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Herpes often appears on the lips and genital area, but it can also occur on the face in less typical areas. In people with poor immunity, there have been cases of the development of blisters in the forehead area.
This disease is no different, except for localization, from herpetic manifestations on the lips. But a patient with similar symptoms should still become familiar with the basic methods of treatment and prevention of herpes on the forehead.
Causes and possible diseases
There can be many reasons why fluid-filled blisters appear on the skin, ranging from the most common (allergic reaction) to the rare (bullous pemphigoid). In almost all cases, the rash is accompanied by accompanying symptoms and may indicate the following diseases:
- Hives. Some forms of hives can cause rashes filled with cloudy fluid. Occurs in all sexes at any age. Characterized by a sudden appearance and the same disappearance. An allergic reaction can be caused by both mechanical damage and chemicals that come into contact with the skin.
- Molluscum contagiosum. A viral skin disease, the main symptom of which is the appearance of watery blisters on the face, torso and groin. Size from 0.3 to 0.6 cm in diameter. The color is almost always flesh-colored, the surface is smooth and shiny. Very common in children aged 4-11 years. In adults, in 90% of cases, the rash is localized in the groin and genitals.
- Chicken pox. A viral disease that occurs most often in children aged six months to seven years. You can become infected through airborne droplets or after bodily contact with a sick person. The incubation period lasts on average 1-2 weeks. At the initial stage, chickenpox appears in the form of red spots 2-4 mm in size, which within a few hours transform into vesicles filled with clear liquid and surrounded by a characteristic corolla. The vesicles that appear burst, and brown crusts appear in their place, falling off after 1-2 weeks. The duration of the acute period is 2-6 days. Complications such as myocarditis and encephalitis are rarely observed.
- Sunburn. The most common cause of watery blisters on the body in adults and children. This is especially true for people with sensitive skin and prone to various forms of photodermatoses. Prolonged exposure to the sun can lead to sunburn, which manifests itself as many small vesicles filled with a colorless liquid. Along with the rash, dizziness, weakness and nausea may occur.
- Fungal infections. The main symptoms of most fungal diseases are peeling, brown or red spots, severe itching and weeping. But, some forms of mycosis of the feet can provoke the appearance of watery blisters on the legs. Most often, this phenomenon is observed in the dyshidrotic form of epidermophytosis. Blisters the size of small grains appear on the arches and sides of the foot. Very often they group and merge into one large lesion. The vesicles may be filled with serous, cloudy, or purulent fluid.
- Shingles. An incompletely studied disease that affects the central and peripheral nervous systems. Most often occurs in adults; children under 10 years of age rarely get sick. Characterized by an acute onset with an increase in body temperature and the appearance of a burning sensation in the area of the affected nerves. Redness appears in the same place and within 24 hours bubbles of 0.2-0.4 mm in size, filled with transparent contents, form. There is a tendency for bubbles to merge with each other. The final stage is the expression of vesicles and the formation of light brown crusts in their place.
- Eczema. A very common disease of a neuro-allergic nature. Today, there are many clinical forms and manifestations that affect almost all parts of the human body. Characteristic differences are redness of the skin at the initial stage and the appearance of small blisters from which serous fluid constantly flows. Eczema is also characterized by a long, recurrent course. Due to constant weeping and the presence of many small wounds, a secondary infection may occur.
- Epidermolysis bullosa. A very rare hereditary disease that appears immediately after birth or in the first year of a child’s life. The name "bulla" means "water bubble" from Latin, which appears in places subject to pressure or friction. Even minor intermechanical damage can cause large blisters to appear on the arms, legs, or oral mucosa. There are known cases of death in the first years of a child’s life with some forms of epidermolysis bullosa.
- Contact dermatitis. Another common cause of watery blisters on the body in children and adults. Most often, allergens are synthetic underwear, plastic, plants and other objects that come into contact with the skin. In most cases, at the site of contact with the allergen, several bubbles filled with colorless liquid appear. Size from 0.1 to 0.5 mm. They are accompanied by severe itching, which can result in the formation of large scratches and wounds covered with scales and crusts.
Diagnostics
If blisters appear on the face, the doctor most often makes a diagnosis based on the appearance of the rash and the presence of accompanying symptoms. However, sometimes identifying the cause of bubbles can be difficult even for an experienced specialist. For example, infectious diseases with a rash can occur in an atypical form, without fever or significant deterioration in health. In such cases, they are very easy to confuse with allergies. For the purpose of differential diagnosis, the following tests are prescribed:
- allergy tests for various types of irritants;
- blood test for antibodies to the chickenpox virus.
