How to treat chickenpox at home 🏡

Watch next what to eat if you have chickenpox: • Chicken pox: food to e...
Watch how to use calamine lotion and how to apply calamine lotion here: • How to apply Calamine ...
How can you treat chickenpox at home?
To reduce itching, try an antihistamine liquid or tablets that you swallow.
These include cetirizine, loratadine or chlorphenamine.
You can apply a lotion, cream or gel to cool the skin too.
Options include calamine and crotamiton.
Try to have a cool bath as heat can irritate the skin.
Eat soft foods and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.
To lower a high body temperature and to help reduce pain, try liquid paracetamol.
You should not use ibuprofen unless prescribed by your doctor.
If needed, your doctor might prescribe an antiviral liquid, tablets or cream to help.
You must see your doctor as soon as possible if you have chicken pox and you are pregnant, have a newborn baby or you have a weak immune system that makes it difficult to recover from infections.
Always speak to your pharmacist or doctor for advice on the right medicines for you, your child or your baby.
And always read the patient information that comes with your medicines.
Learn more here:
www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-...
www.nhs.uk/conditions/chicken...
www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/about/...
kidshealth.org/en/parents/chi...
Published October 2023
To be reviewed October 2025

[@pharmacistv]

Watch how to use calamine lotion and how to apply calamine lotion here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z56lgKVseqiCfpo

[@Jonathan-KyleMkhuma]

Thank you for this informative video. I have a question. Can I be around people (young and old) after a week (say 5 days) of being on medication like Calamine Lotion, Acitab-400 and Stilpane prescribed medication? I got a drip at the hospital too. I don’t think I’ve got it that bad cause I got about 10 big blisters across my body with little ones here and there but my face is the worst. I still feel okay apart from the pain I get when they’re touched. I don’t have my doctor available anymore to get answers to all this so I appreciate any help I can get.

[@pharmacistv]

Sorry to hear you were in hospital and your doctor is not available. I would recommend you stay away from people until your last spot has crusted over and healed. Otherwise any spots with liquid (blisters) mean you are still Infectious (so you might pass on chicken pox). Chicken pox spreads through your breathing with small droplets other people breathe in, and also spreads from direct touch of the skin or surfaces (like tables). I hope all the medicines help you get well soon 😊

[@rubicalixto6773]

Thank you for the information. 😢all that you mentioned in the video has not relieved the itch on my body, the stubbing earache. My symptoms started last monday. As of friday my skin got red itchy blotches. Meds have not provided relief at all. I just want to know if i will get better or this will get worse. Thanks for your help and for sharing your knowledge 🙏🏻

[@pharmacistv]

So sorry to hear you are having this experience and not feeling better- if you have tried everything then I recommend you see a doctor for prescription medication that could help. It's also an opportunity for them to check your ear and your skin. Usually chicken pox can get worse and then it gets better after a week or two weeks- but everyone is different and sometimes it can take shorter or longer to go away. I hope you get well soon!

[@Aaroncronin716]

Hey i got one on my nose should i be concerned Or should i just apply itching cream to stop the itchiness I got them like three days ago and there's alot now should and theres some on my ears and my in my hair should i be looked at by a doctor?and i keep throwing up green stuff is it ok if i eat burgers?

[@pharmacistv]

Hello, You can apply itching cream but only on skin that is away from sensitive areas (like the inside of your nose, or inside mouth, or near eyes, or on eyes, or near private genital areas) - before you apply anything please see your doctor or pharmacist to check you can apply it. Chicken pox can come up anywhere including the nose, ears and hair (scalp). It usually takes one to two weeks to completely go away. If you are vomiting you need to see a doctor, it is probably not a good idea to eat a burger if you are vomiting. Eat plain food like plain rice, plain crackers - there is a video here on what to eat if you have chicken pox: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6i8l62bet5gh6M

[@suhanijain-m1i]

Hi, can you please tell how to wash my face , body and hair ? Should i use a mild soap or direct water? I have really oily skin and after washing calamine lotion with plain water it remains oily and is really uncomfortable.

[@pharmacistv]

Hi, you can use a mild cleanser - anything that does not dry your skin 😊 then you can apply a light moisturiser afterwards

[@HoKwikipedia]

Hi ma'am, so i got diagnosed with chicken pox after 3 blisters appearing on my body. A pharmacist gave me paracetamol tablets but i used it wrong. I should've used it when my body itch. Took 2 pills today. Will there be any harms to my body?

