Stress Face and Hand Rash: Causes & Treatment Options

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Often, we get irritated by uneasy rashes developing throughout our smooth skin. We mostly fail to detect the causes of such red rashes. One reason to have unusual rashes on the skin’s surface area is work-life pressures and daily life stresses. Though mild stress has zero to negligible impact on your skin, in most cases, stress rash is an outcome of chronic exposure to heavy stressful situations. 

Learn about what a stress rash looks like on the face, wrist, legs, etc. 

What is a stress rash? 

Stress is often known to everyone as a mental phenomenon, but little do we know about the physical consequences of excessive stress. 

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Stress can occasionally cause physical symptoms such as stress rash on the wrist, face, legs, etc. Skin rashes can develop like hives or red, itchy spreaders, particularly on the facial skin. 

what is stress rash
what is stress rash?

Stress-stimulated rashes are not severe and often treatable unless you have some crucial pre-existing skin issues. Terrible skin causes such as rosacea or psoriasis get worse with stress rashes.  

What does a stress rash look like? 

Stress rashes resemble hives and appear as lifted red bumps. Like typical inflammation, stress rash can develop anywhere on the body. 

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what does a stress rash look like
what does a stress rash look like

Generally, hives or stress rash on the wrist, hand, face, or legs are found in the shape of red bumps. Apart from looking like tiny dots or large welts, each stress rash also feels unique. 

While some red spots can feel indifferent to your skin, others can cause intense itching, burning, tingling, or irritation. 

Are stress rashes common in hands, face, wrist, legs, and other body parts? 

Under normal conditions, stress rash is common. You can have stress hand rash, rashes on the legs, or rashes mainly on the face. When our mind is anxious and under complete interior or exterior stress, it releases a chemical response that ultimately impacts various body parts. 

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Other than exterior pressures such as excessive workload or exam pressure, you can commonly also have a stress rash on the legs, face, and other body parts due to inherent or pre-existing skin issues like rosacea, eczema, lichen plants, and psoriasis. 

When skin rashes occur due to internal skin conditions, medicated treatments are better

How long does stress face rash last? 

The period until stress rashes last depends on how severe the rashes on your face are. For example, when rashes or hives are small or less swollen, like a pen point, they last for hardly one to two days. 

However, red bulge rashes last for as long as one week. When you have one or two smaller hives, they vanish within a day, but more hives can grow to subside the older ones from different places. 

Stress-facing rashes that take less time to heal, less than one month, are known as acute hives. But hives lasting more than a month are severe and are called chronic hives. 

In main instances, other than preventing outside exposure, it also depends on your mental stability to end stress rash. So, the less stressed out emotionally, the greater the chances of healing those swollen welts. 

4 Common symptoms for early-stage anxiety stress hives. 

Anxiety hives, also known as urticaria, do not always emerge out of the blue every time. Here you can detect some of the common symptoms for early-stage anxiety stress hives in the form of –

1. Redness and swelling

Most hives or rashes in the early stages are red. However, the red texture also differs with hives. The bumps are not that high in the initial stages, but they’re a bit blotchy. 

2. Itchiness

The most probable symptom to assume about stress welts is frequent itchiness in the region. As a precaution, if you avoid itching much at that time, those rashes won’t take a severe form. 

3. Burning or stinging sensation

Like any allergic reaction, your skin surface feels like a burning sensation. The irritation or strong burning sensation intensifies when you have an oily skin type. 

4. Bloated or puffy skin. 

Often, the skin’s inflammation is in areas near the stress rashes. Puffiness can also occur underneath the skin’s surface, which has been given the name of angioedema. 

So, the early-stage anxiety-stress hives symptoms are no more than minor itchiness or red dot mini swelling. But at later stages, due to scratching and the spread of allergic reactions, the red bumps further evolved into red patches or welts. 

Can stress cause a rash?

The answer to stress-causing a rash has already become obvious. But it’s still important to elucidate on that matter. Commonly, swelling occurs in reaction to an allergic factor, but that doesn’t leave the scope for stressful conditions to cause welts. 

Other than the common conditions through which hives can develop, like intense exercise, chemical allergic reactions, unsuitable weather or fabric, or food allergies, stress cannot be ruled out as an important factor in hives. 

Can stress cause a rash_
Can stress cause a rash_

Stress often causes further skin-related breakouts, including bumps or hives, by inducing chemical reactions like histamine in the immune system. So, though stress can cause rashes, many dermatologists reject the idea that stress alone can cause rashes. 

Does stress only cause rashes? 

Experts assume that anxiety alone is not responsible for rashes on the wrist, legs, face, or arms. It is so because an emotional aspect like stress is a part of almost everyone’s life, suggesting everyone would bump face.

