Rash examination

Question 1

look

Answer 1

• Symmetry of distribution (ie bilateral or unilateral)
• Localised or generalized
• Any particular sites or surfaces favoured (eg extensors in
  psoriasis)
• The sites that are actually affected

Question 2

what is a discrete rash

Answer 2

lesions are solitary and sit apart from each other

Question 3

what is a coalescing rash

Answer 3

there are obvious individual lesions which are
joining together in some areas

Question 4

what is a confluent rash

Answer 4

the whole area of skin is affected, with no normal skin in between individual lesions

Question 5

morphology

Answer 5

• Colour
• Border (well-defined, poorly defined, regular, irregular)
• Morphology (papules, nodules, vesicles, plaques, bullae,
  etc)
• Size
• Additional features and surface changes (scale, crust, lichenification, excoriation, etc)