[@pharmacistv]

You can use paracetamol to help with pain or sore skin, the skin does not need to be itchy for you to take paracetamol. You can take two 500mg paracetamol tablets at one time, then wait around 6 hours to take two 500mg tablets again if you need it. It sounds like you didn't do anything wrong - please speak to your pharmacist if you are not sure - I hope you get well soon 😊

[@riskaangelaputrixph4316]

Hi, I just got my chicken pox it almost 4 days and mine is like the liquid comes out then the liquid hardens on the face area. Can I wash my face or should I leave it dry? cause many people said that if the dried fluid comes off before it should it will leave scars that won't disappear :( please advise me thank youu

[@pharmacistv]

You can wash your face, but be gentle to avoid pulling the skin which can cause scars - use a clean towel and pat your skin dry, then you can apply a moisturiser and antiseptic cream on the spots to avoid infection. If you are worried about scars, when everything is fully healed then please see a doctor who specialises in skin (called a dermatologist) to help. They might recommend retinol cream.

[@oyedokunabiodu8753]

Please help me, this is my 7th day with chicken pox, I started using Aciclovir, vitamin and zinc with calamine notion on the 3rd day prescribed by my pharmacist when the blisters occurs all over my face and body. Today which is 7th day, all the blisters on the face is already dried up but the one on my body are still there, when will they start peeling out or is there anything I should take. Please help me 🙏.

[@pharmacistv]

Hello, Sorry to hear about your experience - it looks like you are already recovering which is good news. Chicken pox usually lasts about one to two weeks, so over the next week the blisters on your body are likely to dry up. Speak to your pharmacist or doctor for advice 😊

[@ShlokKumarMishra]

Heyy...! 😔 I am having alot of blisters all over my body including fingers,ears and toungue. I dont exactly know about the number of days i suffered. But today i am having a lot of itching in my whole body and i am not able to sit or lay down on my bed. So i didn't had proper sleep from two days. Some of blisters are slowly getting healed but new one are still coming over my skin. Can you please help me to cure this

[@pharmacistv]

So sorry to hear you are going through this, you could try sitting in a cool bath (not ice water), and wrapping an ice pack or frozen food in a towel then pressing it onto your skin. The spots will come and go for a few days, then they will all crust over and fall off. See a pharmacist for Antihistamines to help reduce itching and some cream to prevent skin infection like antiseptic first aid cream. They may offer you paracetamol for pain (but don't take ibuprofen). I hope you get well soon.

[@sujugurung6839]

Hi I m 28 and I have chicken pox it’s my fourth day I haven’t got fever but I have got a very sore throat which making everything difficult to shallow.I woke up with this pain from my blisters I m in a very low mood today isolating and I don’t see any signs of my blisters drying up.Is chicken pox generally painful or is it just me🥲.I just wish nobody gets this disease🌻

[@pharmacistv]

So sorry to hear this - chickenpox can take 1 or 2 weeks to fully heal, it tends to get worse then gets better - take paracetamol (if you can) for the pain and sore throat, and put calamine lotion on the blisters. I hope the video helps you with gentle foods that are easy to swallow, try to stick to liquid food if you can. Try to do things you enjoy to lift your mood, for example I like to read books or watch happy videos. Do not picky he blisters as this can cause an infection. I hope you get well soon!

[@sujugurung6839]

@@pharmacistv Thank you🫶🏻

[@manmeet_01]

Mam mujhe 7 days phle chikon pox hua tha mai doctor ke pas gyi to unhone mughe momate f aur dramadew mix krke night me lgane ko lha hai kya ye safe hao

[@pharmacistv]

Hello, I think dermadew is a type of cream for the skin to help with sore skin - have you tried it already? If it does not help, speak to your doctor for advice.

[@manmeet_01]

Aap bahut achi hai reply kr deti hai​@@pharmacistv

[@shahidmehmood1033]

Hi mam I'm 18 Years old and now I have chicken pox Please tell me after how many days I'll be recovered

[@pharmacistv]

Hello, sorry to hear you have chicken pox- usually it takes 1 or 2 weeks for the virus to go away. Usually it gets worse (high body temperature and spots) before it gets better. Please see your pharmacist or doctor for treatment advice. Get well soon.

[@nimrod789]

What about antibiotics for adults ?

