Question by Kerri Robinson: Itchy skin condtion help please?
My friend has a skin condition which the doctors can’t seem to help with. A couple of aspects – first one is itching/prickling between fingers and toes. Scabies has been ruled out. Nothing seems to exist that could have caused a contact dermatitis. It doesn’t resemble skin conditions I’ve researched on the net.
The other aspect is itching on front, back etc. which when scratched turns into areas of red weals. One area recently is as big as the palm of a hand, another a bit like a scratched ant bite about an inch across. If he scratches all over his back, it doesn’t necessarily come up red all over. Just in some areas.
Along with this is pimply like pustules or lumps, some of which look like insect bites, others like an acne spot with white head. It may be that these spots are just the result of an infection of a break in the skin after he’s scratched the area. At one stage they were all over his front, back, bottom, and tops of legs. We treated with selsun wash and pevaryl foaming solution, stopped hot baths etc. These spots eased off for a while but seem to be coming back. Starting off as ‘mosquito bites’ and progressing to ‘whiteheads’.
He is taking prednisone but it’s not stopping the condition. We’re aware that the prednisone treats the inflammation, not the underlying condition. The nearest thing that the spots resemble is pityrosporum folliculitis. He has a slight thyroid problem so this COULD be contributing to a yeast-like infection.
He has had this condition three or four? times over the past ten years, for up to some months at a time. It seems to be one of those conditions that just ‘goes away’ but while he is affected by it – it really badly affects his life.
He’s been tested for allergies, they thought for a while it was mammalian meat/milk allergy so he stopped all for three months. No change. Has tried antihistamines. No good. I’ve looked at all the skin conditions with itches, red weals, pustules, papules. The only thing we have so far if he doesn’t take the prednisone the itch “under the skin” re-occurs within a few hours. Then when he scratches (rubbing his back on the door frame like an old dog!) the red weals come up. And I noticed for the first time a couple of days ago the weals are much hotter than the surrounding skin. You can feel the difference in the heat of the skin. Maybe a couple of degrees? Maybe that’s a clue.
Any help would be appreciated.
Best answer:
Answer by Alex
I would say it’s allergic contact dermatitis often caused by perfumes/colognes, sprays, soaps, detergents, lotions/creams and household cleaning products like polishes and kitchen/bath cleaners.
I know you said he was tested for allergies but the thing is it’s sometimes very specific like a particular brand which uses one particular ingredient to trigger it all off. Only the areas which came into contact with the allergen would have been affected not the entire body or even an entire limb and it tends to be where the skin is thinnest and least protected like the palms, feet, joint bends and behind the ears.
I have suffered with this for my entire life, in fact I have it right now, the spots almost look like tiny blisters with trapped liquid beneath the skin, some are whitish or yellow while the skin around them is red. Essentially the are blisters, the sensitive skin has burnt away and the little pustules are a mix of water a histamine.
Unfortunately it’s a very unpredictable allergy and you have to pin-point the exact cause. You then have two options, do what I’m doing now and slowly expose yourself to the allergen in small doses so that over time you become desensitized and have less and less of a reaction until it doesn’t react at all. Or you pointedly avoid the allergen at all costs.
It’s also possible that his body is just prone to that reaction, sometimes they do flare up for seemingly no reason and often it’s linked to hormone imbalances.
If the itching becomes intense then I advise a dip/swath for the effected areas. Mix up three tablespoons of salt into a little boiling water then fill a jug or a bowl etc. with cold water and 3-5 tablespoons of vinegar then mix it all up and just let the affected areas soak whenever it’s needed, if that’s not possible then soak a bandage or cloth in the mixture and just lay it over the effected area.
I’ve found that most creams aren’t that helpful but doctors can prescribe a stronger anti-histamine if it’s very bad.
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