1. Control Environmental Factors
Believe it or not, simply by increasing your intake of water and reducing your exposure to dry air, you can potentially substantially reduce the severity and duration of HIV-related face rashes. Avoid hot tubs, dry climates and other factors, medications or habits which can dry up the skin. Similarly, you may want to install a mild humidifier in your room at night to keep your skin moist. In addition, don't scrub your skin dry after you get out of the shower. Pat it with a mild cloth, so as not to abrade the affected area any more than needed.
2. Use Lotions, Ointments and Oils
Most off-the-shelf lotions with standard moisturizing ingredients (like cocoa butter, vitamin E and silicon) can work wonders in terms of medicating HIV-related rashes. Again, avoid meds or ointments that contain drying elements, like alcohol. Similarly, use good sense whenever you expose your skin to sunlight. Wear a hat, use sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection and dress in clothing that doesn't constrict your skin or abrade it. Oatmeal baths, calamine lotion and almond paste oils can also help.
3. Avoid/Treat Infection
As an HIV patient, you may be more susceptible to certain kinds of fungal or viral infections. If your face rash exhibits an unusual pattern that may indicate, for instance, a bacterial infection, speak to your physician about a course of treatment. In general, if you see a rash change rapidly, spread across a new region of your face or body, or fail to respond to the standard treatments described above, it may behoove you to get a professional medical consultation.
4. Practice Good Hygiene
If you scratch at your rashes or fail to change your bandages often, you can spread skin conditions around on your body and even impact other people. Obviously, you don't want to over treat or over wash your skin, as that can lead to problems in its own right. But simply by keeping your fingernails trimmed, your bandage dresses fresh and your clothes clean, you can go a long way towards reducing and preventing the prevalence of future rashes.
