Crohn's disease and skin symptoms

Inflammation linked with Crohn's disease may occur outside the digestive tract. Some people notice tender red bumps, painful ulcers, sores around the anus, or changes related to nutritional deficiency. Dryness, eczema, infection and medicine reactions can look similar. Tell your clinician when the skin change began, whether it followed a new treatment, and whether bowel symptoms changed at the same time. Skin findings can be useful context, but they do not confirm active bowel inflammation on their own.

Take a clear photograph if the appearance changes quickly, and note itch, pain, scale, drainage or fever. Wash gently, avoid scratching, and use a plain moisturiser on intact dry skin. Do not use leftover steroid, antibiotic or antifungal creams without advice, because the wrong treatment can obscure the pattern or irritate skin. Record [Abdominal Pain](/symptoms/abdominal-pain/) and [Diarrhoea](/symptoms/diarrhoea/) separately. A [GP Consultation](/treatments/consultations-and-assessment/gp-consultation/) can review the skin, bowel symptoms and medicines together.

Seek prompt advice for a painful, spreading or infected-looking rash, open sores, pus, fever, or a new rash after starting medicine. Get emergency help for facial or tongue swelling, breathing difficulty, blistering, skin peeling, or sores affecting the mouth or eyes. Contact your bowel care team urgently if the skin change comes with severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, bloody stools, faintness or inability to drink. A [Blood Test](/treatments/diagnostics-and-screening/blood-test/) may be used when checking anaemia, inflammation or nutritional concerns.

Ask what the skin finding could represent, whether a medicine or nutritional issue may contribute, whether you need dermatology review, and how to protect the area while it heals. Ask which changes require same-day advice.