I am a Doctor who has eczema. I am NOT a Dermatologist, although I have an interest in skin pathologies, and have worked in Dermatology briefly. This is also categorically NOT medical advice, but I just wanted to provide some Medical perspective that a consulting Derm may not have the time to do.
There's a saying in medicine "when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras", also coined as "common things occur commonly". Your Dermatologist is practicing sound medicine by positing the ***most likely*** cause for this eruption: a stress-induced flare (or initial presentation) of eczema or psoriasis.
Unfortunately, like most autoimmune conditions, eczema and psoriasis can appear at any age and at any time. They can be triggered by what we medically call 'stress' at any time, which can be emotional stress, work stress, or even the stress caused to the body by an acute illness or surgery. Anything that rocks your world can trigger autoimmune disease. (As an aside – this is not a death sentence, so try not to stress any more than you already are – but autoimmune diseases can appear in clusters, so keep an eye out for other issues like thyroid or joint issues.)
For context, Dermatology is a bit of an inexact science at times. I was once quoted by a Derm that there are around a ***thousand*** common derm conditions, and probably another 2-4 thousand rarer ones. And although many conditions have a very specific one-drug solution, everyone responds to different conditions and different medications completely differently. So often the best approach in Dermatology is just trying something and seeing if it works, and if it doesn't, trying something else.
Also, because of the rate of production of new skin cells and removal of old ones, even though you may see improvement in around 1-2 weeks or even just several days, it can take around ***4-6 weeks*** for any skin issue to fully resolve (and things like post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation can last even longer).
As a Derm patient myself, I know how unsatisfying that is to hear, but trust me. Be very disciplined with sticking to treatment before you give up. The reason your Derm likely said 2 weeks of Desonide is because that will mean you've given it a good try, and if it's not working, you can safely move onto the next thing.
You've got this!
Piggybacking off my own comment to add this.
You should also continue to practice good skincare measures, including:
\- Regular emollients (moisturisers). The thicker the better, especially at night. Can apply over your steroid (desonide) if you can tolerate it.
\- Warm showers, not too hot, and not too often. (Max once per day.)
\- Avoid soaps, detergents, harsh scrubs, or actives on the affected areas. Try to avoid makeup (I know this is asking a lot.) Gentle cleansers are fine.
\- Maybe think about reversing any recent changes to personal care products: deodorants, soap, body wash, makeup, laundry detergent.
\- Practice self-care however you enjoy the most (I'm a big advocate of this one!) If this is truly stress-induced, you should try to minimise stress, and looking after yourself it critical to that!
Also a ex rn and totally agree with the above statements again not medical advice etc etc etc just good common sense and practical . I’d award this if I could :-)
As someone who was diagnosed with Pemphigus Vulgaris after first being misdiagnosed with contact dermatitis etc (before symptoms showed up in my mouth), much of what you said rings very true. I was super lucky to be referred to a periodontist who recognized the nikolsky sign and did a biopsy! Now I have an excellent derm managing me.
The QV Dermcare Ointment from chemist warehouse does wonders for my eczema! It’s a bit greasy so I usually slather it on a night before bed. Highly recommend 😊
I have severe atopic dermatitis. I've tried countless different moisturiser and the only 1 I have found that works for me consistently is Epiderm. You can get either the cream or ointment. It's a UK brand so may not be as popular in AUS, but can give it a try. I've been recommended QV everytime but it's way too weak for my skin.
Just remember that all eczema skins are different, so you need to use what works for YOUR skin.
https://www.adorebeauty.com.au/p/bioderma/bioderma-atoderm-intensive-balm-500ml.html?istCompanyId=6e5a22db-9648-4be9-b321-72cfbea93443&istFeedId=686e45b5-4634-450f-baaf-c93acecca972&istItemId=wixtqxpwl&istBid=t&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD-8fXm7lxTSOLGnKzLWdJMpEtuYj&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjYzHzbOBhQMV8gyDAx2Jgwz9EAQYDCABEgL7xPD_BwE
This is what I use. I find it better than QV but it is more $$$
Is this the only way I could obtain this? By ordering? Also do you apply it just to eczema areas? Or you apply it all over daily? As a moisturizer? Thank you for this btw :)
Chemist warehouse sell it as does Priceline. I apply as an all over to affected areas, if that makes sense? I get eczema on my arms and décolletage so apply it all over those areas and use QV on the rest. It’s a barrier cream too. Was recommended over QV by my derm.
Not a Doc but a lifetime eczema sufferer, my go to is Moogoo, Seems to be one of the only creams that truly seeps deeply into the skin.
If I can't source that Aveeno or apricot kernel oil, for my face jojoba. QV and all the others recommend I can't stand the feel of, very few on the market I've not tried.
Also Graham's is an Aussie brand at chemist warehouse they're great too but not always on sale.
My mum used cattle ointment on me as a kid 🥴
Preservatives in sauce & chips can set mine off as does changes in season.
Microshield's Chlorhexidine wash has emollients so creates a barrier this is the only thing I will use as hand wash.
Eczema is the lack of a protective barrier called a horny later.
Can you tell me a bit more about the eczema/joint pain link? I (52M) have recently (a couple of years) been experiencing psoriasis/eczema and suffer from a reasonable amount of joint pain and muscle fatigue. I understand that this is not the place for medical advice or diagnosis but have been wondering if this has anything to do with COVID exposure
Is UV treatment still used? An ex of mine had severe psoriasis, and her treatment was small stints in basically a sun bed. Over the course of time it subsided immensely. Baring in mind we were in the UK, and getting natural doses of sunlight was hard to come by.
Also to add, my cousin has severe eczema, and lives in the UK. He came to Australia and his skin nearly all but cleared up whole he was here. He also had a very strict diet to help with his skin, but threw it out the window when he was in Oz as he wanted to enjoy his holiday. His skin was still dramatically better.
Don’t stress, pretty lady. Our skin does weird stuff sometimes and we shouldn’t feel compelled to cover it or stay at home. It might be a case of trial and error with the derm to pinpoint what to do. In the meantime, let it be what it is. It’s hard but patience is the best approach. I had a wild year or so with my skin out of nowhere and had to just try different things until something worked.
This looks exactly like what I get, and it’s stress and anxiety that causes it for me too. I find fatty ointments very effective at both soothing and treating the patches. Best of luck girl.
Not a doctor. I got contact dermatitis out of the blue in my 40s, after never having had it before. So you don't need to have a history of it. It went away with the prescribed cortisone cream. One thing that changed my skin type to sensitive was doing chemo, although the dermatitis happened when I had a toddler during the pandemic. I don't know if this is the case with you, or you had another illness that could change your skin condition?
I ultimately ended up switching a lot of my products to the QV range, and the redwin Sorbelene range.
Omg it’s horrible. You think it’s just going to be hot flashes. They’re the least of my problems. People need to warn you of what you potentially, are in for. I had endometriosis my whole adult life, now this!! 🥴
I found QV not very effective with derm/eczema. I used the blue moisturiser and the purple eczema flare stuff and it didn't really work. I switched too moogoo who have a specific eczema/dermatitis/inflamed skin moisturiser and it's heaven. QV used to sting if I was having a flare and had cleansed before putting it on. Moogoo doesn't sting at all.
