What Does Shingles Look Like?

What does shingles look like?

You probably know that shingles is a rash, and that it can have other symptoms such as headache, pain and flu like symptoms. You probably also know that the rash can be painful, but what does this condition look like?

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A note about What Does Shingles Look Like?

In natural health and healing, we believe in holistic health and healing, as we realize that different parts of the human body are highly interlinked, often beyond Man's understanding. We also believe that the body has the ability to heal itself of any disease, even supposedly incurable diseases.

In order to do so, the body needs the support of some basic dietary and lifestyle good health habits, such as a full body detox and a proper understanding and application of nutrition. No matter how remote or unrelated a health condition may seem, these fundamental health steps will greatly magnify the effects and benefits of any of our health-promoting efforts, including the use of specific natural health remedies.

Would you be able to identify shingles on yourself or someone else if you saw it, or would you think it was just another type of dermatitis?

Many people really dont have a clear idea of what shingles looks like, so when they see a blistery rash, they may not associate it with shingles right away. Knowing about what does shingles looks like can help you to properly identify the virus, which can in turn help you to treat it, thus likely resulting in a shorter healing time.

What does Shingles look like - Similarities with Chicken Pox

Much like the chicken pox, a shingles rash eventually becomes bumps with blisters on them. The bumps in both cases are red and usually burn or itch.

The blisters in both chicken pox and shingles will eventually pop and crust over. This, though, is usually where the similarities between chicken pox and shingles rash end.

What does Shingles look like - How it is Different from Chicken Pox

Chicken pox is usually more itchy than painful, and it only lasts for about a week. Shingles, on the other hand, will usually last about a month, as blisters continually form.

What does shingles look like? See, where chicken pox might look like pimples with individual pustules, shingles rash is clustered more closely together and, often, blisters form on top of older blisters in a few days. This rash is unnaturally red and usually hurts.

A bad case of shingles is something that usually hurts others to look at. It may be located around the ribs, and the pustules are quite a bit smaller than a chicken pox might look.

A key point to bear in mind in figuring out what does shingles look like is that, unlike the chicken pox, a shingles rash usually doesnt occur all over the body. Often, shingles will only appear on one side of the body and in a cluster. These patches of rash usually occur in bands on the body. Look for them around the abdomen, on only one side of the body.

Also, look on the side of the face or on the forehead for a shingles rash. If an area begins to tingle, burn or itch, keep an eye on it to see if excessive redness and tiny, blister-like bumps develop, as this is very likely shingles.

Eventually, the blisters will pop and ooze for a while before crusting over. What does shingles look like when it is crusted over? After shingles has crusted over, it often looks like a batch of healing scabs. It is at this time that the virus can no longer be spread. For many, this is about the time that the shingles rash is no longer painful.

Is Shingles Contagious?

Besides the question of what does shingles look like, another question is - is shingles contagious?

The answer is yes. But there are certain unique circumstances.

The shingles virus can be spread from an afflicted person to another person who has not been hit by chicken pox. But, for this to take place, new blisters would still have to be forming, while old blisters are healing. Spread takes place through direct contact with an infected person's open sores. However, the freshly infected person will not get shingles, but will instead get chicken pox (the two ailments are caused by the same virus).

So, if you or someone you love has shingles, it is a good idea to make sure that the affected area is covered if the blisters are popping or oozing, and that the infected person is not around people who might be susceptible to the chicken pox.

As for those who have already been hit by chicken pox, they already have the virus lying "dormant" in their bodies, so they cannot catch the shingles virus from another person. However, because the virus is already in their bodies, there is a chance that they could develop shingles later on in their lives.

Often, shingles surfaces in persons with compromised immunity, such as those aged above 60, those under a lot of stress, those with AIDS or undergoing chemotherapy, or those suffering from some other debilitating disease.

Estimates suggest that, every year, about half a million persons get shingles in the United States.

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