Coronavirus is a disease that affects the upper respiratory tract lungs. But in some cases, the covid-19 infection affects your skin. The research studies reported that the effect of coronavirus on the skin as the skin is the first organ that comes in contact with the coronavirus. Numerous medical studies investigated that the first symptoms of the coronavirus develop on the skin in multiple forms like a blister, rashes, inflammation, dermatitis, urticaria, and covid toes.
Excessive use of soap and over sensitization makes your skin dry and causes skin problems.
Personal protective equipment such as masks, PPE kits also cause skin irritations. However, in this corona pandemic, dermatologists suggest protecting your skin from external exposure. You must limit the usage of soap and sanitization. Use good quality moisturizer to prevent dryness. If you face a severe skin problem after a corona infection, consult with a dermatologist and take proper medications.
How does covid infection affect your skin?
The virus belongs to the family Beta-coronavirus; now, this virus has become prevalent in the world. SAR-C0V-2 has multiple natural hosts, intermediate hosts, and end hosts in their entire life cycle. Medical science faces major challenges in the treatment of covid-19 viral infections. The covid-19 virus has immense transmissibility and infectivity and less mortality rate.
The gene sequencing report of coronavirus shows that the complete genome sequence recognition rate of the coronavirus is 79.5%.
Covid-19 infection aggravates the prior skin disorder like eczema, dryness, atopic dermatitis, neurodermatitis, and rosacea due to use of strong medications and antibiotics. In this pandemic situation, we are bound to use masks for a longer period of time, which leads to facial acne and rosacea. Frequent use of disinfectant spray develops contact dermatitis. It is common to both patients suffering from covid-19 and normal healthy individuals. Now medical professionals are suffering from skin disease due to the long-wear of masks, gloves, and PPE kit.
Like other medical professionals, dermatologists are offering online consultation by video call. Skin problems should not be ignored, don’t take it casually because it may reflect the severity of covid infection, and it should be treated with a specific treatment method.
Patients with psoriasis are at high risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, and other medical issues. The immunity of the patient gradually weakens and prone to covid-19 infection. Now doctors prescribe a therapeutic drug such as IL-17 inhibitors that regulate skin lesions without deteriorating immune functions, unlike conventional immunosuppressants. IL-17 inhibitor is considered as the first-line therapy in the overall situation.
Many of the research studies claim that some biological agents are helpful to treat corona infections. However, the therapeutic efficacy of those elements for sin disease is still under the clinical trial stage.
Many case studies show that skin rashes are the common skin issue interlinked with COVID-19 patients across the globe. The rashes appear in different forms like tiny red spots, flat or raised lesions—hive-like appearance. The common skin problems are skin eruption, measles, red bumps, hives, urticaria, vascular eruptions, blisters, red, blue fishing net structures connected with corona infection.
Some of the skin problems directly linked with the severity of the Covid infections:
Covid toes
Covid toes appear on your hand and feet or both. The red, purple discoloration usually takes place. Covid toe is painful and itchy. It comes along with blisters or pustules.
The covid-toes or chilblain-like lesions appear in the late stage of the disease; this skin problem is most common in children.
Widespread small red bumps.
The medical term for small red bumps is Maculopapular eruption linked to coronavirus infection. It reflects the severity.
Conjunctivitis:
Now coronavirus comes in a new form by a genetic mutation. The second strain is more dangerous. The most common symptom of corona second wave infection is conjunctivitis.
So, if you are suffering from conjunctivitis, please talk to your nearest general physician.
Urticaria:
Urticaria or hives are pink-red, itchy rashes that appear as raised wheals. The size of the urticaria ranges from a pinhead to a dinner plate. Swelling can be disappeared within hours to few days. It may come and go. Most of the cases hive clear within ten to twelve days.
The symptoms may appear in all ages and are associated with severe infection.
Water blister:
Vesicular eruptions appear early stage of the infection. Middle-age patients suffer commonly. It reflects the medium severity.
Fishing net red-blue structure
It is also known as “Livedo.” Some up with tiny bruises. Old age people predominantly suffer from this particular skin problem during covid infections. It is associated with high severity of conditions.
MISC rashes
MISC rashes are the result of immune system overdrive that triggers the inflammation of blood vessels.
It is associated with a blood clot and shock.
In this article, we have mentioned skin-related issues during a covid-19 pandemic. If you notice any of these skin problems, immediately consult with a skin specialist in Dubai.
