The rash is composed of small papular lesions, each on a separate reddened base.

Erythema toxicum neonatorum (also known as erythema toxicum, urticaria neonatorum and toxic erythema of the newborn) is a common rash in neonates. It appears in up to half of newborns carried to term, usually between day 2–5 after birth; it does not occur outside the neonatal period.

Erythema toxicum is characterized by blotchy red spots on the skin with overlying white or yellow papules or pustules. These lesions may be few or numerous. The eruption typically resolves within first two weeks of life, and frequently individual lesions will appear and disappear within minutes or hours. It is a benign condition thought to cause no discomfort to the baby.

The rings are barely raised and are non-itchy. The face is generally spared.

It occurs in less than 5% of patients with rheumatic fever, but is considered a major Jones criterion when it does occur. The four other major criteria include carditis, polyarthritis, Sydenham's Chorea, and subcutaneous nodules. In this case, it is often associated with Group A streptococcal infection, otherwise known as "Streptococcus pyogenes" infection, which can be detected with an ASO titer.

It is an early feature of rheumatic fever and not pathognomonic of it. It may be associated with mild myocarditis (inflammation of heart muscle). It is also seen in conditions like allergic drug reactions, sepsis and glomerulonephritis.

It often occurs as a harbinger of attacks in hereditary angioedema. In this case it may occur several hours or up to a day before an attack.

The condition varies from a mild, self-limited rash (E. multiforme minor) to a severe, life-threatening form known as erythema multiformer major (or erythema multiforme majus) that also involves mucous membranes.

Consensus classification:

- Erythema multiforme minor—typical targets or raised, edematous papules distributed

- Erythema multiforme major—typical targets or raised, edematous papules distributed acrally with involvement of one or more mucous membranes; epidermal detachment involves less than 10% of total body surface area (TBSiA)

- SJS/TEN—widespread blisters predominant on the trunk and face, presenting with erythematous or pruritic macules and one or more mucous membrane erosions; epidermal detachment is less than 10% TBSA for Stevens-Johnson syndrome and 30% or more for toxic epidermal necrolysis.

The mild form usually presents with mildly itchy (but itching can be very severe), pink-red blotches, symmetrically arranged and starting on the extremities. It often takes on the classical "target lesion" appearance, with a pink-red ring around a pale center. Resolution within 7–10 days is the norm.

Individuals with persistent (chronic) erythema multiforme will often have a lesion form at an injury site, e.g. a minor scratch or abrasion, within a week. Irritation or even pressure from clothing will cause the erythema sore to continue to expand along its margins for weeks or months, long after the original sore at the center heals.

Erythema (redness) multiforme (EM) is usually a reaction of the skin and mucous membranes that occurs suddenly. It appears as a symmetrical rash and may include the mucous membrane lesions. This means that the body is sensitive to something that causes the skin and mucous membranes to react. The more common mild form is refer to as EM minor. It consists of a skin rash that involve no more than one mucosal surface. The sudden onset will progress rapidly as symmetrical lesions with circular color changes in some or all of the lesions. Rash will spread towards center or trunk of the body. Evenly distributed bumps on the skin become classic iris or target lesions. They have bright red borders and small white bumps in the center.

The cause of EM appears to be a highly sensitive reaction that can be triggered by a variety of causes. The causes can include bacterial, viral or chemical products, such as antibiotics – specifically penicillins or cephalosporins. This reaction is an allergic reaction and is in no way contagious.

Erythema multiforme minus is sometimes divided into papular and vesiulobullous forms.

Erythema nodosum is characterised by nodules (rounded lumps) below the skin surface, usually on the shins. These subcutaneous nodules can appear anywhere on the body, but the most common sites are the shins, arms, thighs, and torso. Each nodule typically disappears after around two weeks, though new one may continue to form for up to six or eight weeks. A new nodule usually appears red and is hot and firm to touch. The redness starts to fade and it gradually becomes softer and smaller until it disappears. Each nodule usually heals completely without scarring over the course of about two weeks. Joint pain and inflammation sometimes continues for several weeks or months after the nodules appear.

Less common variants of erythema nodosum include:

- Ulcerating forms, seen in Crohn's disease

- Erythema contusiforme, when a subcutaneous hemorrhage (bleeding under the skin) occurs with a erythema nodosum lesion, causing the lesion to look like a contusion (bruise)

- Erythema nodosum migrans (also known as subacute nodular migratory panniculitis), a rare form of chronic erythema nodosum characterized by asymmetrical nodules that are mildly tender and migrate over time.

