What's That Rash?

A visual guide to itch and redness relief

When cold weather ushers in dry, red, itchy skin, you probably feel like an unlucky contestant on a rash-guessing quiz show: Is it dry skin...or some exotic flesh-eating bacteria you heard about on the news? The bacteria's a long shot, but what you might mistake for simple dryness could be a skin disease that gets worse in the winter and needs targeted treatment to heal.

"The skin is the largest organ in the body, and you need to moisturize it in the winter," advises Neera Agarwal-Antal, MD, a dermatologist in private practice at Hudson Dermatology in Hudson, Ohio. It's no fun to play "What's That Rash?" but your fabulous prize can be finally finding relief.

Warning: Graphic images ahead

Next page: The itch that becomes a rash

Photo: Getty Images