What Causes Shingles? — Viral Skin Infections

A healthcare entrepreneur with extensive medical experience, Dr. Rajan Bhatt holds membership with several professional organizations, including the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. For over a decade, he has served as the CEO of Spectrum Dermatology, Spectrum Plastic Surgery, and Valley Surgery Center. Dr. Rajan Bhatt is committed to providing treatment to patients with various skin conditions, such as viral infections.

Skin conditions are sometimes caused by viruses. Shingles is a dermatological condition that appears as a line of fluid-filled blisters on a particular area of the skin. The blisters, which are caused by viruses, often appear reddish and can produce a tingling sensation. For some people, the affected region feels numb.

The virus that causes shingles is called the varicella-zoster virus; it causes chickenpox. When a person with this virus is vaccinated against chickenpox, the virus loses its vitality. It becomes dormant in the nerve endings (sensory structures under or inside the skin that pick up signals from the environment).

Varicella-zoster virus is only dormant in people who are immune to chickenpox or have received vaccination against the disease. Other people with no vaccination against chickenpox or weaker immune systems can contract the virus from carriers. When this happens, the virus regains its vitality and causes shingles. Once shingles appears, doctors can prescribe antiviral drugs. Topical numbing cream can also help with pain and itchiness.