Chickenpox: Symptoms and Treatment

Chickenpox is one of the most common infectious diseases in childhood, but did you know that it can also affect adults and teenagers? It is a frequent illness, but one that raises many questions. At FarmaciasDirect, we explain everything you need to know about chickenpox and the measures you should take for its prevention and treatment.

What is chickenpox?

Chickenpox is an infectious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus, from the herpesvirus family. It can affect people of any age, although symptoms are more severe in adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. Remember that chickenpox in babies or chickenpox in adults can also occur.

Once the infection has passed, the virus does not disappear. It stays in the body in a latent, “dormant” state and can reappear in the form of shingles.

Symptoms of chickenpox

Chickenpox is characterised by the following symptoms:

• Fever
• Feeling unwell and tiredness
• Loss of appetite
• Headache
• Skin eruptions or rashes that are very characteristic because of their red appearance. These then develop into blisters and later into scabs.
• Intense itching

These symptoms appear 10 to 21 days after infection. Not everyone experiences the symptoms with the same intensity, with adults usually being more severely affected than children.

Is chickenpox contagious?

Yes, chickenpox is highly contagious, but how does chickenpox spread? It can be transmitted in two ways:

• Airborne route: it reaches us through droplets released by an infected person when coughing, talking or sneezing.
• Direct contact: it spreads if we touch the lesions.

A person with chickenpox can begin spreading it 1 to 2 days before the first lesion appears. They will remain contagious until all the scabs have disappeared.

How long does chickenpox last?

Chickenpox usually lasts 7 to 10 days, although it may last a little longer depending on how long the scabs take to heal.

Possible complications

Chickenpox is a disease that, when managed properly, should not lead to complications. These are uncommon, but possible complications include:

• Varicella pneumonia, more common in adults.
• Secondary bacterial skin infections, due to scratching.
• Neurological complications, in very isolated cases.

Stages of chickenpox

Chickenpox develops as follows:

1. Incubation phase: no visible symptoms.
2. Prodromal phase: symptoms appear and usually begin 10 to 21 days after infection.
3. Eruptive phase: the lesions appear. The rash then develops into blisters and later scabs.
4. Healing phase: the scabs fall off. If they have not been scratched, no scars will remain.

How to treat chickenpox

The viral process should be under medical control and follow-up. A doctor will usually prescribe and recommend:

• Antipyretic medicines, to reduce fever.
• Antihistamine medicines, to relieve itching.
• Drying lotions, for the scabs.
• Soothing lotions, to calm itching and restore comfort to the skin.
• Specific antiviral medicines, if considered appropriate.

Short showers are recommended, using gentle products such as washing oils. It is also important to keep nails short to avoid damage caused by scratching and help calm the itching.

Preventing chickenpox

The main preventive measure against chickenpox is vaccination. In fact, it is included in the childhood vaccination schedule, although it is also recommended for vulnerable people who have not had the illness before.

Other effective measures for prevention include:

• Hand hygiene.
• Avoiding contact with infected people.
• Remaining isolated during the contagious phase.

Chickenpox and scars

As we have seen, during the course of chickenpox, different types of skin lesions appear and they cause a lot of itching, which is a very uncomfortable symptom. Faced with this, we naturally tend to scratch, but this is something we should avoid if we do not want scars to remain. To help with this, we recommend:

• Keep nails short; if scratching happens, there will at least be less risk of injury.
• Avoid scratching.
• Do not pick the scabs.
• Apply topical products that soothe itching.
• Keep the skin well hydrated to support skin recovery.