Differential Diagnosis for Pustular Rash
- Single most likely diagnosis
- Acne vulgaris: This is the most common condition associated with a pustular rash, particularly in adolescents and young adults. It is characterized by comedones, papules, pustules, and sometimes cysts and nodules.
- Other Likely diagnoses
- Folliculitis: An inflammatory condition of the hair follicles, often caused by bacterial or fungal infections, leading to pustules around the hair follicles.
- Impetigo: A highly contagious skin infection that can cause pustules, typically seen in children, caused by Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes.
- Pustular psoriasis: A rare type of psoriasis characterized by the widespread appearance of pustules, often accompanied by erythema and scaling.
- Do Not Miss (ddxs that may not be likely, but would be deadly if missed.)
- Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS): A condition caused by staphylococcal toxins that can lead to widespread skin exfoliation and can be life-threatening, especially in infants and young children.
- Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN): A severe skin condition usually triggered by medications, leading to widespread skin necrosis and detachment, which can be fatal if not promptly treated.
- Gonococcal infection: In sexually active individuals, a pustular rash could be a manifestation of a disseminated gonococcal infection, which requires immediate antibiotic treatment.
- Rare diagnoses
- Subcorneal pustular dermatosis: A rare skin condition characterized by the formation of pustules just beneath the stratum corneum, often associated with autoimmune disorders.
- Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP): A rare skin condition usually triggered by medications or infections, characterized by numerous small pustules on a background of erythema.
- Pustular dermatophytid: A rare condition associated with a fungal infection elsewhere in the body, leading to a pustular rash, often on the palms or soles.