3 Ways to Treat a Syphilis Rash

1. Get a Confirmed Diagnosis of Syphilis

Shortly after you become infected with the bacteria that cause syphilis, you may notice a painless open sore on your genitals. Although it may seem trivial, it's never normal to have an open sore there. Visit your doctor or a clinic and ask if you can be tested for syphilis. Your doctor may also suggest tests for other sexually transmitted diseases.

If you ignore or don't notice the sore that comes in the first stage of syphilis, you are likely to develop the second stage within weeks. Again, see your doctor or visit a clinic if you have a rash on your hands and/or feet. These are the most common sites for the syphilis rash, but it can also appear anywhere on your body and take almost any appearance. To be safe, get medical advice about the possibility of syphilis. Ask your sex partners if they have a history of similar symptoms or confirmed syphilis. Your doctor has several ways to test for syphilis.

2. Take the Antibiotics Your Doctor Prescribes

This is the easy part. If you have early syphilis, or syphilis for less than a year, the infection can be cured with a single shot of penicillin. If you're allergic to penicillin, don't worry. Your doctor has other antibiotics that will also work, but you may need to take them by mouth for several weeks. If you need treatment with oral medication, follow your doctor's directions and finish all of the medication. If you don't, you'll remain susceptible to more advanced stages of this infection.

If you have more advanced syphilis, you may need more than one penicillin injection or more than a few weeks' treatment with oral antibiotics.

Your doctor should warn you that in the hours after you get a penicillin shot for syphilis, you may experience a reaction characterized by fever, chills, headache, nausea, and general aching and fatigue. This is called the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. Don't worry about it. The symptoms will go away within 24 hours.

To avoid spreading the infection, don't have sex until your treatment is complete. You can get reinfected even if you've had syphilis once, so making sure your partners are treated is good for them--and you. Your doctor will do follow-up blood tests at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after treatment to make sure the infection is gone.

3. Take Good Care of Your Skin

The rash associated with syphilis is rarely uncomfortable, itchy or painful. And frankly, it's the least of your worries if you have syphilis. The best advice is to keep your skin clean but avoid harsh soaps and cleansers. These products won't help the rash heal faster, and it's possible that they could cause the rash to worsen. If your rash does become troublesome, go back to your doctor and ask for advice about keeping your skin comfortable until you heal.