AS temperatures drop and the heating goes on, many of us will experience some unwanted skin flare-ups.
But an Autumn breakout could be mistaken for other illnesses – and some with potentially deadly consequences.
Not just in Autumn, skin conditions are one of the most common health conditions year-round, with around 60 per cent of people in the UK experiencing one in their lifetime, according to the British Skin Foundation.
However, they can often be difficult to diagnose correctly, said Dr Donald Grant, GP and Senior Clinical Advisor at The Independent Pharmacy.
He explained: “Many skin conditions have overlapping symptoms with other health conditions, meaning they’re easily mistaken for something else.”
With this in mind, Dr Grant shared five skin conditions often mistaken for other illnesses.
Read more on skin conditions
1. Psoriasis and ringworm
Psoriasis is often mistaken for ringworm because both conditions cause red, scaly patches that can be itchy and circular in shape – often confusing people experiencing either condition.
But Dr Grant advised: “Unlike ringworm, psoriasis is covered in thick silvery scales and tends to be long-lasting and recurrent rather than short-lived.
“If the rash looks like a ring with a clear centre, comes on suddenly, and spreads, it’s more likely ringworm.
“An open and honest conversation with a qualified medical professional can help diagnose this skin condition.”
2. Rosacea and acne
Rosacea is an incredibly common skin condition, but it’s constantly mistaken for acne due to overlapping symptoms such as facial redness, red bumps and pus-filled pimples.
Dr Grant said: “For this reason, people with prolonged rosacea might believe they’re just experiencing acne breakouts, meaning they don’t access the treatment required to reduce the skin condition.
“Topical treatments are available, following a successful consultation, helping to treat and manage rosacea effectively, but spotting the condition can prove challenging.”
3. Eczema and food allergies
Again, due to overlapping symptoms, it can be tricky for people to tell the difference between a food allergy and an eczema outbreak.
Dr Grant explained: “Both can cause red, itchy rashes to appear suddenly and can be worsened by certain foods, making it hard to tell them apart.
“However, while food allergies are a short-term reaction, linked to eating a specific food, eczema is a chronic condition that can flare up over time and is not caused by food allergies.
“Though the two conditions often occur together.”
4. Shingles and kidney stones
Shingles is a painful rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox.
After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in nerve tissue and can reactivate later in life.
While it’s rarely deadly, it can be life-threatening for individuals with weakened immune systems or those who are elderly.
Prior to the rash appearing, shingles is often mistaken for kidney stones, as both conditions cause a deep stabbing or burning pain.
Dr Grant urged: “The big difference is that shingles pain stays on the skin and is followed by a rash, while kidney stones affect the urinary tract and cause urinary-related symptoms, such as blood in the urine.
“However, at the very beginning of shingles, it’s not uncommon for people to believe they may be suffering from kidney stones instead.”
The shingles vaccine
A shingles vaccine is available on the NHS for:
- people who turned 65 on or after 1 September 2023
- people aged 70 to 79 who have not yet been vaccinated
- people aged 18 and over with a severely weakened immune system
The vaccine helps reduce your risk of getting shingles.
If you get shingles after being vaccinated, the symptoms can be much milder.
You can get shingles more than once, so it’s important to get vaccinated even if you’ve had shingles before.
Ask your GP surgery if you can get the vaccine on the NHS.
Source: NHS
Scabies and insect bites
Scabies is notorious for being misdiagnosed because the main symptom, intense itching with a red rash, overlaps with many other skin problems or illnesses.
Dr Grant said: “Both insect bites and fungal infections are great examples of this, with these conditions having similar side effects to scabies.
“However, itching will generally worsen at night if it’s scabies.
“I also recommend looking out for any tiny burrow marks in the skin, as this is a massive indicator of scabies.”
With so many overlapping symptoms, it’s no wonder many skin conditions often get mistaken for other illnesses.
But Dr Grant added: “From psoriasis and ringworm to eczema and allergic reactions, being able to spot clear signs of skin conditions can ensure people get the correct treatment they need, when they need it.”
