How does inflammation affect my skin?

Topic Progress:

What is skin inflammation?

Your immune system is important for maintaining your overall health. It works to detect and neutralise foreign invaders, such as infectious microbes and even cancer cells. When this happens, inflammation can occur.

Like any other part of your body, your skin can be involved in immune responses. Inflammation in the skin often causes a rash to form.

This is typically the response from your immune system to conditions such as:

infections
internal disease or condition
allergic reaction

What are the symptoms of skin inflammation?

Some of the symptoms of skin inflammation can include:

rash which may vary depending on the cause of the inflammation
may be smooth or scaly
may itch, burn, or sting
may be flat or raised
skin redness
warmth in the affected area
blisters or pimples
raw or cracked areas of skin that may bleed
thickening of skin in the affected area

What causes skin inflammation?

Inflammation occurs when your immune system responds to a stimulus or trigger. There are many different types of cells in the immune system that are involved in inflammation.

These cells release a variety of substances that can widen blood vessels and make them more permeable. This allows the immune response to reach the affected area more easily. It also leads to many of the symptoms associated with inflammation, including redness, heat, and swelling.