The first signs of erythema nodosum are often flu-like symptoms such as a fever, cough, malaise, and aching joints. Some people also experience stiffness or swelling in the joints and weight loss.

Erythema disappears on finger pressure (blanching), while purpura or bleeding in the skin and pigmentation do not. There is no temperature elevation, unless it is associated with the dilation of arteries in the deeper layer of the skin.

Occurring at any age these lesions appear as raised pink-red ring or bulls-eye marks. They range in size from . The lesions sometimes increase size and spread over time and may not be complete rings but irregular shapes. Distribution is usually on the thighs and legs but can also appear on the upper extremities, areas not exposed to sunlight, trunk or face. Currently EAC is not known to be contagious, but as many cases are incorrectly diagnosed as EAC, it is difficult to be certain.

Erythema (from the Greek "erythros", meaning red) is redness of the skin or mucous membranes, caused by hyperemia (increased blood flow) in superficial capillaries. It occurs with any skin injury, infection, or inflammation. Examples of erythema not associated with pathology include nervous blushes.

Erythema multiforme (EM) is a skin condition of unknown cause; it is a type of erythema possibly mediated by deposition of immune complexes (mostly IgM-bound complexes) in the superficial microvasculature of the skin and oral mucous membrane that usually follows an infection or drug exposure. It is an uncommon disorder, with peak incidence in the second and third decades of life. The disorder has various forms or presentations, which its name reflects ("multiforme", "", from "" + ""). Target lesions are a typical manifestation. Two types, one mild to moderate and one severe, are recognized (erythema multiforme minor and erythema multiforme major).

The erythema migrans rash is classically 5 to 6.8 cm in diameter, appearing as an annular homogenous erythema (59%), central erythema (30%), central clearing (9%), or central purpura (2%). Because of the "bull's-eye" description to describe the Lyme disease rash, the condition commonly called ringworm is sometimes confused with Lyme disease. Uncommonly, EM may be less than 5 cm in diameter. Multiple painless EM rashes may occur, indicating disseminated infection.

The EM rash occurs in 80% to 90% of those infected with "Borrelia". A systematic review of the medical literature showed 80% of patients have an expanding EM rash, at the site of the tick bite, although some patients with EM do not recall a tick bite. In endemic areas of the United States, homogeneously red rashes are more frequent.

Advocates of a diagnosis called "chronic lyme disease" dispute the generally accepted incidence of the rash, claiming it occurs in less than 50% of infections.

"Erythema migrans is the only manifestation of Lyme disease in the United States that is sufficiently distinctive to allow clinical diagnosis in the absence of laboratory confirmation." It is a pathognomonic sign: a physician-identified rash warrants an instant diagnosis of Lyme disease and immediate treatment without further testing, even by the strict criteria of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Such target lesions (bull's-eye rashes) are characteristic of "Borrelia" infections, and no other pathogens are known that cause this form of rash. It is also true, though, that the rash in Lyme disease may also be solid rather than bullseye-shaped, so self-diagnosis cannot rule out Lyme disease, and a doctor visit is advisable.

Erythema multiforme major (also known as "erythema multiforme majus") is a form of rash with skin loss or epidermal detachment.

The term "erythema multiforme majus" is sometimes used to imply a bullous (blistering) presentation.

According to some sources, there are two conditions included on a spectrum of this same disease process:

- Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS)

- Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) which described by Alan Lyell and previously called Lyell syndrome[5].

In this view, EM major, SJS and TEN are considered a single condition, distinguished by degree of epidermal detachment.

However, a consensus classification separates erythema multiforme minor, erythema multiforme major, and SJS/TEN as three separate entities.

The areas most affected are the toes, fingers, earlobes, nose.

- Blistering of affected area

- Burning and itching sensation in extremities

- Dermatitis in extremities

- Digital ulceration (severe cases only)

- Erythema (blanchable redness of the skin)

- Pain in affected area

- Skin discoloration, red to dark blue

Chilblains usually heal within 7–14 days.

Id reactions (also known as "disseminated eczema," and "generalized eczema") are types of acute dermatitis developing after days or weeks at skin locations distant from the initial inflammatory or infectious site. They can be localised or generalised. This is also known as an 'autoeczematous response' and there must be an identifiable initial inflammatory or infectious skin problem which leads to the generalised eczema. Often, intensely itchy, the red papules and pustules can also be associated with blisters and scales and are always remote from the primary lesion. It is most commonly a blistering rash with itchy vesicles on the sides of fingers and feet as a reaction to fungal infection on the feet, athlete's foot. Stasis dermatitis, Allergic contact dermatitis, Acute irritant contact eczema and Infective dermatitis have been documented as possible triggers, but the exact cause and mechanism is not fully understood. Several other types of id reactions exist including erythema nodosum, erythema multiforme, Sweet's syndrome and urticaria.

