What do shingles look like at the beginning?

When the rash starts, you may notice pink or red blotchy patches on one side of your body. These patches cluster along nerve pathways. Some people report feeling shooting pain in the area of the rash. During this initial stage, shingles is not contagious.

What do shingles look like on skin?

The blisters may look like chickenpox, but they are clustered together. The shingles rash can vary in color, depending on your skin tone. On darker skin, the rash may be pink, grayish, dark brown, or even purple. On lighter skin, it will be red.

How can you identify shingles?

Usually you get the shingles rash on your chest and tummy, but it can appear anywhere on your body including on your face, eyes and genitals. The rash appears as blotches on your skin, on 1 side of your body only. A rash on both the left and right of your body is unlikely to be shingles.

What rash looks like shingles but isn t?

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that is easy to confuse with the shingles rash. As with the shingles virus, psoriasis forms red patches on the skin, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. One type of psoriasis — pustular — can lead to the development of blisters.

Do I need to see a doctor for mild shingles?

If you have any signs of shingles, such as pain or itching on one side, or a rash, you should also call your doctor. Even if you’ve already seen your doctor for shingles, you should get medical care right away if the rash starts to spread to your face.

Will shingles go away if left untreated?

Generally, a case of shingles rash resolves within 3 to 4 weeks. It can resolve without treatment, but antiviral treatment can shorten both the duration and severity of the rash.

Is it OK to be around someone with shingles?

If you have shingles, you should: Cover the rash, avoid touching or scratching the rash and wash your hands often to prevent the spread of the virus. Avoid close contact with people until the rash blisters heal (develop crusts). It is essential to avoid contact with people at higher risk from chickenpox infection.