So, stress plays a secondary role in developing hives for those already anticipating getting them. Hives are more common in women than men and among those who are prone to allergic reactions. 

Also, those suffering from autoimmune diseases are suspected of forming hives more often as compared to others. But the worst part is when you fall into any of these categories, and any form of stress can worsen the scenario. 

5 quick stress rash treatments

Most home remedies for stress rashes are effective, and they often heal on their own. However, in some cases, medication is required for stress rash treatment. 

Based on the durability and severity of the outbreak, you should opt for different curing ways for hives. A few of the powerful treatments are- 

1. Consuming Antihistamines

The best way to begin stress rash treatment is to consume antihistamines. These antihistamines can solve skin problems like inflammation or itchiness. 

However, in serious cases, antihistamines can only reduce discomfort but will not entirely relieve pain. Typically, there are two kinds of antihistamines: oral and topical. 

While for minor cases, topical steroids would be ideal. And for dangerous cases, oral steroids work effectively in lessening pain. 

Some common antihistamines are OTC, also known as over-the-counter antihistamines. These include Zyrtec, Benadryl, or Claritin. 

You should only take strong antihistamines or steroids after the doctor’s recommendation, as there can be side effects to such strong doses. Those antihistamines that you should take under a doctor’s prescription are 

  • Corticosteroids.
  • Antibiotics like Aczone. 
  • Oral pills. 
  • Injected medications. 

2. Cold compress

Using ice gel packs for cold compression also helps reduce the itchiness of stress rashes. Dump a cloth in a cold beaker and then apply it to your affected skin, or you can also use ice packs for compression. 

Ensure that you hold the cold towel or pack it on your skin until it stops itching. However, don’t apply raw ice on your skin, as it can further cause severe ice burn for sensitive skin. 

3. Avoiding smoking and intake of excessive alcohol 

To end stress organically, the influence of any external addictive means must be stopped to ensure a healthy life. When you adopt a healthy dietary habit, you can expect less stress in your body and, as a result, minimal hives. 

4. Adequate sleep and less screen time

You should also follow different stress relief techniques to end subsequent developing rashes. Try to minimize the usage of gadgets and plan to have at least eight hours of sleep a day to have a healthy lifestyle

5. Water consumption

Drinking plenty of water helps heal rashes sooner. You should drink at least one to two liters of water daily. These will contribute to hydrating your skin. Besides that, drinking water also brings a glow to our skin. So, why not? 

When to consult the doctor for stress rash treatment? 

Though consulting a doctor is not always mandatory for stress rashes, do you have sensitive skin? And do you face skin issues like rosacea or psoriasis? Then, you should consult the doctor for strong medications. 

When to consult the doctor for stress rash treatment_
When to consult the doctor for stress rash treatment_

When your skin is experiencing excessive discomfort or burning sensations, then for examination, consult your dermatologist as soon as possible. 

You can assume that your skin rash case is serious when-

  • Redness spreads all over the body. 
  • You will have a fever because of intense rashes. 
  • The rashes develop into blisters or large patches. 
  • The rashes are causing excessive pain. 

End words 

Ultimately, you must have known that skin rashes can also occur because of stress. However, those skin rashes on the face and other skin surfaces are not critical unless you have pre-existing skin problems like rosacea. Though unlikely, if you feel the pain in your skin and the redness rapidly spreads throughout your body, don’t have a second thought about consulting the dermatologist and taking the strongly prescribed medications. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q.1. What does an anxiety rash look like? 

Answer – Anxiety rashes are like small red bumps, often resembling tropical hives. Other than appearing like insignificant dots or large welts, each stress rash is also unique. While some red bumps can feel nothing to your skin, others can cause intense itching, burning, tingling sensation, or irritation. 

Q.2. How do you get properly rid of a stress rash? 

Answer- To get rid of stress rashes, you have to take antihistamines, ice pack compression, or, at most, doctor-prescribed medications. 

Q.3. Can emotional stress cause a rash? 

Answer- Emotional stress enhances the release of some of the strong chemicals in the body. This ultimately results in physical reactions. Hives or stress rashes are often a form of those physical reactions. 

Q.4. How common is stress rash? 

Answer- Stress rashes are common for all human beings but are mostly found among women as compared to men. Physical changes act as an outcome of emotional stress, and hives are common forms of such changes. 

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Dr. Angela Olivares
Dr. Angela Olivares
Dr. Angela Olivares is a board-certified dermatologist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. She is a graduate of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and completed her residency in dermatology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Ashton has a private practice in New Jersey and New York City, where she specializes in skin cancer detection and treatment, as well as general dermatology.

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