If there is a suspicion that blisters on the face are caused by burns, it is necessary to carefully study the medical history. It is necessary to find out whether the person has been in the sun for a long time, and also whether he has had contact with hot objects and chemicals.
Sometimes it can be very difficult to identify insect bites. A person does not always immediately notice such lesions. Often the patient does not even feel the bite itself, and after some time blisters appear on the skin. However, this manifestation is a type of allergy to poison and saliva. Therefore, it is useful to conduct a blood test for specific immunoglobulins E. This will help determine the type of insect.
Watery blisters on the body
Treatment
If you read this article to the “Treatment” section, you could understand that there is no single correct treatment option for watery blisters, since they can be caused by different pathogens. Therefore, if your rash does not go away within 3-5 days, and the condition only worsens and additional symptoms are added, it is not recommended to delay a visit to the doctor.
For example, for manifestations of herpes simplex and herpes zoster, the following drugs are usually prescribed:
But in most people with good immunity, molluscum contagiosum goes away without taking any medications or removing the rash (in some cases, recovery takes several years). Most doctors (especially abroad) insist that removal of molluscs is indicated only if they are localized on the genitals. And this procedure is considered cosmetic, since it does not get rid of the virus located inside the body.
Blisters on the feet caused by a fungal infection can only be eliminated with the help of properly selected antifungal medications. And only a dermatologist can select them correctly based on a microscopic examination of scales from the lesions and determination of the fungal culture. At the initial stage, they try to get by with external agents and only in case of relapse or chronic forms, oral antifungal drugs are prescribed. The most effective are considered:
In case of manifestations of contact dermatitis, in many cases it is enough to exclude the allergen; in severe situations, taking antihistamines is indicated.
Watery blisters on the skin surrounded by redness can occur for no apparent reason. But they should be regarded as a signal from the body about the disease. This is a serious reason to see a doctor.
Drug treatment
The choice of medications to treat blisters depends on the cause of their appearance. In each specific case it is necessary to influence the etiology of the disease. Most often, topical agents are prescribed along with oral medications.
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For allergies, antihistamines are used. Prescribed tablets for internal use: “Suprastin”, “Tavegil”, “Cetrin”, “Claritin”. To relieve itching and rashes, it is recommended to treat the affected areas with ointments: “Fenistil”, “Psilo-balm”. It is not advisable to use hormonal creams on the face. The same remedies are used for insect bites.
If the rash is caused by a burn to the face, then local ointments are prescribed: Panthenol, Dexpanthenol, Solcoseryl. They promote rapid healing of the epidermis.
For chickenpox, rashes are treated with a solution of “Brilliant Green” or “Potassium Permanganate”. If blisters are observed only around the mouth, then most likely they are caused by the herpes virus. In this case, Acyclovir ointment will help.
For blistering rashes of any etiology, vitamin E (tocopherol) is very useful. You can purchase oil with this ingredient in pharmacy chains. This composition is used topically. It promotes the disappearance of blisters and healing of the epidermis.
Types of watery blisters
A blister is a cavity that is formed as a result of acute inflammation of the skin. The entire space is filled with a clear serous fluid (serum), sometimes mixed with blood.
Depending on the root cause, bubbles appear singly or in groups. They can rash locally in a certain area and generalized - from the head to the feet.
Blisters with fluid on any part of the body are distinguished by type:
- vesicles - small formations up to 5 mm;
- bullae - single- or multi-cavity large blisters measuring 10 mm or more;
- pustules are cavities with purulent contents.
The rash is small and round in shape; large bullae may be asymmetrical.
Symptoms of herpes
The main symptom of the development of herpes is the appearance of a vesicle with liquid on the forehead. They can be translucent or dark in color, they hurt, and sometimes they break out.
Redness of the skin is observed around the area where they are located. The epidermis may peel off and become crusty in the area of the ulcers themselves, especially if the ulcer itself is torn off.
Over time, the bubbles darken and then dry out. The liquid either pours out of them or dries out completely. At the site of the opening of the bubble, a dark crust forms that cannot be torn off.
Tissue regeneration occurs underneath, after which a small scar may remain. If you do not tear off the crust and the ulcer itself and do not try to squeeze out the blisters, then no marks will remain on the skin.
Blisters on the forehead rarely appear in a single size. Usually the patient detects several formations located next to each other.
At first they differ in separate outlines, but over time they merge together, forming one abscess up to 1 cm in size. If the formations are located far enough from each other, then merging does not occur.
Even before the bubbles appear, the skin may pulsate slightly, peel, and turn red. If such symptoms appear, you should consult a dermatologist. It is impossible to scratch the site of development of herpetic ulcers and treat them with folk remedies without the permission of a doctor.
