Before the rash appears, you may also:

The rash will probably start on your upper body, face, or scalp. Later, you may get it on your legs and arms.

At first you will get blisters, which are itchy and filled with fluid.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Coole L, Law B, McIntyre P.
Vaccines for preventing varicella in children and adults (Cochrane review).
In: The Cochrane Library. Update Software, Oxford, UK.

 

 

 

 

 

¹ After a few days, the blisters will crust over and form a scab. The blisters from chickenpox don't usually leave a scar unless they get infected. This can happen if you scratch them. You can use calamine lotion or another type of cream to reduce the itching. You can buy this at the drugstore.

Your doctor can probably tell whether you have chickenpox by looking at your rash.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Klassen TP, Hartling L, Wiebe N, et al.
Acyclovir for treating varicella in otherwise healthy children and adolescents (Cochrane review).
In: The Cochrane Library. Wiley, Chichester, UK.

 

 

 

 

 

² If your doctor is not sure that you have chickenpox, you can have a test done on the fluid in your blisters or on your blood.

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