rash show a similar rash on the neck, but mostly they are limited to the neck while the acne can also be found on the face and back.
Plus there are heat rashes often smaller and not so extensive present as the acne.

It is similar with one Inflammation of the hair (Folliculitis) , mostly in the neck area of the neck. Folliculitis occurs mostly in very hairy regions on in which the patient additionally increased sweating. Often only individual hairs become infected, which can be recognized by the fact that they are surrounded by a pus pimple are.
However, it can also be that several hairs become infected, which then leads to a similar picture to that of acne, only that the pimples are flat limit to the hair.
In addition, redness, swelling and itching can occur, which complements the appearance of a rash on the neck.

diagnosis

In order to correctly diagnose a rash on the neck, a visit to the family doctor is usually sufficient, but in more severe cases a referral to a dermatologist takes place (Dermatologist).

The doctor-patient consultation, the anamnesis, is particularly important here. If the patient complains that the symptoms always occur when he is excited, the doctor can quickly conclude that the symptoms are flush.

To rule out inflammation due to measles or chickenpox, the doctor usually only needs to consider (inspection) of the patient.
It is also helpful here to take a blood sample to detect the bacteria or viruses.

In addition, the doctor can take samples from the affected skin areas, which are then sent to a microbiological institute for examination.
Usually, however, it is sufficient for the doctor to see the clinical picture of the patient in order to be able to make his diagnosis.

To avoid an allergy to nickel (see also: Nickel allergy), wool, nuts or the like, the doctor must carry out an allergy test (see also: Do allergy diagnostics. For this purpose, small incisions are made in the patient's forearm, into which the substance that is supposed to trigger an allergy is then dripped in a diluted concentration.
If there is a skin reaction (severe reddening, blistering), this shows that the patient is allergic to this particular substance.

Acne, heat rash or folliculitis can usually be diagnosed with the naked eye. The therapy is particularly important here.

Frequency distribution

A Rash on the neck comes frequently in front. Patients who either a lot of hair on the neck or like to put a scarf tightly around the neck, which in turn leads to the patient increased sweating of the throat.

Also the Nickel allergy its OK often representedFor this reason one can often read on costume jewelry the addition: "contains nickel" or "does not contain nickel".

Also Allergies or Intolerances continue to increase, especially against nuts or gluten (= celiac disease).

therapy

There is therapy for a rash on the neck Not in all cases indispensable.

Symptoms such as nervousness, in particular, are extremely difficult to treat. If the rash on the neck always occurs when the person is excited or nervous, there is usually no therapy that helps to permanently remove the spots. However, the patient can try to get through targeted trainingFor example, breathing exercises or mental training to calm yourself down to such an extent that the degree of nervousness drops again and thus the "rash" on the neck is reduced to a minimum.

Please also read our article on this Relaxation

Against a Infection with the measles virus there is no specific therapy. However, one can try that Symptoms infection using antipyretic agents or pain relieving medication as low as possible.

Even with one Infection with the chickenpox virus is a therapy too only symptomatic possible.

At a Herpes virus infection however, depending on the severity, medication can be administered.
For this one uses so-called Nucleoside analogs (for example acyclovir), which you either take orally, if you have a bad rash on your neck, or you wear one Cream directly on the affected area on.

If there is a rash on the neck due to an allergy to the necklace, scarf or food, this will only help to avoid the trigger. It comes to one worse allergic reaction With shortness of breath is it is essential to notify an emergency doctor so that he can ventilate the patient in an emergency and administer medication to the patient, which leads to a Swelling of the neck to lead.

To the acne Therapy can first be tried with creams that are applied to the affected skin areas to get the rash on the neck under control. Wash regularly is also mandatory.
It is also important Not pressing pimples on as this only spreads the infection further.

Often a hormonal therapy carried out in women, for example, by the pill get administered to compensate for the excess of androgens.

Against Heat rash there is also no therapy per se. In order to get rid of the rash on the neck here, however, it is usually sufficient to keep the neck to wash regularly and no shawls or scarves to wear more, which could lead to increased perspiration in the neck area.

The rash on the neck arises due to a Folliculitis a disinfectant (antisepticTherapy in which a cream or tincture is applied to the affected area of ​​the skin.
In worse cases, you can also Antibiotics as folliculitis is associated with infection bacteria.

In order to alleviate possible itching and to regenerate the skin, many herbal remedies are also suitable, which improve the skin barrier through their moisturizing and anti-inflammatory effects.

You can read more information on this topic here: Home remedies for a rash

prophylaxis

Against the rash on the neck there are common Forms of prophylaxis.

Against the Flush symptoms, which can lead to redness in the neck and décolleté area Concentration and breathing exercises "Turn down" the excitement so much that there is only a small rash in the throat area.

Against measles and chickenpox Is there a vaccinationwhich is already carried out in infancy. Also the reaction to an allergenic substance like nickel can be avoided by paying attention to the components of the jewelry.

A prophylaxis against a rash on the neck that is too Pimples or acne leading, however, is more difficult. Often, however, it helps yourself the neck regularly with water and twice a week with disinfecting wipes to clean.

forecast

A rash on the neck usually means nothing bad and often disappears after a short time by itself again.
With the right treatment and one consistent therapy the patient can therefore only very rarely expect consequential damage.