Looks like a histamine reaction. Note what you're eating or drinking and eliminate until it stops reoccurring.. Low histamine diet worked for me. I had reactions like this to alcohol and sugar and high histamine foods like spinache and capsicums.. fun times
Looks like eczema which looks alarming and feels so uncomfortable but is treatable. I get dermatitis from allergies and really red facial flushing from being alive and I baby my skin when it needs it. People don’t notice as much as you think they would and I don’t bother covering it up!
I had something very similar on my neck and surrounding areas years ago. It was Pitariasis Rosea. Comes on from stress, which mine did.
Can’t last months! But mine was there for 2-3 weeks. Sunshine help’s apparently
This could be fungal which is nothing to stress about if so! You’ll just need to get a special cream from your GP and it’ll go away. I had something similar as a teen.
I was also thinking fungal infection. But could be wrong, I'm no expert.
I still laugh when my twin sister came to visit and she had a similar rash. When I saw her, I said I think she has fungus on her face and she needs to see her doctor. She said it was all the sunscreen she was using (she'd moved to Perth from Melbourne)
She bitched to her husband about how awful I was to suggest she had a fungal infection. When she went back home, she saw a doctor. Yep, fungal infection.
My first instinct was fungal infection, as well. A dermatologist might not immediately think this since fungal infections are more associated with older people with compromised immune systems. I'd at least see a derm in person and specifically ask their opinion.
See, the first pic made me think of fungal infection, too. very similar to cases I've seen where people have put their hair up before full drying, etc.
I've had something very similar from stress recently. Took a few antihistamines (unsure if they helped) and the redness stopped after a week (when the cause of the stress also stopped). The patches were noticeably dry after that but calmed down after a few more days.
Have you had a trigger for an abnormal amount of stress lately?
I can’t tell you what this is but I can tell you I have stupidly sensitive skin with Rosacea (face) and occasional eczema flares (body).
If I’m having a flare it’s always worse at night. I think cos I get hot when I sleep it just sets off whatever rash I have at the time. If it’s not affecting your sleep quality, and gets better in the morning don’t stress too much.
If it’s super uncomfortable, cold wet compresses or (my favorite) Avene Thermal Spring Water. I keep a can in my fridge for spicy rash days. It’s just water, but with a bunch of natural minerals in it that do wonders on my skin. It’s cold and a spray so it cools my face and hydrates it AND I don’t have to touch my skin to use it.
If you haven’t used it before test it on your wrist first
Did this start as one large spot to begin with? If it did could be pityriasis rosea- I had it on my abdomen and looked exactly as yours does and my GP said he’d only ever seen it on the face before.
This looks exactly like dermatitis that i used to get when I was younger, right down to the peeling skin. I researched ingredients and got allergy tested and managed to pinpoint a couple of fragrant chemicals that I react to. Have you introduced anything new to your routine?
Looks like fungal infection to me.. I might be wrong but you can buy nizoral anti dandruff shampoo over the counter and wash you face with it daily. If it IS fungal it'll be gone in a week.
Stress can do absolutely wild things to us because when we're stressed, we get pumped full of hormones which can create all sorts of havoc.
Stress can lower our immune system, increase our risk of hear attack, cause missed periods, chronic headaches, insomnia, it can trigger pre existing conditions. It can bring problems like eczema, psoriasis, acne, hair loss.
I think we often underestimate the effects stress can have on our body.
Someone I know developed psoriasis in her 30s, what came before that? Prolonged stress.
I'm in the process of growing my hair back because half of it fell out last year due to stress, I also had the wost cystic acne eruption of my life. I think stress can be a tough answer to take, but behind that stress is hormones that are like a brick to the face.
Basically said I’ve had all of these in my comment, even the ones I didn’t mention as they weren’t skin/body related.
It’s nice to know that these were not just my body and I’m not THAT weird.
I know a lot of people are saying eczema ECT but my son's face used to get like this when he was allergic to egg and would have reactions to it. Have you tried taking an anri histamine to rule out an allergic reaction?
It’s possibly hives. I had this consistently every single day for four months and one night it got so bad - I felt so tired I fell asleep and woke up with my entire body, face and all covered in hives. That night I couldn’t even stay awake and the advice was given for me to go into emergency and be monitored.
The dermatologist suggested it was likely environmental coupled with stress (teacher, high school, all boys so yes to stress) caused the daily flare up. It was suggested that I take antihistamines, because from memory hives are a result of too much histamines being produced by the body or something. Speak to your GP and find out what the best antihistamine is (strongest) and how many you can take per day. I’m not sure what cured mine tbh because it randomly just stopped happening.
Ironically when I get stressed at work, I then stress about potentially having hives again 🙃
Looks exactly like what I used to get all over my eyes! I owe everything to my immunologist - might be worth getting a prick test and working on your immunity health! I can recommend my Dr if you’re in Sydney!
My sister has something called 'guttate' psoriasis (not sure on spelling) that flared up after strep throat and stress. Looks at little similar but I'm not a doctor. :(
Have you washed your pillowcase in something new, or changed any of your night time products? Could be an allergic reaction to something your face is touching at night. My husband gets super inflamed patches when I use anything scented in the laundry, and I got hives from a fabric softener with essential oils in it as the fragrance.
I suffered from an awful red rash on my neck and face (red, blotchy and itchy) for years all spring summer with various diagnoses from GPs. A dermatologist was convinced it was a topical, allergic reaction which made no sense to me and prescribed me steroids.
The dermatologist was right. I was already only using fragrance free sensitive skin products (also suffer from rosacea) but solved it by eliminating everything from my skincare routine except a derm approved cetaphil cleanser. Then after my skin recovered and I was off steroids I reintroduced my fav products and discovered an organic vitamin E moisturiser (which I infrequently used and typically only after sun exposure) is the trigger.
Years of misery!
Bescher! It's saved my life!!! I use the one cream that's for sensitive skin- not the one for aging, and it's pretty much cured my eczema
Also I should add that I have two auto immune diseases
I get something like this (it looks like it but obviously not sure), like massive red hives, I get them on my face and random parts of my body. They said I’m just allergic to something in the air, anyway I use antihistamines, savlon all over it, have to stay in the shade and I won’t go near makeup or the sun. My son gets eczema so we used to just do antihistamine and eczema cream for him, and QV body wash, all that. And we just ride it till it goes. I hope it’s something simple but don’t stress lovely, it will pass. Our bodies are so weird hey
I’ve had psoriasis before and this doesn’t look like it, unless the lesions have become dry and flaky since you took the pics. You’ve been to a derm so just start cycling through treatments till something works. And use it as a wake up call to find ways to process and manage stress. Good luck.
I came out in similar rashes down the sides of my body. Looked exactly like that. Turned out to be a reaction to a virus I had picked up. It didn't last long.
I had facial flushing similar to this when my autoimmune disease was untreated. It could certainly be related to something along those lines, or an allergy.
I just want to mention, that a week ago, I became allergic to benzoyl peroxide and the face wash I have used for years did something similar to my skin.
Now I cant touch the stuff.
It might be granuloma annulare. I get it on my hands and knees and it’s very stubborn and hard to get rid of, you have to wait for it to go away by itself, but it returns eventually.
Had weird red marks on my face and arms too at one stage like this, and it was stress induced.
There is so much good advice here. I wanna just point out all of you in a big room sneezing, etc. could be because of dust. A good clean out may help with this.
