Smallpox and chickenpox are both diseases that present with vesicles and cause skin damage. However, chickenpox rashes tend to appear in clusters on the face, abdomen, and back, with some spreading to the arms, while smallpox lesions primarily concentrate on the hands and feet.

Chickenpox is a contagious disease caused by the Varicella zoster virus. The most characteristic sign of chickenpox is the appearance of water blisters and chickenpox spots all over the body. Typically, these spots dry up and heal naturally without leaving scars.