Causes
Skin rashes in the form of blisters with liquid appear in adults as a reaction to the influence of negative factors from within the body or from the external environment. The cause may be rubbing with clothing, kitchen utensils, or garden tools; thermal and chemical burns. But the most serious group is disorders of the functioning of organs and systems of an immune, metabolic, and nervous nature. Internal imbalance becomes the background for diseases of various etiologies.
Contact dermatitis
Skin irritation occurs due to contact with certain substances, for example:
- household chemicals, especially alkaline;
- hygiene and cosmetic products;
- medications;
- metals;
- synthetics;
- plants;
- animals, insects.
Even uncomfortable air or water temperatures can cause blisters on sensitive skin. Redness, swelling, itching, burning of the epidermis are the first signs of an impending rash. Small transparent bubbles grow into large bullae. They quickly burst and dry out. If contact with the irritant is interrupted quickly, everything will be limited to slight redness, which will soon resolve. In severe cases, weeping, poorly healing areas of erosion are formed.
Allergic dermatitis
A malfunction of the immune system leads to the fact that the body perceives foods, drinks, and medications that are generally harmless as dangerous to health. As a result, a reaction of rejection occurs - inflammation of the skin, profuse dry and watery rashes like urticaria on the face, hands, folds, and legs.
Toxicoderma
The cause of toxic-allergic inflammation of the skin is considered to be medicinal, food, and chemical irritants that a person has eaten, inhaled, or received through an injection.
Individual intolerance in the form of a reactive rash and eczema can manifest itself to any group of medications, 120 types of food allergens, and metals in production (nickel, cobalt, chromium). Symptoms of toxicoderma disappear in the absence of the action of the irritant and quickly return when the slightest dose enters the body. Scatterings of small blisters often turn out to be a manifestation of herpes infections - chickenpox, shingles. Herpes virions are usually transmitted by airborne droplets.
Chickenpox, which is easily experienced by children, causes a lot of suffering in adulthood . The pink spots that appear at the first stage are covered with itchy and painful vesicles. The blisters burst, revealing wet ulcers. Before the wounds have time to become covered with crusts, more and more lesions appear. Chickenpox brings high fever, chills, loss of appetite and sleep. Scratching can introduce purulent bacteria into the wounds.
Bubble development process
Herpes on the forehead is an atypical form of the development of this virus. Usually the disease manifests itself in the lip area.
Ulcers can appear on the face in several cases:
- Self-infection occurred. For example, sores appeared in the lip area. After scratching them, the patient touched his forehead and developed an infection in the wound or cracks in the skin in the area.
- The immunity of a patient infected with herpes dropped sharply. In this regard, atypical manifestations of herpes began, including on the forehead.
It is a decrease in immunity that is the most common cause of relapses of herpes, including on the forehead.
The body's protective functions may be reduced in the following situations:
- hypothermia (especially dangerous in winter);
- sun and heat stroke;
- burns;
- constant stress;
- physical overload;
- infections and viruses;
- exacerbation of chronic diseases;
- lack of vitamins (autumn-spring period);
- blood loss and injury.
Chronic allergies, such as those that occur seasonally to pollen, can also lead to a deterioration of immunity. All kinds of bad habits significantly reduce the level of protection.
Overeating or an unbalanced diet, prolonged sitting without movement, smoking, alcohol and caffeine abuse lead to a weakening of the body. Prolonged drinking bouts can even lead to a serious decrease in immunity, in which herpes will begin to quickly develop in different areas.
Herpes may appear for the first time, and not as a relapse. Infection with the herpes virus is caused by contact with a sick person (sexual intercourse, kissing), the use of other people's hygiene products, as well as a lack of personal hygiene, especially hand washing.
Herpes on forehead
Possible complications of the disease
In the absence of proper treatment and hygiene, watery blisters of any nature become contaminated with purulent bacteria. Deep, weeping, non-healing ulcers form.
Infectious rashes tend to spread throughout the skin, spreading to the mucous membranes of the mouth, eyes, genitals, and penetrating the ears. The patient is unable to eat, drink, or sleep normally. The swelling blisters dehydrate the tissue. Toxins of viruses, bacteria, fungi poison the blood and internal organs.
In severe pathogenesis, the body is exhausted, the nervous system is depressed, and the immune system is suppressed to an extreme degree. Medicine is powerless in this case.
Treatment methods
Many types of blistering rashes are idiopathic, meaning their causes are unknown. Therefore, there are practically no specific drugs. Treatment is selected according to symptoms, taking into account the general condition of the body .