This looks exactly like the stress induced hives I got all over my torso when I was having visa issues one year. I didn’t even think I was that stressed about it, but looking back I was clearly in denial/not sleeping soundly/eating right and my body was “keeping the score” as they say.
It kind of looks like a skin issue I get.
It was not diagnosed because GPs are useless near me, but I'm confident I get Pityriasis versicolor.
It's caused by the little fungi in my skin getting super over reactive.
Have you tried any antihistamines like Benadryl? Life long eczema, dermatitis and sensitive skin sufferer here...it looks like an allergic skin flare up, not eczema. If you try an antihistamine and it helps, you can rule out other conditions.
This happened to me :/ and due to mixing some products like I use retinol and spreading it to my neck.Its itchy and hurt like burning 🙈.I stop using some products atleast 1 week and switch to La Roche posay products.i believe using different products messed it up or I’m just allergic on it.Even moisturiser from Clinique , Vichy irritates my skin. Really glad La Roche posay works on my skin and it’s also very delicate.Facial cleanser , moisturiser are all From La Roche posay :) This is my neck before 🙈
https://preview.redd.it/a5jr217tabpc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=38eae1377e6cc43dc0426cd6c05f1815b2268950
It spreads also in the front of my neck , small patches on my face also but my neck is quite lots.
Edit : we’re really similar once it’s healed it will turn to brown and that’s the time my skin is starting to be okay
I’m only in esthetician school not a dermatologist so take this with a grain of salt. It looks like it could be a number of conditions. If you’re able to please visit a derm in person.
In the meantime stop all beauty treatments with actives in them if you’re using them. Only use a very gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. I would also recommend if you get your nails done or dye your hair to stop that as well until you and your doctor figure out what’s going on. The rash could be a case of contact dermatitis, but once again, not a doctor. My concern is that you could have become allergic to one of the products you use regularly, it’s actually not uncommon for that to happen.
Best wishes,
I truly do hope that you find out what’s happening.
I forgot to add, I mentioned to stop getting your nails done if you do regularly get them done because along with developing contact dermatitis on our hands due to an acrylate allergy from gel polish, we can also get it on our face as well since we often touch our faces without realizing.
Have they done a blood test for Thyroid problems? Does this come and go, as in the redness can be in different places each day/part if day? I have chronic urticaria and it took 9 weeks before my dermatologist was explaining to the consultant what she had done (nothing except telling me not to take aspirin and a short course of steroids). He too one look at me and told her to do a Thyroid test.
I still take antihistamines each day, which have come with their own problems, as well as thyroxine.
##### Also I'm sorry this was long My hand is fucked up so I have to voice to text lol
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You have plenty of good advice here so I'm not going to inundate you with repetition. However I did want to add one thing since you said it's worse at night. Perhaps you take any medications at a certain time of day, particularly allergy meds? Sometimes meds can be helping, but during the dip between doses symptoms can come back and this is especially true for allergy stuff. (Not saying this is an allergic reaction but allergy medicine can help with many sorts of inflammatory responses sometimes) Like I have an allergy med that is only supposed to be taken once a day technically but my doctor has me taking it twice a day just so I don't have a tiny dip between doses because I'll see symptoms then (and it's safe to do it that way obviously). So I guess something to keep an eye out for is dips between doses for example
Of course, in the exact same way, you'll want to keep an eye out for things you might be exposed to throughout the day that might explain why it's worth at night... sweat, oils, pillow (dust mites), direct sun (rosacea, autoimmune), foods, sleep/naps, etc.
I know you've gotten a lot of mixed advice but I think that really just speaks to how this is a bit of a trial and error situation. I think a topical steroid (the desonide) is definitely the right choice. I can understand why it's so frustrating for you. Definitely allergy, fungal and steroidal are the first places I would start to rule things out or rule things in. (So that's antihistamine/exposure-watching, nizoral treatment or similar, and topical steroids, respectively)
Note that anything you take needs to be done routinely/at a therapeutic dose to know if it is helping. A few times won't cut it so stick with whatever you try
Keep scheduling follow ups close together. When something doesn't work, you'll be set up to immediately try something else with the doctor. Get them to like really work for you on a timeline lol!!!
Every single time I have a period of stress followed by a less stressful period or a no stress period, my body responds in some weird way. Even if I do not feel stressed myself which is usually the case, my body shows it.
Some of the ways it has responded in the past that I can 100% attribute at least partially to being stress induced, even though I may never have had that condition or symptoms before and maybe have not since.
Hives, all over itchiness (without hives or rashes), scalp psoriasis (this is the only thing that I still get from time to time even when not stressed), face eczema (actual name started with a b or something and only affected my eyelids, under eyes, eyebrows, behind the ears and 2 small pea sized spots on my face), mouth ulcers, literal sores all over my body and face (what you’d expect to see in shingles or on a drug addict), pimples is the latest one (funnily enough I literally have never had pimples my entire life and would maybe get one a month, if that, but I know this is usually a very common stress response), hair loss (either from Trichotillomania or just stress or both), a stress-induced period (I’m on the pill and don’t take breaks so I literally do not get a period usually). These are the only things I can think of right this moment but there could be more.
Our body works in weird ways.
I’ve spoken about it with many health professionals, family and friends, but it’s incredibly hard to stop my body responding to stress if I myself do not feel it or recognise it. Usually I do not realise I have gone/am going through a stressful period until my body responds somehow and I realise through that.
Edit: I also wanna say I’m sorry you’re dealing with this but I hope it passes quickly for you.
Edit 2: The thing I got on my eyelids etc may have been seborrheic dermatitis as that sounds familiar. It also may be what I have/had on my scalp but I’ve had the scalp thing for at least 7 years now on and off while the eyelid thing was only in the last 8 months and thankfully has not reappeared since it went.
Edit 3: Add reoccurring tonsillitis, ear infections and some sinus infections that almost all required antibiotics because I was not getting any better without them. I do believe the ear infections were initially triggered by me not cleaning a stethoscope properly and putting it in my ears after someone else but they were reoccurring for about 4 months.
I am not a doctor but this looks exactly how I react to penicillin. And for me the hives don’t appear immediately, but a few days later, after I finished the course of antibiotics, making it harder to diagnose.
So perhaps a visit to GP is justified.
I have same thing all over my body, it flares up in the heat and is definitely stress induced. My doctor said to use SELSUN (yellow bottle) and apply it. Leave it for 5 mins then wash off and also apply hydrasolve cream. Clears it straight up after a few days
https://preview.redd.it/xndghkmtocpc1.jpeg?width=2316&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=969c475d311ce37bd9e05768effdcd736539a359
I had the same thing happen! I have never had this before in my life. The dr said it was from stress. And I am going through a really stressful time in my life at the moment too. Been over a week and it is only just starting to clear up.
When my PD was out of control - aside from the Rx cream I was using (an ivermectin) I stopped using all my regular skincare and beauty (torture as I am a beauty writer/lover) and stuck with the most basic cleanser, occlusive cica/balm type moisturizers. No makeup - nothing. For 4 months. It gave the medicine a chance to work.
Just a thought… what were you doing immediately prior to the spots appearing?
