Difference between Acne (pimples) and HIV rash

What is Acne?

Acne is a disease that affects the skin’s oil glands. The small holes in your skin (pores) connect to oil glands under the skin. These glands make an oily substance called sebum. The pores connect to the glands by a canal called a follicle. Inside the follicles, oil carries dead skin cells to the surface of the skin. A thin hair also grows through the follicle and out to the skin. When the follicle of a skin gland clogs up, a pimple grows.

Most pimples are found on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. Acne is not a serious health threat, but it can cause scars.

• How Does Acne Develop?
• Who Gets Acne?
• What Causes Acne?
• How Is Acne Treated?
• How Should People With Acne Care for Their Skin?
• What Things Can Make Acne Worse?
• What Are Some Myths About the Causes of Acne?
• What Research Is Being Done on Acne?

Causes of Acne

Nobody is completely sure what causes acne. Experts believe the primary cause is a rise in androgen levels – androgen is a type of hormone. Androgen levels rise when a human becomes an adolescent. Rising androgen levels make the oil glands under your skin grow; the enlarged gland produces more oil. Excessive sebum can break down cellular walls in your pores, causing bacteria to grow.

Some studies indicate that a susceptibility to acne could also be genetic. Some medications that contain androgen and lithium may cause acne. Greasy cosmetics may cause acne in some susceptible people. Hormone changes during pregnancy may cause acne either to develop for the first time, or to recur.

How common is Acne?

Dermatologists (skin specialists) say that approximately three-quarters of 11 to 30 year-olds will get acne at some time. Acne can affect people of all races and all ages. It most commonly affects adolescents and young adults, although there are people in their fifties who still get acne. According to Brown University, USA, approximately 17 million Americans are estimated to have acne at any one time.

Although acne affects both men and women, young men suffer from acne for longer – probably because testosterone, which is present in higher quantities in young men, can make acne worse.

That is HIV Rash?

HIV rash refers to the occurrence of dark and pigmented rashes all over the body. It is caused due to infection by the HIV or human immunodeficiency virus. A patient may develop the rashes two to 3 weeks after contracting the virus for the first time. It persists for about two to four weeks.

HIV rash is mainly caused due to an underlying infection by the HIV virus. It can also develop as a side effect to the intake of medications that are used to treat and manage the symptoms of the infection. The rashes typically do not spread via direct contact and hence are non-contagious.

Rash Caused by HIV Infection

This rash often appears as a slightly raised area of skin. Usually, it’s:

• On the trunk or face, and sometimes on the hands and feet
• Red on people with light skin or more purple on people with dark skin

The rash appears when your body tries to fight off the virus. Other symptoms of early HIV infection include fever, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, headaches, muscle aches, and diarrhea.

These typically last about 2 weeks.

Because these symptoms look and feel like other common ailments (such as the flu or an allergic reaction) and disappear quickly, many people don’t realize they can be signs of an HIV infection.

If you have a rash and think you may have been exposed to HIV, don’t wait it out. A blood test can easily tell if you have the virus.

Once these early symptoms go away, you may not notice any others until much later. The sooner you get diagnosed, the sooner you can begin treatment to help you stay healthy and live longer.

Medication can help control the virus, but an HIV infection can develop into AIDS if it’s not treated.

Difference between Acne (pimples) and HIV rash

Acne may appear differently on different people, it depends on the skin color and severeness of it. A rash behind ear could possibly be a sign together with itching. As mentioned above, it is one of the first symptoms of this disease and is accompanied with other symptoms like malaise, night sweats, and a general feeling of illness. So, creating a skin rash doesn’t mean that someone is HIV-positive. It is one of the early signs of HIV. Skin rashes are among the most frequent indicators of HIV. A rash isn’t age or gender biased. Surely one might desire to understand what HIV rash resembles.

The indicators of a key HIV infection usually appear within 2-3 weeks from the right time of contracting the virus. It may be used to lessen the signs of chapped lips and skin. The symptoms consist of genital sores or warts. It’s essential to understand and identify HIV rash symptoms since they are among the distinguishing signals of AIDS. Therefore, good diagnosis of the ailment is critical before commencing the treatment of it.

Topical therapy entails the use of Nizoral shampoo for around a week. Treatment will revolve around minimizing the indicators. It needs immediate treatment as it might develop additional complications and dangers. The very best treatment is to prevent this infection with vaccines. On the opposite hand, oral treatment entails the use of numerous drugs, Nizoral, Sporanox or Accutane pills. Because it’s known, there’s no comprehensive therapy or cure for HIV infection.