The infection mostly affects children but anyone of any age can get it. It usually clears up within one or two weeks without needing to see a GP. However, the main symptom of an itchy, spotty rash can be miserable to live with for that time.
Calamine lotion is usually a popular treatment for chickenpox, as well as a number of skin ailments including sunburn, eczema, insect bites and a skin reaction to poison ivy.
It works by causing a cooling sensation as it evaporates on your skin.
However, there are other options available that can have similar effects when it comes to treating chickenpox.
A popular alternative to calamine is the use of an oatmeal bath.
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According to WebMD the oatmeal “binds to your skin and forms a protective barrier”.
It explains: “It also helps hold in moisture and ease inflammation.”
To create an oatmeal bath the following steps are advised.
Make sure the water is lukewarm, not hot.
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A chickenpox rash usually develops in three stages.
It starts as small spots anywhere on the body, which then become blisters and eventually scabs.
Before or after the rash appears, you might also get:
- A high temperature
- Aches and pains, and generally feeling unwell
- Loss of appetite.
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