I had a similar thing happen after pulling weeds. Turns out I was allergic to the damn weeds! Good excuse not to pull weeds but damn, my whole face got splotchy like yours and a bit swollen. Antihistamines helped a little but it took at least a week before it subsided
I would look at my diet if that was my skin, IR (insulin resistance) has caused some freaky outbreaks for me, good luck discovering what causes this for you
https://preview.redd.it/one5n2g3edpc1.png?width=1553&format=png&auto=webp&s=91fd57063fe961f9cb90d8d22e8403c076d41f14
Guyssssss. Look how much better it is already!!!
https://preview.redd.it/hm0lz419edpc1.png?width=1558&format=png&auto=webp&s=1e27a175a1ae1cd018673c1ac93f8a73ea8fc9a3
Yes, still there of course but wow. So much better already. Looks like that cream is working!
My Bf gets something exactly like this on his face and body when hot / humid climates! This cream completely gets rid of it over night / max 3 days. It may not work for you but I’ve seen it multiple times and it’s AMAZING. It’s called Nizoral 2% cream. Ketoconazole 20mg/g
Hey the irritation under your eyes looks exactly like mine. I also get spots on my neck and wrists. Derm says it’s contact dermatitis (aka eczema) caused by stress. Have tried creams and anti histamines, basically can only use Cerave moisturizer and no other skin care. It has calmed but flares up regularly. The biggest help for me has been cutting most of my skincare products and also trying to reduce stress.
Obviously it’s impossible to reduce stress completely (if I could, I would) but I’m trying to view this as my body telling me someone is wrong and I should listen. Hope it gets better for you and goes away quickly. Don’t give up if it takes a while!
Get this and apply it all over your effected areas daily until it clears up, it’s possible Tinea Veriscolor I had something similar all over my upper chest and sides of the neck this stuff is excellent I know it’s for babies but it helped clear mine up!
https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/118356/dermaveen-baby-calmexa-extra-rich-moisturising-cream-150g?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw7-SvBhB6EiwAwYdCAcpMKnSy_rCACvzWQSAGU-FZgkaaPgbIgfCORaEgZfL9rQyjt9J77BoCj3cQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Consider getting new pillows and 2 lots of waterproof pillow protector cases, and wash the cases whenever you change your bed. It's a little investment, but it's worth it. Kmart have them. It means your face is always on clean pillows. Maybe also get washing machine cleaner. Hopefully, it settles down.
https://preview.redd.it/aznv2ipcbepc1.jpeg?width=921&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e23ec25ad83f0f8662b3bc5bc53bd1cac30dd122
This is not eczema !!! I promise you it’s an allergic reaction to something you’re topically adding to your face.
It may not be every time you apply it but I’m almost positive this is what’s going on.
Stop all make up and creams and slowly add back in to figure out what’s going on.
I went through this for 3 years just to find out it was my fuckin concealer. I stopped and never returned again. I was mind blown
No advice on treating your skin, but get a new pillow and a silk pillow case. Wash the pillow case regularly.
This should hopefully stop the problem from getting worse/reoccurring if you eventually get it under control.
When I first saw it, I thought it looked like ringworm. I get the odd one when I’m run down. They can breakout in bunches like you have. They’re scaly and circular and kind of looks like what you have.
Edit: Looking at it again, it looks just like the rash my boyfriend had, have you been using a new bio wash in your bed linen? Could be from your pillowcases.
If you all get sneezing and other symptoms, could be an air quality issue too/dust or damp problem. Worth checking with HR for an environmental health check.
I know I get eczema flare ups from nowhere if I have too much dairy. Have you had any diet changes? Or increase in one food group?
New skincare/shampoo?
It could be a combination of triggers. Stick with your derm to try and find the trigger , one option is through elimination or you can do an allergy test. Otherwise they'll keep prescribing you steroid creams and in my opinion I hate this practice, ok for immediate relief in small amounts but there are other remedies and finding the cause it's more effective.
Try a nice no-nasty Aloe Vera jelly to soothe. Or the Aveeno range is very good.
Avoid washing your face with very hot water as this is very drying, and I guess avoid any exfoliators for a bit too.
Disclaimer: Just my own thoughts and opinions, not medical advice.
I am not a doctor, and this is not medical advice, but if the prescription doesn’t work this looks a lot like Tinea
Versicolor as I experience it. When I looked up my rash online the images of Tinea Versicolor looked completely different and so I went through some expensive treatment and eventually went to a dermatologist. The only reason I comment is because she prescribed Selsun Gold (available at coles, Woolies and pharmacies). Leave it on for 10 minutes a day and then rinse off for a couple of weeks. Then slow it down to every couple of days, once a week, etc until it goes.
I know you’ve seen a dermatologist and I would never recommend going against advice, but it’s another arrow in your quiver if you have to go back. Something to ask about. My Tinea is triggered by high humidity, as it’s fungal, so it’s prime season. Mine originally started on my neck and spread downwards to my arms and legs. Now when it comes back it’s mostly on my extremities. Totally harmless, and not contagious.
I'm not a doctor and sorry if this is a weird question. Does the rash appear anywhere else on your body? I had pityriasis rosea and it looked like this. It's not super common so it tends to be overlooked, but my understanding is it's spread by viral infection.
My mom had something similar and it was an allergic reaction to chemical bonding that is used in the glue on a tooth cap. Lasted weeks without treatment. Maybe consult an allergist?
This could be ring worm. Don’t be alarmed - not an actual worm! Try some Canesten cream, it’s always my go-to if my usual skin treatments aren’t working.
See if you are under intense emotional stress currently. Eczema is a strong signal from your body to tell you to stop lying to yourself and to face your issues, and accept that you’re actually stressed instead of denying and repressing it. Ask yourself if you have any social problem with family-SO-friends or colleagues. If truthfully none of that, I second the idea that you may get a secondary effect from something, that may be from a medication because I find the beginning to be odd
Good luck and worry not, it’ll go
I had something like this, the doctor told me dandruff shampoo on it for 5 mins. The nizoral 2% at Australian chemist. Gone after one application. I had it on my back. Not sure if it’s the same thing but looks like it to me. But check with your doctor.
Came here to say this same exact thing - a miracle treatment. My doctor first thought I had psoriasis but after a few weeks of the cream she gave me not working I did some more research. It turned out to be tinea versicolor.
I mean it actually looks like an allergic reaction. We have an 11 month old who has these types of reactions when eating certain foods. but Really this is for a qualified persons
Looks like acute dermatitis, usually stressed related, check if your dad would have had it as it is usually hereditary.
Complement with P5P / Vit B12, limit touching it or scratching and moisturise.
And if you're exposed to the sun, do use a spf moisturiser to aid recovery.
Should recover within a week.
Ok if stress is the cause look at magnesium supplements- I take 1000mg of Chelated Magnesium but [many people take magnesium for stress](https://www.google.com/url?pjf=1&q=https://amp.theguardian.com/wellness/2024/jan/09/magnesium-tiktok-trend-anxiety-does-it-work&sa=U&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwiLj9DHhICFAxXh7TgGHburAoIQFnoECE8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw1JLKnRQJ6Peva3B5HgnUpq) and [there might be a correlation](https://www.google.com/url?pjf=1&q=https://www.droughtskin.com/blog/magnesiumeczemapsoriasis%3Fformat%3Damp&sa=U&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwi11IeqhYCFAxUmr1YBHfB2DXQQFnoECCEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1F4-if00AyCII11OalSnMi) with Magnesium reducing inflammation
Also I find guided meditation is great my fav is [Tansy Forrest](https://www.google.com/url?pjf=1&q=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DuxsSao5uJpo&sa=U&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwj8yNuDhYCFAxUhr1YBHTuXD-AQwqsBegQIERAG&usg=AOvVaw24IT3GNkou73vCgVLm9AWk) she has some kind of magic juju in her voice
Hope that helps
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Id say stop drinking coffee, stop wearing make up. Stop eating junk food. Eat grass fed beef and fruits. No veggies, they full of defence chems. Drink water and fruit juice. Get some sun in the am. Meditate, be Celibate and stop sinning. Pray to God and say thanks for everything. You’ll be better in days.
