Skin Conditions Treated Online

Where is the problem?

Choose what bothers you most. Each page covers what it looks like, the causes, what helps, and what a doctor can do.

• Spots or redness on the faceAcne, rosacea or perioral dermatitis→
• A flaky, itchy scalpDandruff, seborrhoeic dermatitis or psoriasis→
• Sore lips or mouth cornersCold sores or angular cheilitis→
• Dry, itchy patches in the creasesEczema→
• Thick, scaly patches on elbows or kneesPsoriasis→
• A rash in the armpits or skin foldsIntertrigo or hidradenitis suppurativa→
• An itchy rash in the groinJock itch or another fungal rash→
• Sore, itchy or blistered handsContact dermatitis or pompholyx→
• Feet, toes and toenailsAthlete’s foot, fungal nails or an ingrown toenail→
• Itchy welts that come and goHives→
• A changing mole or a spot that will not healMelanoma or basal cell carcinoma→
• Itching all overItchy skin, with or without a rash→

Common skin conditions at a glance

Eczema, acne, psoriasis, fungal infections, hives, cold sores and warts are common skin conditions. Most are diagnosed by how they look and treated with creams or tablets, and most can be managed online. Moles and growths that change are the main exception: they need an in-person check.

The common skin conditions guide groups every condition by symptom, from itchy rashes to nail and scalp problems.

How to tell look-alike skin conditions apart

Several skin conditions look alike but need opposite treatment. A steroid cream helps eczema but lets a fungal infection spread, and a cold sore needs different treatment from impetigo. These are the differences doctors look for first:

What causes a rash to appear suddenly?

A rash that appears suddenly is often a reaction to something: a new soap or cosmetic, a medicine, a food, heat, stress, or an insect bite or sting. It can also be part of a viral illness, such as chickenpox. A sudden rash with swelling of the face or difficulty breathing is an emergency: call 112.

How to identify your rash

These are the questions a doctor asks first, and the answers help narrow down the cause, so have them ready for a video consultation:

• When did it begin, and how fast has it spread?
• Which parts of the body are affected, and is it on both sides?
• Have you used a new soap, lotion or cosmetic, or started a new medicine?
• Have you had an insect or tick bite, been in woods or long grass, or travelled recently?
• Do you have a fever, joint pain or a sore throat?

Gentle care helps most rashes while you wait: wash with warm, not hot, water, pat the skin dry instead of rubbing it, avoid scrubbing, and stop any cosmetic or lotion you started recently.

Skin conditions on brown and black skin

Redness can be harder to see on brown and black skin, so rashes often look purple, grey or darker brown, and some conditions show as paler patches instead. Many skin conditions also leave dark marks that take months to fade.

• Rashes: check paler areas, such as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, for a rash that does not fade under a glass.
• Pityriasis rosea: the patches can be grey, dark brown or black, and the first patch may be darker with a lighter border.
• Seborrhoeic dermatitis: very common on darker skin, where it often shows as scaly, lighter patches rather than redness.
• Pityriasis versicolor: the patches tend to be paler than the surrounding skin.
• Vitiligo and melasma: both show more on darker skin, and melasma is more common on brown skin.
• Dark marks after healing: discoid eczema, lichen planus and pityriasis rosea can leave darker patches that fade over months.
• Hives: the colour can be harder to see on brown and black skin, so look for the raised bumps and the itch.
• Keratosis pilaris: the small rough bumps on the arms and thighs can look darker than the skin rather than red.
• Fungal groin rashes: jock itch often leaves darker patches that can stay after the infection has cleared.
• Lichen planus: the bumps can look darker or purplish, with lighter streaks.

Show the skin in good daylight on a video call, and say how it looks compared with your usual skin colour.

Skin problems by season

Summer brings sunburn, heat rash, sun allergy and yeast rashes that thrive in heat and sweat. Winter brings dry, itchy skin, eczema flares, chilblains and cold urticaria, and seborrhoeic dermatitis often flares in winter and improves in summer.

Illnesses on holiday, from sunburn to frostbite, are covered in travel illnesses.

What helps most skin conditions

These steps help most rashes and itchy skin, and they are what a doctor usually suggests alongside any treatment:

• Moisturise Use an unperfumed emollient regularly, and wash with it instead of soap. Dry skin itches more.
• Avoid irritants Perfumed soaps, shower gels and bubble baths irritate most rashes. Wear loose cotton clothing.
• Do not scratch or squeeze Pat or tap itchy skin, keep nails short, and leave spots, cold sores and lumps alone: squeezing pushes infection deeper.
• Protect from the sun Shade, clothing and a broad-spectrum sunscreen prevent sunburn and help melasma, vitiligo and sun damage.

One safety point: emollients can make clothing and bedding catch fire more easily. Keep them away from naked flames and lit cigarettes, and wash clothing and bedding that they have soaked into.

Do you need a prescription?

Often not for mild problems: a pharmacist can help with emollients, mild creams and antihistamines. A doctor can help when a rash is not improving, keeps coming back, is spreading or painful, or when you are not sure what it is. Guessing has a cost: a steroid cream on a fungal infection lets it spread, and an antifungal cream does nothing for eczema.

When should I see a doctor about a skin problem?

Book a consultation if:

• a rash has not improved with self-care, keeps coming back, or is spreading
• your skin is very itchy, sore or affecting your sleep or daily life
• you are not sure what it is, or it looks different from usual
• a mole is new or changing, or a growth is getting bigger or has changed colour or texture
• an area of skin hurts, itches, bleeds, crusts or scabs for more than 4 weeks
• you are pregnant, have diabetes or a weakened immune system, and have a new rash or skin infection

Can an online doctor treat skin conditions?

What the doctor can do online

The doctor listens, looks at any photos you share and decides with you what helps. If a medicine is the right answer, the doctor prescribes it. If you need an examination, a test or urgent care, the doctor tells you where to go.

• Warning signs checked first Spreading infection, severe allergic reactions and the signs of a serious rash are checked first, and you are sent to the right care if any is likely.
• A diagnosis, not a guess The doctor looks at the pattern, asks how it started, and tells look-alikes apart before suggesting treatment.
• Treatment that suits you Before suggesting any cream or tablet, the doctor asks about pregnancy, your other medicines and conditions.
• A plan for the weeks ahead How long to use each treatment, what to expect, and which signs mean you should be seen in person.

Skin health tools

Free tools on Mobi Doctor:

• Symptom Navigator→Pick a body area, including skin, hair and nails, or type a symptom to find the right page
• Climate Health Index→Daily heat, UV, pollen and air quality scores for European cities
• European Travel Health Index→Destinations rated on summer heat, mosquitoes, tap water and access to doctors
• Medicine Shortage Tracker→Live shortage reports for medicines across Europe, from official registers

All skin and nail conditions

Most of these can be assessed and treated online. Each page covers the symptoms, causes and treatment, and the signs that need in-person care.

How Mobi Doctor works

1. Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CET. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
2. Speak to a licensed doctor about your skin: show the problem on camera in good daylight, share photos of how it has changed, and say what you have tried.
3. Leave with a plan: what to do, what to use and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.

Frequently asked questions about skin conditions

Related conditions

Insect bites and stings Travel illnesses Alopecia Genital warts Blepharitis Hay fever All conditions

From the Mobi Doctor blog