[@pharmacistv]

Chicken pox is a virus, so you can treat it with antivirals, you cannot treat it with antibiotics (which are for bacteria infections)

[@nimrod789]

@@pharmacistv Thanks for the reply, im on my 4th or 5th day since the rash my doctor prescribed acyclovir, an antihistamine , a cream, paracetemol but also 1g of antibiotic to take every 12 hours wish made me feel super tired yesterday

[@pharmacistv]

Sorry to hear that, I hope you get well soon. Your doctor might have prescribed antibiotics if you got a bacterial infection of the skin, this is common. Always speak to your doctor to check why they prescribed your medicines for you ☺️

[@rubicalixto6773]

​@@nimrod789 hello there. How long did it take you to clear up? My symptoms started last Monday. On Friday I woke up with the redness and itchiness on my face. Friday also I started the treatment by my doctor. I'm just wondering if this condition gets worse before it gets better. 😢

[@pharmacistv]

@@rubicalixto6773 Sometimes the condition can get worse before it gets better - it tends to peak with a fever and spots, then the fever goes away and the spots start to go away. It usually lasts about one or two weeks. I hope you get well soon :)

[@nivedittanakey5847]

Today my daughter has chicken pox but she can not drink medicine otherwise you will vomit what should I do and have neck hurts

[@pharmacistv]

Hi, sorry to hear your daughter is unwell. Please see a doctor to check about the neck pain quickly. There are medicines that sit in the mouth (they are like a tablet you do not swallow, it just melts on the tongue), this is called a meltlet type of medicine. There are also medicines that you can put in the bum, this is called a suppository. Ask your pharmacist for a meltlet for the mouth or a suppository for the bum for your daughter, there are medicines like paracetamol and ibuprofen that can help reduce pain and reduce fever in chicken pox.

[@nivedittanakey5847]

Thank you for all of this I will go and see a doctor

[@novafaithavenido926]

can i use antihistamine to reduce itching without going to doctor?

[@pharmacistv]

You can speak to a pharmacist before you use an antihistamine to reduce itching - they will check if it's okay for you to use, especially if you take other medicines or you are treating a child 😊 usually you do not need to see a doctor to get antihistamines to reduce itching for chickenpox

[@novafaithavenido926]

can i apply calamine lotion without consulting to the doctor to reduce itching

[@pharmacistv]

@novafaithavenido926 yes if you have no allergies to Calamine 😊

[@Emily.2012e]

Hello i am not sure if I have chickenpox i have rashes on my skin for a month but it wasn't itching at all so i left it but it suddenly started to itch 😭 i can't tell my parents because they might take me to the hospital and i recently came for the hospital since i had dangue 😢 I don't want to go through that again 😢

[@pharmacistv]

Hello, sorry to hear this- if you have had a rash for a month then this might not be chicken pox, you will need to see a doctor or pharmacist to check your skin. I hope you are feeling better after dengue fever, it can take some time to recover from that.

[@Emily.2012e]

@@pharmacistv ok thanks ❤️

[@haniyakh-qt4ju]

Hi im 15 and im on my 3rd day of chicken pox . It was all good i barely had any pimples on my face till i used calamine lotion on those pimples and some little red dots that i thouth were about to turn into chicken pox pimples i would re apply it every hour on my nose and around eyes and now i have lots of pimples on my face i wanted to know has the calamine affected my skin or not and what should i do to avoid scarring im really worried i would be dead if i get scars pls help me im crying right now 😭😭

[@pharmacistv]

Hello, sorry to hear about your experience with chickenpox - you do not need to apply calamine lotion that often on the face. Maybe apply less - every 3 to 4 hours. The spots will get worse over the fitst few days then they will all dry up and go away. The whole process takes 1 to 2 weeks. You are young so there is a lower chance of permanent scars. Please see your doctor about the spots and a skin expert like a dermatologist to avoid scars - they might give you a cream like retinol but only after all the spots have gone away. I hope you get well soon 😊

[@haniyakh-qt4ju]

@@pharmacistv thanks for the answer i feel a lil more relived now😭

[@haniyakh-qt4ju]

@@pharmacistv hi again umm should i use calamine lotion on my face pimples in their early stages or when they have dried up ?🥲

[@pharmacistv]

Hey, great question - you can put calamine when the spots are fresh all the way until they scab and fall off 😊 calamine will help with the itching which is usually when the spots are new and filling with liquid to become blisters. I hope you get well soon 😊

[@haniyakh-qt4ju]