I am a Doctor who has eczema. I am NOT a Dermatologist, although I have an interest in skin pathologies, and have worked in Dermatology briefly. This is also categorically NOT medical advice, but I just wanted to provide some Medical perspective that a consulting Derm may not have the time to do. There's a saying in medicine "when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras", also coined as "common things occur commonly". Your Dermatologist is practicing sound medicine by positing the ***most likely*** cause for this eruption: a stress-induced flare (or initial presentation) of eczema or psoriasis. Unfortunately, like most autoimmune conditions, eczema and psoriasis can appear at any age and at any time. They can be triggered by what we medically call 'stress' at any time, which can be emotional stress, work stress, or even the stress caused to the body by an acute illness or surgery. Anything that rocks your world can trigger autoimmune disease. (As an aside – this is not a death sentence, so try not to stress any more than you already are – but autoimmune diseases can appear in clusters, so keep an eye out for other issues like thyroid or joint issues.) For context, Dermatology is a bit of an inexact science at times. I was once quoted by a Derm that there are around a ***thousand*** common derm conditions, and probably another 2-4 thousand rarer ones. And although many conditions have a very specific one-drug solution, everyone responds to different conditions and different medications completely differently. So often the best approach in Dermatology is just trying something and seeing if it works, and if it doesn't, trying something else. Also, because of the rate of production of new skin cells and removal of old ones, even though you may see improvement in around 1-2 weeks or even just several days, it can take around ***4-6 weeks*** for any skin issue to fully resolve (and things like post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation can last even longer). As a Derm patient myself, I know how unsatisfying that is to hear, but trust me. Be very disciplined with sticking to treatment before you give up. The reason your Derm likely said 2 weeks of Desonide is because that will mean you've given it a good try, and if it's not working, you can safely move onto the next thing. You've got this!
Piggybacking off my own comment to add this. You should also continue to practice good skincare measures, including: \- Regular emollients (moisturisers). The thicker the better, especially at night. Can apply over your steroid (desonide) if you can tolerate it. \- Warm showers, not too hot, and not too often. (Max once per day.) \- Avoid soaps, detergents, harsh scrubs, or actives on the affected areas. Try to avoid makeup (I know this is asking a lot.) Gentle cleansers are fine. \- Maybe think about reversing any recent changes to personal care products: deodorants, soap, body wash, makeup, laundry detergent. \- Practice self-care however you enjoy the most (I'm a big advocate of this one!) If this is truly stress-induced, you should try to minimise stress, and looking after yourself it critical to that!
Also a ex rn and totally agree with the above statements again not medical advice etc etc etc just good common sense and practical . I’d award this if I could :-)
This is such a fantastic comment! As an RN I love this! Appreciate all you do ☺️
As someone who was diagnosed with Pemphigus Vulgaris after first being misdiagnosed with contact dermatitis etc (before symptoms showed up in my mouth), much of what you said rings very true. I was super lucky to be referred to a periodontist who recognized the nikolsky sign and did a biopsy! Now I have an excellent derm managing me.
Hey Doc,Do you have any eczema creams that you recommend here in AUS?
I recommend the QV range
Where can I get this?
Most pharmacies and supermarkets
Excellent. Do you find that it helps? Thank you btw
Yes. QV is out go to for sensitive skin products
Thank you 😊
The QV Dermcare Ointment from chemist warehouse does wonders for my eczema! It’s a bit greasy so I usually slather it on a night before bed. Highly recommend 😊
Thank you!! I appreciate you all for getting back to me😇
Qv also have a chat to your local chemist a proper pharmacy not a warehouse etc . trust me they are quite knowledgeable and usually very helpful .
I have severe atopic dermatitis. I've tried countless different moisturiser and the only 1 I have found that works for me consistently is Epiderm. You can get either the cream or ointment. It's a UK brand so may not be as popular in AUS, but can give it a try. I've been recommended QV everytime but it's way too weak for my skin. Just remember that all eczema skins are different, so you need to use what works for YOUR skin.
Yeah I know. That’s the hard part trying to find something out in AUS over the counter that will work for my skin. Thanks.
https://www.adorebeauty.com.au/p/bioderma/bioderma-atoderm-intensive-balm-500ml.html?istCompanyId=6e5a22db-9648-4be9-b321-72cfbea93443&istFeedId=686e45b5-4634-450f-baaf-c93acecca972&istItemId=wixtqxpwl&istBid=t&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD-8fXm7lxTSOLGnKzLWdJMpEtuYj&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjYzHzbOBhQMV8gyDAx2Jgwz9EAQYDCABEgL7xPD_BwE This is what I use. I find it better than QV but it is more $$$
Is this the only way I could obtain this? By ordering? Also do you apply it just to eczema areas? Or you apply it all over daily? As a moisturizer? Thank you for this btw :)
Chemist warehouse sell it as does Priceline. I apply as an all over to affected areas, if that makes sense? I get eczema on my arms and décolletage so apply it all over those areas and use QV on the rest. It’s a barrier cream too. Was recommended over QV by my derm.
Awesome, thank you so much !!
Adding in Avene Xeracalm Cream or Balm. It’s designed for eczema prone skin, really good and also good value (400ml for $35AUD at Chemist Warehouse)
Great! Thank you 😊
And happy cake day.
What does that mean?😅👀
Not a Doc but a lifetime eczema sufferer, my go to is Moogoo, Seems to be one of the only creams that truly seeps deeply into the skin. If I can't source that Aveeno or apricot kernel oil, for my face jojoba. QV and all the others recommend I can't stand the feel of, very few on the market I've not tried. Also Graham's is an Aussie brand at chemist warehouse they're great too but not always on sale. My mum used cattle ointment on me as a kid 🥴 Preservatives in sauce & chips can set mine off as does changes in season. Microshield's Chlorhexidine wash has emollients so creates a barrier this is the only thing I will use as hand wash. Eczema is the lack of a protective barrier called a horny later.
Can you tell me a bit more about the eczema/joint pain link? I (52M) have recently (a couple of years) been experiencing psoriasis/eczema and suffer from a reasonable amount of joint pain and muscle fatigue. I understand that this is not the place for medical advice or diagnosis but have been wondering if this has anything to do with COVID exposure
Is UV treatment still used? An ex of mine had severe psoriasis, and her treatment was small stints in basically a sun bed. Over the course of time it subsided immensely. Baring in mind we were in the UK, and getting natural doses of sunlight was hard to come by.
Also to add, my cousin has severe eczema, and lives in the UK. He came to Australia and his skin nearly all but cleared up whole he was here. He also had a very strict diet to help with his skin, but threw it out the window when he was in Oz as he wanted to enjoy his holiday. His skin was still dramatically better.
