{"id":626672,"date":"2024-02-08T12:19:37","date_gmt":"2024-02-08T17:19:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=626672"},"modified":"2025-03-04T07:08:59","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T12:08:59","slug":"what-do-anxiety-rashes-look-like","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/what-do-anxiety-rashes-look-like\/","title":{"rendered":"What do anxiety rashes look like? Causes & treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Everyone feels anxious at times, but the lingering effects of the pandemic, global strife, and the stress of daily life have contributed to an anxiety epidemic. According to a <\/span>KFF\/CNN Mental Health in America Survey<\/span>, 90% of U.S. adults believe the country is facing a mental health crisis, with 32% of adults and 49.9% of people ages 18\u201324 reporting signs of anxiety. Some people respond to stress or anxiety by developing a rash.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Anxiety rashes can be unsightly, itchy, and uncomfortable and often look like raised bumps, welts, or<\/span> hives<\/span><\/a> (urticaria). Hives vary in size, shape, and color. They can appear almost anywhere on the body, but most commonly on the neck, chest, torso, face, and arms. Anxiety rashes are one way the body responds to stress, but people with existing skin conditions are often more at risk, and it is important to be sure a rash is not an allergic reaction or an infection. Anxiety rashes typically resolve spontaneously without treatment. Some people want to try to speed up the resolution by using topical treatments. See a healthcare provider if rashes last more than six weeks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What causes anxiety rashes?<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

To understand why people develop anxiety rashes, it is important to appreciate how skin\u2014the body\u2019s largest organ\u2014responds to stress. When people feel stress, cortisol spikes. Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands that helps regulate the body\u2019s response to stress. Rising cortisol levels trigger the body\u2019s histamine response, a chemical the immune system releases that can cause inflammation, itching, and hives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPsychological stress and underlying anxiety can be a significant factor for many who suffer from unexplained, and often, episodic hives,\u201d says <\/span>Clifford W. Bassett, MD<\/span><\/a>, founder and medical director of Allergy & Asthma Care of New York, part of the Schweiger Dermatology Group, and author of <\/span>The New Allergy Solution<\/span><\/i>. \u201cThe \u2018stress response\u2019 may lead to histamine release and onset of hives or an itchy rash. Other variables, such as alcohol, heat, and exercise, may further worsen those affected.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Itchy skin<\/span><\/a> may be due to various causes, including allergies, skin conditions, infections, and neurological disorders. Sometimes, rashes or hives are triggered by foods, medications, or other allergens. People with existing skin conditions, such as <\/span>eczema<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> rosacea<\/span><\/a>, and<\/span> acne<\/span><\/a>, are more susceptible, and stress can trigger flare-ups in people with<\/span> Crohn\u2019s disease<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> colitis<\/span><\/a>, and<\/span> fibromyalgia<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone can get an anxiety rash,\u201d says<\/span> Anna Chacon, MD<\/span><\/a>, of Miami Derm, \u201cbut people with a history of skin conditions, women, young people, and those with a predisposition to anxiety may be more susceptible. In our practice, I have observed an increase in stress-related conditions, and today\u2019s fast-paced, high-pressure society has increased the number of anxiety rashes seen in our office.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before deciding whether a rash is caused by stress or anxiety, look at other probable causes:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n