@@pharmacistv hi again . I have a question does my face pimples spread more through washing it with water? Like does the virus move to other side of my face . I don’t know how to wash the calamine cream off without getting more pinples

[@Preet_i15]

Heloo dr...i am suffering from chicken pox from last 3 days and every another day blisters are getting more and more....😢 I have taken medicines also...and Dr prescribed me to keep *Neem leaves* around the place where I am...can neem leaves be helpful???? Also my whole body is getting itchy and pain is extreme...how to cure it??? And also I am lossing my appetite...so what other than regular meals i can eat ??? Please tell❤

[@pharmacistv]

Sorry to hear you are not feeling well. From my research keeping neem leaves is not going to help you. You need medicines from your pharmacist to reduce itching like antihistamine and pain relief like paracetamol. Coconut oil will not do anything, but you can eat it. If you cannot eat meals, try to have sweet drinks or ice cream or use a blender or mash your food to make it easier to eat (like mashed Boiled potatoes). Please speak to your doctor or pharmacist for advice to help you 😊 I hope you get well soon.

[@Preet_i15]

@@pharmacistv thanku ma'am❤️

[@St.JosephFaithbella]

🌺🌺🌺wuede 🍚 🐟 kontomre🌿🌿

[@atifch7705]

Can I eat chicken during this period of chicken pox with oil and salt without spicy masala? Besides, it won't give me much pain in my mouth, as far as I know about my condition. If having chicken will affect other aspects of healing it, I won't take it. So, kindly advise me.

[@pharmacistv]

Yes you can eat chicken (but not spicy) 😊 protein from chicken helps your body to repair itself and heal. I hope you get well soon 😊

[@atifch7705]

@@pharmacistv Thank you Ma'am! It's my fourth day and luckily, itching, irritation, fever and pain stopped on the third day and the blisters-rash has also started drying up. Thankfully, I'm in the isolation ward of my University Health Centre.

[@user-rj9if6wd4c]

My parents doesn't care about my case. They said I'm just overreacting. I'm 16 years old with chickenpox. Have like 30 blisters now and it's my 3rd day. I got a lot on my face. How to stop spreading it on my face? I don't have money to go to a doctor nor buy medicines. I don't get support from my parents

[@pharmacistv]

Sorry to hear this is happening. Do you have a first aid box at home? I recommend you use cold water to reduce itching and use antiseptic cream to prevent infection. Drink water to help your skin heal (enough water so you are not thirsty). Do not pick or itch the spits as this can make th spread. Try to sleep and rest to help with healing. Hopefully it will go away after a week or two. If you need medical help please see a pharmacist or doctor with your parents.

[@user-rj9if6wd4c]

@@pharmacistv can I use ice cube to my blisters to reduce itchiness

[@pharmacistv]

You should wrap the ice cube in a thin towel or tshirt or pillow case before you put it on your skin to help with itching - do not put ice cube directly on skin as you may get a cold burn and damage your skin (very painful!)

[@user-rj9if6wd4c]

@@pharmacistv thank you! I hope this will heal quickly. It's my graduation on May 20

[@pharmacistv]

I hope you get well soon and have a wonderful graduation ✨️💐🎉

[@Jonathan-KyleMkhuma]

Thank you for this informative video. I have a question. Can I be around people (young and old) after a week (say 5 days) of being on medication like Calamine Lotion, Acitab-400 and Stilpane prescribed medication? I got a drip at the hospital too. I don’t think I’ve got it that bad cause I got about 10 big blisters across my body with little ones here and there but my face is the worst. I still feel okay apart from the pain I get when they’re touched. I don’t have my doctor available anymore to get answers to all this so I appreciate any help I can get.

[@pharmacistv]

Thank you for your kind comment, I appreciate you watching and finding the video informative :) Sorry to hear you have chicken pox and that your doctor is not available - of course I am happy to help: You should not be around people - you need to wait until the final spot has gone away. This means the spot no longer has liquid in it (no longer a blister) and it has crusted over and healed. Chicken pox is spread through air droplets (when someone breathes in what you are breathing out) and it also spreads through direct touch (of your skin or on surfaces). I hope all the spots heal, and I know it can make you feel self-conscious to have them on your face - they will go, and you can drink water to help with healing (your skin is mostly water) and also apply ointment or moisturiser to help the skin heal to avoid scarring. Try not to touch or pick them to avoid scars too. I hope the medicines help and I hope you get well soon!