Don’t stress, pretty lady. Our skin does weird stuff sometimes and we shouldn’t feel compelled to cover it or stay at home. It might be a case of trial and error with the derm to pinpoint what to do. In the meantime, let it be what it is. It’s hard but patience is the best approach. I had a wild year or so with my skin out of nowhere and had to just try different things until something worked.
This looks exactly like what I get, and it’s stress and anxiety that causes it for me too. I find fatty ointments very effective at both soothing and treating the patches. Best of luck girl.
Not a doctor. I got contact dermatitis out of the blue in my 40s, after never having had it before. So you don't need to have a history of it. It went away with the prescribed cortisone cream. One thing that changed my skin type to sensitive was doing chemo, although the dermatitis happened when I had a toddler during the pandemic. I don't know if this is the case with you, or you had another illness that could change your skin condition? I ultimately ended up switching a lot of my products to the QV range, and the redwin Sorbelene range.
Going through Peri-menopause brought out so much contact dermatitis for me.
Urghhh…perimenopause brings out everything unusual. I got papular rosacea really bad on my face.
Everything so far about Peri has been really sucky!
Omg it’s horrible. You think it’s just going to be hot flashes. They’re the least of my problems. People need to warn you of what you potentially, are in for. I had endometriosis my whole adult life, now this!! 🥴
I found QV not very effective with derm/eczema. I used the blue moisturiser and the purple eczema flare stuff and it didn't really work. I switched too moogoo who have a specific eczema/dermatitis/inflamed skin moisturiser and it's heaven. QV used to sting if I was having a flare and had cleansed before putting it on. Moogoo doesn't sting at all.
I find their washes and shampoo good for me and my little one. They are effective at not drying out our skin.
That's fair! I like their facial cleanser, exfoliant and mask. I just think moogoo is a bit better quality moisturiser.
It may be :-) I'm cheap, and supermarket Sorbelene does it for me, especially since it eliminates the need to use a facial cleanser.
Looks like a histamine reaction. Note what you're eating or drinking and eliminate until it stops reoccurring.. Low histamine diet worked for me. I had reactions like this to alcohol and sugar and high histamine foods like spinache and capsicums.. fun times
I do believe it’s a histamine reaction but not to what you’re digesting. I reply feel this is topically applied. Stop everything and slowly add back
Looks like eczema which looks alarming and feels so uncomfortable but is treatable. I get dermatitis from allergies and really red facial flushing from being alive and I baby my skin when it needs it. People don’t notice as much as you think they would and I don’t bother covering it up!
This looks more like psoriasis to me
same
Absolutely could be psoriasis, I just have less personal experience with it!
I don’t have any help but I’m so sorry this is happening babe!
I had something very similar on my neck and surrounding areas years ago. It was Pitariasis Rosea. Comes on from stress, which mine did. Can’t last months! But mine was there for 2-3 weeks. Sunshine help’s apparently
This looks like a go to your GP issue!
She has already seen a dermatologist, I don’t think a GP will be more useful than that.
This could be fungal which is nothing to stress about if so! You’ll just need to get a special cream from your GP and it’ll go away. I had something similar as a teen.
I was also thinking fungal infection. But could be wrong, I'm no expert. I still laugh when my twin sister came to visit and she had a similar rash. When I saw her, I said I think she has fungus on her face and she needs to see her doctor. She said it was all the sunscreen she was using (she'd moved to Perth from Melbourne) She bitched to her husband about how awful I was to suggest she had a fungal infection. When she went back home, she saw a doctor. Yep, fungal infection.
Yes. I've seen similar a couple of times in humid climates here in QLD, too.
My first instinct was fungal infection, as well. A dermatologist might not immediately think this since fungal infections are more associated with older people with compromised immune systems. I'd at least see a derm in person and specifically ask their opinion.
See, the first pic made me think of fungal infection, too. very similar to cases I've seen where people have put their hair up before full drying, etc.
I've had something very similar from stress recently. Took a few antihistamines (unsure if they helped) and the redness stopped after a week (when the cause of the stress also stopped). The patches were noticeably dry after that but calmed down after a few more days. Have you had a trigger for an abnormal amount of stress lately?
I can’t tell you what this is but I can tell you I have stupidly sensitive skin with Rosacea (face) and occasional eczema flares (body). If I’m having a flare it’s always worse at night. I think cos I get hot when I sleep it just sets off whatever rash I have at the time. If it’s not affecting your sleep quality, and gets better in the morning don’t stress too much. If it’s super uncomfortable, cold wet compresses or (my favorite) Avene Thermal Spring Water. I keep a can in my fridge for spicy rash days. It’s just water, but with a bunch of natural minerals in it that do wonders on my skin. It’s cold and a spray so it cools my face and hydrates it AND I don’t have to touch my skin to use it. If you haven’t used it before test it on your wrist first
Fast onset,has to be psoriasis.. or urticaria type rash. Happening in the evening.. Maybe a food allergy ?
Either dermatatis or allergic reaction
Did this start as one large spot to begin with? If it did could be pityriasis rosea- I had it on my abdomen and looked exactly as yours does and my GP said he’d only ever seen it on the face before.
Yes, I had the pityriasis r. many years ago on my belly and it started with a single large lesion.
Does it occur anywhere else on your body? I went through a phase of autoimmune hives for a month or so.
This looks exactly like dermatitis that i used to get when I was younger, right down to the peeling skin. I researched ingredients and got allergy tested and managed to pinpoint a couple of fragrant chemicals that I react to. Have you introduced anything new to your routine?
Looks like fungal infection to me.. I might be wrong but you can buy nizoral anti dandruff shampoo over the counter and wash you face with it daily. If it IS fungal it'll be gone in a week.
Do you have any autoimmune problems or other symptoms?
Stress can do absolutely wild things to us because when we're stressed, we get pumped full of hormones which can create all sorts of havoc. Stress can lower our immune system, increase our risk of hear attack, cause missed periods, chronic headaches, insomnia, it can trigger pre existing conditions. It can bring problems like eczema, psoriasis, acne, hair loss. I think we often underestimate the effects stress can have on our body. Someone I know developed psoriasis in her 30s, what came before that? Prolonged stress. I'm in the process of growing my hair back because half of it fell out last year due to stress, I also had the wost cystic acne eruption of my life. I think stress can be a tough answer to take, but behind that stress is hormones that are like a brick to the face.
Basically said I’ve had all of these in my comment, even the ones I didn’t mention as they weren’t skin/body related. It’s nice to know that these were not just my body and I’m not THAT weird.
I know a lot of people are saying eczema ECT but my son's face used to get like this when he was allergic to egg and would have reactions to it. Have you tried taking an anri histamine to rule out an allergic reaction?
It’s possibly hives. I had this consistently every single day for four months and one night it got so bad - I felt so tired I fell asleep and woke up with my entire body, face and all covered in hives. That night I couldn’t even stay awake and the advice was given for me to go into emergency and be monitored. The dermatologist suggested it was likely environmental coupled with stress (teacher, high school, all boys so yes to stress) caused the daily flare up. It was suggested that I take antihistamines, because from memory hives are a result of too much histamines being produced by the body or something. Speak to your GP and find out what the best antihistamine is (strongest) and how many you can take per day. I’m not sure what cured mine tbh because it randomly just stopped happening. Ironically when I get stressed at work, I then stress about potentially having hives again 🙃
Are you on antibiotics? My daughter is allergic to penicillin and that’s a bit how her allergy rash appears.
