Measles typically begins with cold-like symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, sneezing, red and sore eyes, and tiredness. A few days after these initial symptoms, small grey-white spots known as Koplik spots may appear inside the mouth, usually on the inner lining of the cheeks. These spots often precede the rash
. The characteristic measles rash usually appears about 3 to 5 days after the first symptoms. It starts as flat red spots on the face, often at the hairline, and then spreads downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. The spots may be flat or slightly raised and can join together to form large blotchy patches. On lighter skin, the rash appears red or brownish-red, while on darker skin it may look purple, darker than the surrounding skin, or be harder to see. The rash typically lasts around 4 to 7 days and may be slightly itchy for some people
. In summary, measles looks like a spreading red or brownish blotchy rash starting on the face and moving down the body, often accompanied by small white spots inside the mouth and preceded by cold-like symptoms and red eyes
