Begin with pharmacy advice.
For mild itching or dry, irritated skin without worrying symptoms, a pharmacist can advise on suitable emollients, cooling products and whether an antihistamine may help.
Read NHS itchy skin adviceHomeTreatmentsRashes & skin changes
Rashes & skin changes · GP care
Skin changed? Look at the whole picture.
Rashes can look similar while having very different causes. A useful assessment considers when the change began, how it feels, where it appears and what else was happening at the time.
Clear photographs can support an assessment, but they may not replace an examination. Treatment depends on the likely cause and your individual clinical review.
Choose a suitable route
What kind of help do you need?
The safest starting point depends on whether the skin is simply irritated, keeps changing, looks infected or appears alongside symptoms elsewhere in the body.
For a new, persistent or recurring change.
Arrange a review if a rash worries you, is severe or widespread, affects daily life, keeps returning, is not improving with self-care, or the cause is unclear.
Explore GP appointmentsWhen skin is painful, hot or rapidly changing.
Ask for an urgent GP review or use NHS 111 if skin is painful, hot and swollen, a rash is rapidly spreading, or you feel unwell with fever or flu-like symptoms.
Get help from NHS 111Call 999 or go to A&E for a spreading, painful, blistering or peeling rash after an infection or new medicine, especially with sores or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, throat or eyes.
Describe what has changed
More useful than “a rash”.
How the skin looks matters, but so do sensation, speed, distribution and any symptoms beyond the skin.
Colour and contrast
Red, pink, purple, brown, pale or darker than your usual skin tone—and whether pressure makes it fade.
Texture and surface
Flat or raised, dry or weeping, smooth or scaly, with spots, welts, crusts or blisters.
Sensation
Itching, tenderness, burning, heat, numbness or pain can each point the assessment in a different direction.
Spread and other symptoms
Where it started, how quickly it moved, and whether there is fever, swelling, joint pain or feeling generally unwell.
Skin conditions can look different across skin tones, and redness may be less obvious on brown or black skin. Describe changes from your usual colour and check for warmth, swelling, tenderness and texture rather than relying on colour alone.
A focused GP assessment
Appearance is one part of the diagnosis.
A GP can review the pattern, ask about possible triggers and decide whether remote advice is sufficient or an in-person examination, test or specialist opinion is needed.
Explore GP appointments01
Build a timeline.
When the change began, how quickly it developed, whether it comes and goes, and which symptoms appeared first.
02
Look for triggers and context.
New medicines, skincare, detergents, foods, illness, travel, insect bites, occupational exposure and similar symptoms in close contacts.
03
Choose a proportionate plan.
Depending on the likely cause, care may involve self-care, pharmacy treatment, a prescribed cream or tablet, testing, review or dermatology referral.
Gentle care while you seek advice
Calm irritation. Protect the skin.
For uncomplicated dry or itchy skin, reducing heat, fragrance and scratching may help while you arrange the most suitable advice.
01
Cool, do not overheat
Use cool or lukewarm baths or showers and hold a cool damp towel against an itchy area. Avoid long, hot showers that can dry the skin further.
02
Keep products simple
Use an unperfumed moisturiser or emollient and avoid perfumed soaps, deodorants and moisturisers on irritated skin.
03
Reduce skin damage
Pat or tap rather than scratch, keep nails short and choose loose, soft clothing. Do not use another person’s prescription cream or mix several new treatments.
Self-care is only suitable when there are no urgent warning signs. A pharmacist can recommend suitable products and explain when the pattern needs a GP assessment.
Prepare for a remote review
A useful photograph has context.
Take one image showing where the rash sits on the body and one close-up in natural light. Keep the camera steady, avoid filters, and include a ruler or familiar object if size is difficult to judge.
Note when it began, whether it is spreading, what it feels like and any new medicine or product. Only share images through the secure method provided for your consultation—do not send private clinical photographs to the general enquiries email.
Explore video and telephone GP care ↗Good to know
Questions about rashes.
Clear answers for preparing an assessment and recognising when not to wait.
Can a photograph identify the cause?
Sometimes it provides enough information for initial advice, but many rashes look alike. A clinician may need to examine the skin in person, assess temperature or swelling, or arrange a test before confirming a plan.
Can a pharmacist help with an itchy rash?
Yes, when symptoms are mild and there are no warning signs. A pharmacist can advise on emollients, cooling products and antihistamines for some causes, and direct you to a GP when needed.
When should I arrange a GP review?
Arrange a review if a new rash worries you, is severe, widespread or recurrent, affects daily life, is not improving with self-care, or comes with a lump or swelling. Itching during pregnancy should be discussed with a GP or midwife.
What if the skin is hot, painful and swollen?
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or use NHS 111. This pattern can occur with cellulitis, a skin infection that needs prompt treatment. Read NHS cellulitis guidance.
What if the rash started after a new medicine?
Tell the clinician the exact medicine and when you started it. Call 999 or go to A&E if the rash spreads quickly, becomes painful, blistered or peeling, or involves swelling or sores of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, throat or eyes.
What if my child has a rash?
Trust your judgement if your child seems seriously unwell. Call 999 or go to A&E for breathing difficulty, sudden mouth or throat swelling, unusual colour, confusion, poor responsiveness or a rash that does not fade under a glass. For urgent advice about a child under 5, call 111.
Clinical information: NHS itchy skinNHS anaphylaxisNHS meningitisNHS rashes in babies and childrenNHS cellulitisNHS Stevens-Johnson syndrome. This information is general and does not replace individual medical advice.