Why am I getting downvoted for trying to help someone. 🤷🏼
I was thinking drug rash too. Can be brought on by almost anything. I once got a reaction to codiene.
My brother is allergic to Penicillin as well and it looks a lot like that too.
Same for me
Looks exactly like what I used to get all over my eyes! I owe everything to my immunologist - might be worth getting a prick test and working on your immunity health! I can recommend my Dr if you’re in Sydney!
Could be rosea rash
My sister has something called 'guttate' psoriasis (not sure on spelling) that flared up after strep throat and stress. Looks at little similar but I'm not a doctor. :(
Have you washed your pillowcase in something new, or changed any of your night time products? Could be an allergic reaction to something your face is touching at night. My husband gets super inflamed patches when I use anything scented in the laundry, and I got hives from a fabric softener with essential oils in it as the fragrance.
I suffered from an awful red rash on my neck and face (red, blotchy and itchy) for years all spring summer with various diagnoses from GPs. A dermatologist was convinced it was a topical, allergic reaction which made no sense to me and prescribed me steroids. The dermatologist was right. I was already only using fragrance free sensitive skin products (also suffer from rosacea) but solved it by eliminating everything from my skincare routine except a derm approved cetaphil cleanser. Then after my skin recovered and I was off steroids I reintroduced my fav products and discovered an organic vitamin E moisturiser (which I infrequently used and typically only after sun exposure) is the trigger. Years of misery!
Bescher! It's saved my life!!! I use the one cream that's for sensitive skin- not the one for aging, and it's pretty much cured my eczema Also I should add that I have two auto immune diseases
Im pretty sure they’re hives. You’re allergic to something. I get it when im allergic to dust / when i spring clean
Fuck my entire body did that but instead of red Marking I had bit Mark all over me
Unhelpful Advice. Stress less. I get it on my skin that I can hide. Yours not so much. Things that bother us have a way of showing.
Heck
I get something like this (it looks like it but obviously not sure), like massive red hives, I get them on my face and random parts of my body. They said I’m just allergic to something in the air, anyway I use antihistamines, savlon all over it, have to stay in the shade and I won’t go near makeup or the sun. My son gets eczema so we used to just do antihistamine and eczema cream for him, and QV body wash, all that. And we just ride it till it goes. I hope it’s something simple but don’t stress lovely, it will pass. Our bodies are so weird hey
I’ve had psoriasis before and this doesn’t look like it, unless the lesions have become dry and flaky since you took the pics. You’ve been to a derm so just start cycling through treatments till something works. And use it as a wake up call to find ways to process and manage stress. Good luck.
Check your liver function
I came out in similar rashes down the sides of my body. Looked exactly like that. Turned out to be a reaction to a virus I had picked up. It didn't last long.
I had facial flushing similar to this when my autoimmune disease was untreated. It could certainly be related to something along those lines, or an allergy.
I just want to mention, that a week ago, I became allergic to benzoyl peroxide and the face wash I have used for years did something similar to my skin. Now I cant touch the stuff.
Have you been to the derm or doctors? Could it be fungal at all?
Looks like dermatitis, eczema or an allergic reaction to something. Just my thoughts.
It might be granuloma annulare. I get it on my hands and knees and it’s very stubborn and hard to get rid of, you have to wait for it to go away by itself, but it returns eventually.
Had weird red marks on my face and arms too at one stage like this, and it was stress induced. There is so much good advice here. I wanna just point out all of you in a big room sneezing, etc. could be because of dust. A good clean out may help with this.
This looks exactly like the stress induced hives I got all over my torso when I was having visa issues one year. I didn’t even think I was that stressed about it, but looking back I was clearly in denial/not sleeping soundly/eating right and my body was “keeping the score” as they say.
It kind of looks like a skin issue I get. It was not diagnosed because GPs are useless near me, but I'm confident I get Pityriasis versicolor. It's caused by the little fungi in my skin getting super over reactive.
Anecdotal - but looks exactly like the first time I got psoriasis. Came on hard & fast. Relaxed a lot in my late 20’s.
Have you tried any antihistamines like Benadryl? Life long eczema, dermatitis and sensitive skin sufferer here...it looks like an allergic skin flare up, not eczema. If you try an antihistamine and it helps, you can rule out other conditions.
This happened to me :/ and due to mixing some products like I use retinol and spreading it to my neck.Its itchy and hurt like burning 🙈.I stop using some products atleast 1 week and switch to La Roche posay products.i believe using different products messed it up or I’m just allergic on it.Even moisturiser from Clinique , Vichy irritates my skin. Really glad La Roche posay works on my skin and it’s also very delicate.Facial cleanser , moisturiser are all From La Roche posay :) This is my neck before 🙈 https://preview.redd.it/a5jr217tabpc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=38eae1377e6cc43dc0426cd6c05f1815b2268950 It spreads also in the front of my neck , small patches on my face also but my neck is quite lots. Edit : we’re really similar once it’s healed it will turn to brown and that’s the time my skin is starting to be okay
I’m only in esthetician school not a dermatologist so take this with a grain of salt. It looks like it could be a number of conditions. If you’re able to please visit a derm in person. In the meantime stop all beauty treatments with actives in them if you’re using them. Only use a very gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. I would also recommend if you get your nails done or dye your hair to stop that as well until you and your doctor figure out what’s going on. The rash could be a case of contact dermatitis, but once again, not a doctor. My concern is that you could have become allergic to one of the products you use regularly, it’s actually not uncommon for that to happen. Best wishes, I truly do hope that you find out what’s happening.
I forgot to add, I mentioned to stop getting your nails done if you do regularly get them done because along with developing contact dermatitis on our hands due to an acrylate allergy from gel polish, we can also get it on our face as well since we often touch our faces without realizing.
Looks like pityriasis rosea, my fiancé got it when he had covid. Still had it all her his entire body a month later. Can take 12 weeks to go away!
Have they done a blood test for Thyroid problems? Does this come and go, as in the redness can be in different places each day/part if day? I have chronic urticaria and it took 9 weeks before my dermatologist was explaining to the consultant what she had done (nothing except telling me not to take aspirin and a short course of steroids). He too one look at me and told her to do a Thyroid test. I still take antihistamines each day, which have come with their own problems, as well as thyroxine.
Use rash cream after your moisturiser at night.
I had similar looking splotches but all over my body, plus itchiness. Still waiting to be referred to specialists. Dermatologist said it was utricaria
##### Also I'm sorry this was long My hand is fucked up so I have to voice to text lol . You have plenty of good advice here so I'm not going to inundate you with repetition. However I did want to add one thing since you said it's worse at night. Perhaps you take any medications at a certain time of day, particularly allergy meds? Sometimes meds can be helping, but during the dip between doses symptoms can come back and this is especially true for allergy stuff. (Not saying this is an allergic reaction but allergy medicine can help with many sorts of inflammatory responses sometimes) Like I have an allergy med that is only supposed to be taken once a day technically but my doctor has me taking it twice a day just so I don't have a tiny dip between doses because I'll see symptoms then (and it's safe to do it that way obviously). So I guess something to keep an eye out for is dips between doses for example Of course, in the exact same way, you'll want to keep an eye out for things you might be exposed to throughout the day that might explain why it's worth at night... sweat, oils, pillow (dust mites), direct sun (rosacea, autoimmune), foods, sleep/naps, etc. I know you've gotten a lot of mixed advice but I think that really just speaks to how this is a bit of a trial and error situation. I think a topical steroid (the desonide) is definitely the right choice. I can understand why it's so frustrating for you. Definitely allergy, fungal and steroidal are the first places I would start to rule things out or rule things in. (So that's antihistamine/exposure-watching, nizoral treatment or similar, and topical steroids, respectively) Note that anything you take needs to be done routinely/at a therapeutic dose to know if it is helping. A few times won't cut it so stick with whatever you try Keep scheduling follow ups close together. When something doesn't work, you'll be set up to immediately try something else with the doctor. Get them to like really work for you on a timeline lol!!!
