Coronavirus: These common skin issues might be due to COVID; know how to spot them

COVID is not just a respiratory issue, it has a long term effect and has an impact on several other organs too. Not-so-long after assuming it to be an infection of the respiratory tract, health experts declared that COVID does have an impact on other body organs like heart, kidney, stomach as well.

Among the many implications of the COVID infection, one such is associated with the skin.

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Health experts have linked several seemingly-common skin issues with COVID and from this it is inevitable that the skin issues are so common and subtle that it is obvious for anyone to ignore them.

Skin rash is a potential sign of COVID. As per a study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, which was published a year after the onset of the COVID pandemic, there is a big link between skin rash and COVID.

The study involved 3,36,487 people in the UK who had updated their COVID test result in the COVID symptom study app. As per the data retrieved from the app, 8.8% showed skin issues during COVID and of them 6.8% reported body rashes.

The study also found that in around 17% of the individuals, the skin rashes appeared before the onset of any other COVID symptom and 21% people only had skin issues as the COVID symptom.

With the study, the researchers had pointed out that since skin changes can be easily recognised, it can be used as a potential indicator of the infection.

While shortness of breath, fever, fatigue, headache, diarrhea and loss of taste and smell is seen during COVID and are the most impactful symptoms of the disease, what is actually ignored are the skin rashes, COVID toes, eczema, papular rash, vesicular rash, oral rash, pityriasis rosea, purpuric or vasculitic Rashes, urticarial rash and viral exanthem.

There are different types of the skin issues associated with COVID. In order to confirm whether a skin condition is related to COVID or not, one needs to understand the symptoms.

For example, one of the most common skin manifestations is COVID toes. So what does it look like? In this condition one or more toes or digits may swell and turn pink, red or purplish in color. In some cases, pus like liquid is also seen in the bumps. These bumps are usually sore but are not itchy. When the rash heals the skin on the bumps peels off leaving the active skin patchy and scaly.

Likewise, the eczema seen in COVID usually appears on the neck and on the chest region which is exposed to sunlight. These rashes are itchy and look pinkish or reddish. As per experts, people who do not have any history of skin disease can also develop this condition.

An oral rash will appear on the lips and sometimes it may lead to soreness in the mouth.

The American Academy of Dermatology Association says, a typical COVID rash would appear like a patchy rash, itchy bumps, blisters that look like chickenpox, round and pinpoint spots on the skin, large patch with several smaller ones, lace like pattern on the skin and flat/ raised bumps on the skin.

In a nutshell, the rashes which appear during, on or after a COVID infection are usually itchy and should not be ignored.

From what can be seen from research studies and health reports, the skin issues associated with COVID are highly prevalent but they often go unnoticed.

According to a systematic review, the overall frequency of cutaneous manifestations in COVID-19 patients was 5.95% and it associated the mildness of COVID disease with chilblain-like and urticaria-like lesions and severe disease with vascular lesions.

A meta analysis on the skin manifestations among patients with COVID in China, Thailand, France, and Italy found that the overall prevalence is 1%.

Though there is no clear answer to the rate of prevalence of skin issues in COVID, the results obtained from several studies indicate that there is a potential relationship between the two.

Since these rashes are itchy, one should always make sure not to irritate the skin. Immediately visit a doctor or take a telephone consultation if you are still having the infection.

Apply a soothing lotion on the skin that will put off the itch.

The common indicators of COVID are fever, chills, headache, sore throat, runny nose and cough.

COVID precautions like self isolation should be immediately followed after the symptoms are seen.

If there is no option to test yourself, do a self test and isolate yourself if the result comes back positive.

As important as it is to take care of yourself, it is important to remain indoors in isolation and stop the spread of the disease.