4 Types of Neck Rashes and How to Treat Them 

Different infections can cause a neck rash. A mild episode can be treated with simple home remedies, but some types of rashes may require medical attention.

Getting a neck rash right before an important date or event can be itchy, annoying, and uncomfortable. Its appearance and level of discomfort you feel depends on the cause of the rash. It can develop on your neck in different shades of brown, red, or purple. It may feel itchy, hot, painful, and may be accompanied by spots, bumps, scaly skin, or blisters.

Here is everything you need to know about some possible causes and how to treat a neck rash using natural remedies. 

What are the Most Common Causes of a Neck Rash? 

A neck rash is a common skin condition that is attributed to allergies. It can also be caused by stress, contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis or eczema, psoriasis, autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and bacterial, fungal, viral or parasitic infections.

Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believe that people with two specific body types – Yin Deficiency and Damp-Heat constitution – are more prone to a neck rash than others.

Bacterial infections 

Some types of bacteria live on human skin but don’t do any damage to your body. However, infections can occur if you have a cut, open wound, or broken skin.

One type of bacterial skin condition is impetigo, which is caused by a bacteria called Group A Streptococcus. Symptoms will become noticeable within one to three days and appear as small, itchy red spots. These spots will turn into blisters that ooze fluid and form a crust when they start to heal. Your lymph nodes may also swell, but you won’t have a fever.

Another skin infection worth knowing is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which manifests from broken skin, especially in hairy areas. MRSA causes fever and appears as red and swollen skin bumps that are warm and painful to the touch. These bumps may also contain bacteria-filled pus or fluid.

Fungal infections 

Anyone can get a neck fungal rash but it’s more common if you: 

• Are pregnant 
• Have diabetes 

• Experience urinary incontinence 
• Sweat heavily or break out in sweat easily 
• Are undergoing chemotherapy 
• Are using new skincare products 
• Are taking antibiotics long-term or on a high dose  

• Have a weak immune system or a disease that weakens your immune system  

A fungal rash called tinea versicolor develops from the excessive growth of a specific type of skin yeast. A large patch or patches of skin that are of a lighter or darker shade than your normal skin tone are the most prominent characteristic of the rash. You may also feel itchiness in the affected areas, especially in a hot environment. 

Viral infections 

A condition that causes neck rashes are viral infections. There are three ways a virus can trigger the appearance of a neck rash. The rash can be a by-product of skin damage, or your body’s immune response to the virus. It may also be a physical reaction to toxins that the virus produces.

Viruses with a skin rash as a common symptom are: 

• COVID-19 
• Hepatitis 
• Chickenpox or Shingle
• Roseola infantum 
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 
• Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) 

The rash appears as spots, bumps or blotches on your skin, and may itch. 

Parasitic infections  

It may sound like something out of a horror movie, but you could get a rash from a parasitic infection. Parasites are small worms or insects that dig their way into the skin to lay eggs. These organisms can also live off human blood.

Human itch mites can do both, triggering an itchy skin rash called scabies.

Treatment Options for a Neck Rash 

Most neck rashes can be treated through basic home care. You can treat mild neck rashes with simple skin care practices as part of your primary care regimen. Avoid scrubbing your skin and applying cosmetic lotions or ointments directly on the rash as these may cause further irritation.

Use gentle cleansers and warm water instead to clean your skin. Pat dry the affected area and leave it exposed to air. Consider cleansing your skin with an invigorating oatmeal bath. 

Calamine lotion or Hydrocortisone cream (1%) are available with or without a prescription and can also help soothe a neck rash.

Should you notice any of these signs, you must consult a healthcare provider immediately: 

• If you suspect you have a tick bite 
• Have joint pain, fever, or a sore throat 

• Have a purple rash that looks similar to skin bruising 
• Have streaks of redness, swelling, or very tender skin areas 
• Are short of breath, feel tightness in the throat, and have a swollen face 

Take the natural route 

Try Honeysuckle (jin yin hua, 金银花), which has anti-bacterial properties and promotes good digestion. It also helps ease allergy symptoms by eliminating toxins and pathogens from the body.   

To brew honeysuckle tea, steep six grams of dried honeysuckle into a pot and with 300 millilitres (ml) of water for 10 minutes before drinking. 

Like honeysuckle, Chinese skullcap roots (huang qin, 黄芩) have the abilities to calm allergic reactions, get rid of pathogens, and cool the body.

Undergo traditional physical therapy 

Another treatment to consider is cupping therapy, which Physician Goh advocates to: 

• Ease muscle tension 

• Regulate imbalances in the body 
• Release excess qi and encourage the circulation of Stagnant Qi 

To suppress inflammation and remove Heat from the body, you can self-massage acupoints like qu chi (LI11, 曲池) and tai yuan (LU9, 太渊). 

Try the tips and natural remedies outlined above and know when to seek medical assistance from a dermatologist to reduce neck rash episodes. Alternative remedies may help, provided you consult a TCM practitioner beforehand.

If you’d like to share other causes and treatments for a neck rash, tell us in the comments section below.