So I got this wonderfully demarcated rash last week. Started as blisters and small red circles. Quickly spread all over the elbow and then flattened to a red raised lesion with some scabbing. Rash burns but it does not itch. Was thinking psoriasis, eczema or something.
So I got to derm and they biopsy it. It’s allergic contact dermatitis apparently. I’m so confused though because I hadn’t been outside or anywhere outside the house before the rash appeared. I have a dog but I’d expect whatever I’m allergic to would be all over my hands too.
My elbow was a little swollen too at the time. Just wondering if I reacted to something this strongly and have no clue what it is, what do I do next? I’ve had allergy bloods done and all negative. Never had a patch test and wondering if that’s what’s next or do I just go about like nothing happened?
Sucks to have stitch in elbow for a stupid skin reaction. Feel like I’m allergic to everything these days and I’m doused in Alllegra. Very frustrated today.
Thanks for reading and listening.
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Jmiller623
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Poor you! It looks and sounds miserable. I can't help with the diagnosis part, you're better equipped for that. All I know is that I have had different derms call the same rash, variously, psoriasis, eczema, and atopic dermatitis. Another, more expert one just treated it with tacrolimus and that worked.
In a different vein, I have a C'ville question: do you know a good rheumatologist here? You could answer by message. Mine is proving hopeless. Fine, if you prefer not to.
They took a biopsy which should include viral staining. Pathology looked liked allergic dermatitis. I think it would look differently if shingles. It did cross my mind but I also feel like it would cover more area than just my elbow. The whole ordeal is just bizarre.
Not as bad as it looks. Just burns. Luckily not much of an itch at all. Maybe antihistamines helped with that part. Just racking my brain over what’s in my house that I reacted to. Kind of unnerving.
Me too. I think it might be causing me some anxiety because now I fear putting whatever it is in my mouth. Hoping it was just a bug bite but I’ll never know.
Hi JM Could it have been a bad reaction to a bite or sting that you may not have been aware of? Not sure what little critters you have over the pond that may fancy a nibble. Just a thought. Hope it clears up soon.
I don’t think so. Problem is I retraced my steps and was never outside. And it’s just localized to the elbow. No place else. I figured If it came from the dog, it’d be on my hands. When I get poison Ivy rash, it turns black as well. It’s just bizarre all around. Hopefully it doesn’t happen again. 🤷♀️
This is what happened after a brush with poison Ivy. Was hiking and hopped off a rock face. My calf happened to briefly touch it. My husband found another way down. I even went immediately into the river to wash it off. We had poison Ivy removal stuff with us. I think I’m just super sensitive. Funny thing is none of my allergy blood tests were positive and IgE was normal.
I consider my body “hyperactive” to anything that bites of stings. I have an EpiPen and I’m not afraid to use it. With that said, that looks almost identical to something that appeared in the middle of my forehead on Picture Day morning my sophomore year. It looked like a blister but then it looked like a mound below and eventually on closer inspection (because,how could this be happening to me!!!!!) I thought I could make out what appeared to be bite marks. Of course, my older brother had to exaggerate it and tell me just how big it was as it must have been a brown recluse and it would make my face be scarred for life!
Anyway, it was bigger than a half dollar initially and then flattened after a few days. I took antihistamine, used cortisone cream and calamine lotion at the time. It got ugly but did all the typical hypersensitivity reactions w/o anaphylaxis. I don’t attract spiders or snakes anymore, just things that sting. Yours looks amazingly similar and I would guess, spider. (Mine was not a brown recluse or black widow which were indigenous to the area, probably just some garden variety thug spider)
I hope it feels better and you put your mind at ease soon 🔜!✨
I agree with DRunner. Hypersensitive To everything. I had a really big date
In college and it was an outdoor affair. I could not stop itching my forehead. Went to the ladies room and half of my forehead looked like an inflated soccer ball with a white center. Mosquito Bite! I was humiliated and told my date I was leaving.
He never offered to drive me the idiot so
I walked the 3 miles. Anyway, I never understood why I am so sensitive to
Mosquitoes and In last few years I’ve read that this can be a signal to autoimmune
Diseases. Lupus opens the door to all skin
Disparity’s and I hate it!! I’m sorry J Miller
And I hope you have a good Derm. I’ve had some questionable diagnoses on skin issues
Even biopsies. If it does not go away, seek
Another. It could be eczema, I have that now and it is so lovely lol. At least my big headed mosquito bite is gone after all these years. So is the guy. Haha. ( I hated him too)🤣
Interestingly people with EBV problems are hypersensitive to mosquito bites. We have tons of them. I actually don’t react to them like I used to. I used to get huge welts. Now, they are just tiny red dots since being treated for lupus. Plaquenil helped a ton. I don’t think it was a mosquito.
I will take your advice to go back if it doesn’t go away. My elbow is still a bit red with mild swelling. Stitch doesn’t help. I do have a diagnosis of eczema. I’ve had it since I was in my early teens. I tried the steroid cream I had for that on the elbow rash. It helped only a little and that’s why I contacted derm because steroid cream wasn’t working. It’s mid/high potency strength 0.1% triamcinolone. I used 0.5% in my teens so maybe I just need a stronger prescription.
Thx for the link. I’ve had Mono EBV twiceIn my life. College and just 10 years ago
My daughter had it and there you go. I was surprised my DR could tell how many times I’d had it. My daughter overreacts to bug bites same as me. However you are correct. Now on plaquenil Im so much better. Back
To your skin thing. When I have something
I only wash in distilled water. Also swim in my salt water pool. It heals so well. Since swimming regularly in it the very deep dry cracks in my feet have gone. Used no
Oh yeah. You got that right. Headed down to my annual beach/marlin fishing trip. The salty ocean will dry anything out!!! I am much better when in my motherland state of Maryland. I’m passenger to a 6 hr drive. The hubs is my long distance chauffeur for the day. 😀😊🕶🌞☀️🏄♀️⛱🏝
Have a great time! Have not seen that coastline except on airplane so beautiful. Relax but no sun or heat or stress or alcohol Or heavy exercise but plz do enjoy yourself🤣😍
Hey! I see your post is a year old,but I wanted to comment. I also have lupus and get the exact same rashes on both elbows. I find it strange that we both have lupus and my rash is identical to yours. I have compared tons of pictures to mine from online and saw your elbow pic. I usually get my rash on both elbows,but one is usually worse than the other. Drs have said contact dermatitis, eczema, and once when it was bad said it could be the start of psoriasis.Really depends on which dr I ask and how bad it looks at the time. Sometimes mine itch(but im not on allergy meds) but if I bump them or lean down and put weight on them its extremely painful!! No lotions or creams help. It goes away foe awhile then comes back, for no apparent reason!! Anyway,I wanted to say hi from America and share that!! Have a nice day!
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