Erythema anulare centrifugum (EAC), also known as deep gyrate erythema, erythema perstans, palpable migrating erythema and superficial gyrate erythema, is a descriptive term for a class of skin lesion presenting redness (erythema) in a ring form ("anulare") that spreads from a center ("centrifugum"). It was first described by Darier in 1916. Many different terms have been used to classify these types of lesions and it is still controversial on what exactly defines EAC. Some of the types include annular erythema (deep and superficial), erythema perstans, erythema gyratum perstans, erythema gyratum repens, darier erythema (deep gyrate erythema) and erythema figuratum perstans.

Fever and a non specific skin eruption – with reddening (erythema) and swelling (oedema) of the skin – are the most common symptoms of NEH. Patients usually present with the skin eruption 1-2 weeks after use of the cytotoxic drug. Sometimes, the skin eruption can be painful. Skin eruptions can be located on the extremities, trunk, and face. Severe lesions are rare, and can mimic cellulitis. Generalised lesions resembling erythema multiforme have been reported.

Chilblains — also known as pernio, chill burns and perniosis — is a medical condition that occurs when a predisposed individual is exposed to cold and humidity, causing tissue damage. It is often confused with frostbite and trench foot. Damage to capillary beds in the skin causes redness, itching, inflammation, and sometimes blisters. Chilblains can be reduced by keeping the feet and hands warm in cold weather, and avoiding extreme temperature changes. Chilblains can be idiopathic (spontaneous and unrelated to another disease), but may also be a manifestation of another serious medical condition that must be investigated. A history of chilblains suggests a connective tissue disease (such as lupus). In infants, chilblains together with severe neurologic disease and unexplained fevers occurs in Aicardi–Goutières syndrome, a rare inherited condition.

Causes include infection with dermatophytosis, Mycobacterium, viruses, bacteria and parasites. Eczematous conditions including contact allergic dermatitis and stasis dermatitis as well as stitches and trauma have also been associated with id reactions. Radiation treatment of tinea capitis has been reported as triggering an id reaction.

Irritant diaper dermatitis is a generic term applied to skin rashes in the diaper area that are caused by various skin disorders and/or irritants.

Generic "diaper rash" or "irritant diaper dermatitis" (IDD) is characterized by joined patches of erythema and scaling mainly seen on the surfaces, with the skin folds spared.

Diaper dermatitis with secondary bacterial or fungal involvement tends to spread to surfaces (i.e. skin folds), as well as convex surfaces, and often exhibits a central red, beefy erythema with satellite pustules around the border.

It is usually considered a form of irritant contact dermatitis. The word "diaper" is in the name not because the diaper itself causes the rash but rather because the rash is associated with diaper use, being caused by the materials trapped by the diaper (usually feces). Allergic contact dermatitis has also been suggested, but there is little evidence for this cause. In adults with incontinence (fecal, urinary, or both), the rash is sometimes called incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD).

The term diaper candidiasis is used when a fungal origin is identified. The distinction is critical because the treatment (antifungals) is completely different.

Urticarial erythema multiforme is an unusual reaction virtually always associated with antibiotic ingestions, characterized by skin lesions that consist of urticarial papules and plaques, some of which clear centrally forming annular lesions, but with no true urticarial lesions.

Gianotti–Crosti syndrome mainly affects infants and young children. Children as young as 1.5 months and up to 12 years of age are reported to be affected. It is generally recognized as a papular or papulovesicular skin rash occurring mainly on the face and distal aspects of the four limbs. Purpura is generally not seen but may develop upon tourniquet test. However, extensive purpura without any hemorrhagic disorder has been reported. The presence of less lesions on the trunk does not exclude the diagnosis. Lymphadenopathy and hepatomegaly are sometimes noted. Raised AST and ALT levels with no rise in conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin levels are sometimes detectable, although the absence of such does not exclude the diagnosis. Spontaneous disappearance of the rash usually occurs after 15 to 60 days.

The diagnosis of IDD is made clinically, by observing the limitation of an erythematous eruption to the convex surfaces of the genital area and buttocks. If the diaper dermatitis occurs for greater than 3 days it may be colonized with "Candida albicans", giving it the beefy red, sharply marginated, appearance of diaper candidiasis.