Does anyone suffer from pathergy in the form of the blackening of skin cells?

[Caillycakes]

Summer last year I went to a gynae as I had noticed a series of black marks on my labia. It almost looked as in someone had taken a felt pen and scribbled on my bits.

After a multiple site biopsy for suspected carcenoma, I was given the all-clear. However, the black marks duly reappeared.

Behcets Consultant diagnosed this as pathergy with my body reacting against the biopsy itself. I have no particular reason to doubt him, but, some 12 months later (with no further intrusions to my body in that particular area) I am suffering from these black pigmentations once again. So much so that I would describe my labia as looking bruised or almost dead.

I know pathergy can take a number of forms so I suppose I was wondering if anyone else had suffered a similar thing?

It's completely symptom free in real terms but I can't help but worry that it is something more serious that we are signing off as part of behcets.

Thanks all

[behcetshurtsbeyondwords]

Hello,

I think I know what you are describing-- I noticed about two years ago or so that I had a couple of small blotches of darkened skin (almost a black colour) on my labia major and one on the labia minor. I didn't think too much of it because my skin has taken a true beating over the years from the Behcet's, and I've had so many different skin rashes, lesions, ulcers, blisters, and markings, that I could probably fill an entire large dermatology textbook with all of them. The area was burning, so I took a peak and found these markings, along with a couple of raw ulcers (not in the exact same place though). I decided to just keep an eye on the marks, and overtime, they seemed to lighten a bit, but have remained there. Since then I've had a couple new dark blotches appear on my labia again, but these ones faded. I'm not sure if they are the same thing--but I have also had dark blotches appear on other areas of my skin as well; about five years ago, a round blackish-purple blotch appeared on my cheek-- it looked bruised around it and felt bruised when I touched it. Eventually the bruising and pain disappeared, but the dark spot remained. It finally just faded and disappeared about a year ago. I have also had this happen on my arm and on my legs. I have never had them examined by a dermatologist as I just figured they were a "normal" skin lesion as part of Behcet's, and also because they don't usually bother me too much unless a bruise or ulcer comes with it. As long as you've been cleared of anything serious, then I would just assume that yours are probably the same thing-- just another pathergy of the skin. Its crazy how such little things as a mark on the skin can actually turn out to be a common skin lesion from this disease. It sure has helped me to see questions like yours, and it turns out that I have similar issues-- just to know I'm not weird or anything and that I'm not alone, it definitely does help.

-Jenna

[xandii]

Hi Hun,

I can remember quite a few years ago that I had problems in the areas you describe in the form of multiple black spots like someone had got a black ink marker and just dotted all the area until it looked like something from a 'dot to dot' puzzle. lol.

It was long before my diagnosis for BD and my GP at the time had a good look and was totally baffled and said at close inspection (something I couldn't do for myself as I am not a contortionist) it looked almost like small dark blood blisters but loads and loads of them all at once and the size of a pin head.

She wondered if I had come in contact with something I was allergic to but now I know it was related to BD having described it to my specialist as it occurred probably another 3 times in 15 years. It lasted about 4-5 weeks and went away on it's own so he said it was some type of vascullitis that was affecting the very tiny ends of the blood vessels in that area but didn't know why it had occurred. He didn't view it as anything to be particularly worried about just very curious to see so I didn't worry about it too much after that.

As with all things like this hun, it may sound the same and this may be comforting to you but if you are at all concerned then get it checked out as there are so many things that look and sound the same and we, as amateurs, have no real expertise in deciding if what we are describing is in fact the same thing.

Tootles xx

[SerendipityDee]

I to am terribly scarred with these ugly black/purple marks. Mine are the end result of genital sores (which have a 'crater' like appearance) and do nothing other than cause pain/embarrassment and black scars as a reminder!