19/02/2026
Chicken pox is doing the rounds again at the moment. Here’s how to spot it and the do’s and don’ts when it comes to treating it.
An itchy, spotty rash is the main symptom of chickenpox. It can be anywhere on the body.
Chickenpox happens in 3 stages. But new spots can appear while others are becoming blisters or forming a scab.
Stage 1: small spots appear
The spots can:
be anywhere on the body, including inside the mouth and around the ge****ls, which can be painful
spread or stay in a small area
be red, pink, darker or the same colour as surrounding skin, depending on your skin tone
be harder to see on brown and black skin
Stage 2: the spots become blisters
The spots fill with fluid and become blisters. The blisters are very itchy and may burst.
Stage 3: the blisters become scabs
The spots form a scab. Some scabs are flaky while others leak fluid.
Before or after the rash appears, you might also get:
a high temperature
aches and pains, and generally feeling unwell
loss of appetite
Swipe for photos and the do’s and don’ts of treating a child with chickenpox.
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