Medicines in the treatment of rashes
First of all, surface preparations are used in the form of ointments, gels, and creams.
- Ointment with zinc oxide disinfects, prevents suppuration, dries weeping, and softens inflamed skin.
- Lamisil, Clotrimazole, Diflucan in ointment form, Pimafucin cream have a depressing effect on fungi.
- Antibacterial ointments Triderm and Baneocin help cure streptoderma.
- To neutralize severe allergies due to contact dermatitis and toxicoderma, hormonal ointments Advantan and Sinaflan are used.
It is very difficult to treat herpes rashes. A complex of analgesics, antihistamines, and anti-inflammatory drugs is selected.
The basis of therapy is broad-spectrum antiviral drugs:
In severe cases of the disease, immunomodulators are included in the course of therapy.
Folk remedies
Home treatment for blisters on the skin, as one of the methods of complex therapy, should be selected by a doctor.
- 15-minute baths with the addition of decoctions of chamomile flowers, marigolds, celandine herbs, St. John's wort, and plantain to warm water will disinfect, dry, and accelerate the healing of blisters on the hands and feet. They are made at night. To prepare the decoction, pour 4 tablespoons of plant material into a liter of boiling water and keep in a water bath for 10-12 minutes. After cooling, filter and add to water.
- The inflamed epidermis is soothed with freshly squeezed juice of aloe, celery, and grapes.
- Natural oils from peach, apricot, almond kernels, and olives nourish diseased skin with vitamins, microelements, and soften its structure.
Equally important in the treatment process is drinking plenty of fluids, diet, and giving up bad habits.
Skin rashes in the form of blisters may be an indicator of the body's reaction to some unacceptable influence, which goes away after the unwanted agent is eliminated. In another case, blisters may be a symptom of a serious illness. You should be careful about such phenomena.
Treatment of the disease
Treatment of herpes is recommended to be carried out regularly, especially in the autumn-spring period. At this time, the risk of relapse of the disease increases, so it is advisable to take immunomodulatory drugs.
However, the prevention of herpes will be discussed in more detail below. This section is devoted to therapy if signs of the virus have already appeared on the face.
First of all, the patient should avoid any actions that may injure the skin of the face:
- do not use scrubs;
- do not scratch the wound;
- do not sleep on a pillow with a hard fabric pillowcase;
- Avoid rubbing your face with a towel after washing.
It is also advisable to protect yourself from sunlight, as they injure the delicate epidermis and lead to the development of the disease. In the summer, when herpes appears, you should not use sunscreens, as they can lead to the spread of the virus.
Instead, it is recommended to avoid sun exposure if possible by wearing hats or staying away from open, lit spaces.
As the disease develops, the blisters with liquid begin to itch very much. You should not give in to this feeling and scratch the skin, as this can lead not only to infection of the surrounding area of the skin, but also to the introduction of bacteria into the wound. This can cause suppuration.
The measures listed above will help prevent the spread of ulcers. And in order to cure them as quickly as possible, you should use a complex of medications.
First of all, doctors recommend local medications in the form of special cooling gels and ointments. They help cope with itching, relieve inflammation, eliminate skin redness and accelerate the drying and death of the vesicle.
They are also a prophylactic agent that stops the spread of the virus to neighboring areas of the skin. You can buy Zovirax and Panavir in domestic pharmacies.
The ointment should be applied with precise movements to the affected skin area. It is better to do this using cotton swabs or disks, which must be disposed of immediately after use.
This precaution will protect the patient from self-infection. The gels are applied within 72 hours from the moment the symptoms of herpes appear on the forehead. If the bubbles do not disappear, further use is possible, but with the permission of a doctor.
In parallel with local medications, it is necessary to use systemic ones. They should also be antiviral, like ointments. Tablets and capsules with antiviral components will help stop the replication of the virus and protect the patient from the appearance of ulcers on the entire surface of the forehead, as well as on the lips and in other characteristic areas.
Antiviral tablets aimed specifically at combating herpes infection should be used for at least 3 days from the onset of the disease. Tablets (Acyclovir or Valtrex) are taken strictly according to the instructions.
You can continue taking it for some time after the ulcers disappear, but only if there are no allergic reactions and various contraindications. Additional use of tablets will reduce the likelihood of relapse in the near future.
Along with antiviral drugs aimed specifically at combating herpes, it is necessary to take immunomodulators. They increase the overall immunity of the body and reduce the period of the active phase of the herpes virus.
Thanks to the improvement of protective functions, the body becomes able to independently suppress the infection. Interferon or Imudon can be used as immunomodulators.
