AKIPRESS.COM - Five skin conditions associated with coronavirus have been identified by dermatologists, according to a new study.

Research was carried out on 375 patients in Spain, in an effort to build a picture of how the disease might manifest in skin symptoms.

Through the Spanish Academy of Dermatology, all the country's dermatologists were asked to help identify patients who had an unexplained skin "eruption" in the last fortnight and who had suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

They were given a questionnaire, and photos were taken of skin conditions to detect patterns of the virus's potential effect on the skin.

But authors of the study, published in the British Journal of Dermatology, warned that in some cases it was hard to tell if skin conditions were directly caused by coronavirus or if they indicated complications.

They also urged the public not to try to self-diagnose COVID-19 based on skin symptoms, because rashes and lesions are common and hard to differentiate without medical expertise.