Last Updated on 2016-10-07 , 2:55 pm
Chickenpox is something that not everyone is familiar with or is well informed about, so here are 10 important misconceptions and the actual facts that everyone needs to know!
You can only get it once in your life
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Like many other diseases, your body fights it off with antibodies and develops a resistance to it, but some people don’t constantly produce these antibodies after the recover. This means that there is a chance of contracting chickenpox a second time.
Chickenpox is totally harmless
While the name does not sound intimidating, and cases are rarely fatal or require extreme medical attention, there is still a risk of developing complications from the disease. Although the chances are low, they’re still present and so if you have chickenpox, you should get it checked it out by a certified doctor.
Getting chickenpox means never getting shingles
They’re both caused by the same virus and since it never fully leaves the body even after recovery, there’s a chance that later on it will reactivate and result in shingles.
All children should be exposed to chickenpox to build immunity
Chickenpox can be extremely dangerous to children with a weak immune system, such as those less than one-month-old, or those with conditions such as leukaemia and HIV.
Scratching will cause permanent scarring
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Usually, only very persistent and rough scratching will cause scars and even then, these scars will eventually fade. However, they can get infected with bacteria, which will cause lasting scars.
Don’t shower when you have chickenpox
In fact, showering and good hygiene is important to prevent infections of the lesions! However, when drying off, gently dab the skin with a dry towel instead of vigorously rubbing with a rough towel.
There’s no medication for chickenpox
Wrong! There are anti-viral tablets used to help the disease go away faster and relieve some symptoms such as itching. Without medication, it’s possible for the sufferer’s condition to deteriorate.
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A child should be given ibuprofen to help with the fever
Ibuprofen could actually result in serious skin infection complications in children, so keep it away from children!
Calamine lotion relieves itch
It actually doesn’t do much except for providing a cooling feeling, which could actually end up drying out the skin in the long run and cause more itching.
There is no protection against chickenpox
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There is a vaccination for chickenpox and it should provide immunity for life, although it is not compulsory in most countries.
This article was first published on goodyfeed.com
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