If the patient suffers from a large number of blisters on the forehead, which cause severe discomfort, injections with an immunomodulator solution are prescribed.
What are skin blisters
A blister is a fluid-filled formation. Filling the blister can be:
A blister is also defined as an elevation above the surface of the skin, which is characterized by clear boundaries, and its nature is swelling of the skin. Such formations tend to appear quickly as a result of a certain exposure, and the blisters also quickly disappear on their own when the exposure stops.
Characteristic bulges appear on the skin surface as a result of swelling, inflammatory nature, of the papillae of the upper layer of the dermis. Blisters cause an itchy feeling on the skin.
Classification
Blisters appear as a result of various influences on the body of external and internal factors. The reasons that caused the formation of blisters on the skin or mucous membranes determine the classification of this phenomenon.
- symptomatic is when their appearance is one of the symptoms of a certain disease:
- faces,
- follicular tonsillitis,
- autoimmune diseases,
- herpes,
- streptoderma,
- fungal diseases,
- herpes zoster,
- chicken pox;
- allergic - this phenomenon, in turn, is initiated by:
- medications, if any component in their composition causes side effects;
- food products that contain a substance perceived by the body as an allergen;
- costume jewelry and low-quality or expired cosmetics,
- household chemicals or substances with which people come into contact at work;
- the body's reaction to insect bites,
- contact with certain plants;
- as a result of mechanical or physical impact:
- burns caused by different methods:
- in contact with fire,
- from contact with liquids or objects heated to high temperatures;
- from direct exposure to sunlight;
- the appearance of blisters when the skin is rubbed:
- from the tools on the palms of the hands,
- on the body from rough clothes,
- on the feet from uncomfortable shoes.
Blisters on the skin (photo)
Prevention
To prevent the formation of a blistering rash on the body, you must:
- monitor skin hygiene;
- avoid contact with powerful allergens;
- enrich the menu with products enriched with vitamins;
- sunbathe properly;
- Handle boiling water and hot objects carefully.
These are the simplest measures by taking which a person can protect himself from the formation of allergic or fungal blistering rashes, as well as burns of 2-3 degrees of severity. After all, it is easier to deal with the issue of prevention than to endure pain and discomfort and waste time on treating a disease that may well remind itself again.
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Self-diagnosis
Blisters are easily identified when they appear, because their presence is usually accompanied by the following sensations:
Visually, the presence of blisters can be detected on the skin if the formations that appear correspond to the description given above:
Read below about the reasons for the appearance of large and small watery blisters on the skin.
Possible pathologies
Blisters are a signal that a person may have one of the following problems:
- Mycosis is a disease associated with a fungal infection; pink blisters are accompanied by itching and begin to peel off over time.
- Insect bites - substances that get under the skin during a bite very quickly provoke swelling in the form of a blister and redness. A bite may carry the potential for side problems from insects:
- hornets,
- mosquitoes,
- ticks,
- flies,
- bumblebees,
- gadflies,
- ticks,
- bedbugs,
- bees,
- midges
We will tell you below what to do if your skin itches and blisters, allergies, itching, redness, rashes and other associated symptoms appear.
What does herpes in the nose look like?
Herpes appears in the nose as often as on its surface. A cold in the nose begins with unpleasant itching and swelling. Herpes in the nose looks (see photo 3) as a small bright red bump covered with purulent plaques. A cold in the nose may not be visible from the inside, but a person constantly feels severe pain when touched, even from the outside.
Herpes inside the nose develops faster. Due to the fact that the mucous membrane is hyperemic and thinned, the herpetic contents come out much faster, leaving behind painful craters. Because of this, herpes in the nostril is considered the most rapid, but also the most painful type of disease.
The symptoms of herpes in the nose are insidious, since a cold on the face most often occurs after the nose. This is due to the fact that the area of the nasolabial triangle is densely supplied with blood vessels and when the virus enters the bloodstream, it quickly spreads and already appears on the face.
Methods to combat this symptom
If the blisters do not disappear on their own within a day, then you need to contact a specialist to find out the reason that initiated them. For this, the doctor will prescribe an examination.
The integrity of the blisters must not be damaged. It is necessary to ensure that their surface is not subject to injury. This is so that the blister does not accidentally become infected if its surface loses its integrity. Avoid scratching the rash.
After determining the cause of the blisters, the doctor prescribes treatment measures, this may be:
- for allergies - eliminating the allergic agent from your environment, taking antihistamines, sorbents, carrying out specific immunotherapy;
- if affected by herpes - care for the rashes, lubricating them with brilliant green;
- when diagnosing diseases, treatment of the main cause that caused the rash.
The video below will tell you about blisters on your toes:
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