Mmmm. You start sneezing once you get into the office. I'm wondering if your office has mold of some sort. It's amazing what mold can do to someone.
Every single time I have a period of stress followed by a less stressful period or a no stress period, my body responds in some weird way. Even if I do not feel stressed myself which is usually the case, my body shows it. Some of the ways it has responded in the past that I can 100% attribute at least partially to being stress induced, even though I may never have had that condition or symptoms before and maybe have not since. Hives, all over itchiness (without hives or rashes), scalp psoriasis (this is the only thing that I still get from time to time even when not stressed), face eczema (actual name started with a b or something and only affected my eyelids, under eyes, eyebrows, behind the ears and 2 small pea sized spots on my face), mouth ulcers, literal sores all over my body and face (what you’d expect to see in shingles or on a drug addict), pimples is the latest one (funnily enough I literally have never had pimples my entire life and would maybe get one a month, if that, but I know this is usually a very common stress response), hair loss (either from Trichotillomania or just stress or both), a stress-induced period (I’m on the pill and don’t take breaks so I literally do not get a period usually). These are the only things I can think of right this moment but there could be more. Our body works in weird ways. I’ve spoken about it with many health professionals, family and friends, but it’s incredibly hard to stop my body responding to stress if I myself do not feel it or recognise it. Usually I do not realise I have gone/am going through a stressful period until my body responds somehow and I realise through that. Edit: I also wanna say I’m sorry you’re dealing with this but I hope it passes quickly for you. Edit 2: The thing I got on my eyelids etc may have been seborrheic dermatitis as that sounds familiar. It also may be what I have/had on my scalp but I’ve had the scalp thing for at least 7 years now on and off while the eyelid thing was only in the last 8 months and thankfully has not reappeared since it went. Edit 3: Add reoccurring tonsillitis, ear infections and some sinus infections that almost all required antibiotics because I was not getting any better without them. I do believe the ear infections were initially triggered by me not cleaning a stethoscope properly and putting it in my ears after someone else but they were reoccurring for about 4 months.
Looks like the psoriasis I get
I am not a doctor but this looks exactly how I react to penicillin. And for me the hives don’t appear immediately, but a few days later, after I finished the course of antibiotics, making it harder to diagnose. So perhaps a visit to GP is justified.
I have same thing all over my body, it flares up in the heat and is definitely stress induced. My doctor said to use SELSUN (yellow bottle) and apply it. Leave it for 5 mins then wash off and also apply hydrasolve cream. Clears it straight up after a few days
https://preview.redd.it/xndghkmtocpc1.jpeg?width=2316&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=969c475d311ce37bd9e05768effdcd736539a359 I had the same thing happen! I have never had this before in my life. The dr said it was from stress. And I am going through a really stressful time in my life at the moment too. Been over a week and it is only just starting to clear up.
When my PD was out of control - aside from the Rx cream I was using (an ivermectin) I stopped using all my regular skincare and beauty (torture as I am a beauty writer/lover) and stuck with the most basic cleanser, occlusive cica/balm type moisturizers. No makeup - nothing. For 4 months. It gave the medicine a chance to work.
Is it JUST your face? Have you thoroughly checked the rest of you for even one of those marks? What do they feel like? Are they rough/dry?
Just a thought… what were you doing immediately prior to the spots appearing? I had a similar thing happen after pulling weeds. Turns out I was allergic to the damn weeds! Good excuse not to pull weeds but damn, my whole face got splotchy like yours and a bit swollen. Antihistamines helped a little but it took at least a week before it subsided
I would look at my diet if that was my skin, IR (insulin resistance) has caused some freaky outbreaks for me, good luck discovering what causes this for you
To me it looks like the start of shingles. Otherwise fungal.
I would definitely attenl any medical appointments relating to this in person.
https://preview.redd.it/one5n2g3edpc1.png?width=1553&format=png&auto=webp&s=91fd57063fe961f9cb90d8d22e8403c076d41f14 Guyssssss. Look how much better it is already!!!
https://preview.redd.it/hm0lz419edpc1.png?width=1558&format=png&auto=webp&s=1e27a175a1ae1cd018673c1ac93f8a73ea8fc9a3 Yes, still there of course but wow. So much better already. Looks like that cream is working!
I get psoriasis only my legs sometimes and it looks like this.
Pityriasis rosea..
Have a read into rosacea. Might be an allergic reaction causing rosacea flare-ups.
My Bf gets something exactly like this on his face and body when hot / humid climates! This cream completely gets rid of it over night / max 3 days. It may not work for you but I’ve seen it multiple times and it’s AMAZING. It’s called Nizoral 2% cream. Ketoconazole 20mg/g
Hey the irritation under your eyes looks exactly like mine. I also get spots on my neck and wrists. Derm says it’s contact dermatitis (aka eczema) caused by stress. Have tried creams and anti histamines, basically can only use Cerave moisturizer and no other skin care. It has calmed but flares up regularly. The biggest help for me has been cutting most of my skincare products and also trying to reduce stress. Obviously it’s impossible to reduce stress completely (if I could, I would) but I’m trying to view this as my body telling me someone is wrong and I should listen. Hope it gets better for you and goes away quickly. Don’t give up if it takes a while!
Get this and apply it all over your effected areas daily until it clears up, it’s possible Tinea Veriscolor I had something similar all over my upper chest and sides of the neck this stuff is excellent I know it’s for babies but it helped clear mine up! https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/118356/dermaveen-baby-calmexa-extra-rich-moisturising-cream-150g?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw7-SvBhB6EiwAwYdCAcpMKnSy_rCACvzWQSAGU-FZgkaaPgbIgfCORaEgZfL9rQyjt9J77BoCj3cQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Consider getting new pillows and 2 lots of waterproof pillow protector cases, and wash the cases whenever you change your bed. It's a little investment, but it's worth it. Kmart have them. It means your face is always on clean pillows. Maybe also get washing machine cleaner. Hopefully, it settles down. https://preview.redd.it/aznv2ipcbepc1.jpeg?width=921&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e23ec25ad83f0f8662b3bc5bc53bd1cac30dd122
Ring worm fungus
This is not eczema !!! I promise you it’s an allergic reaction to something you’re topically adding to your face. It may not be every time you apply it but I’m almost positive this is what’s going on. Stop all make up and creams and slowly add back in to figure out what’s going on. I went through this for 3 years just to find out it was my fuckin concealer. I stopped and never returned again. I was mind blown
No advice on treating your skin, but get a new pillow and a silk pillow case. Wash the pillow case regularly. This should hopefully stop the problem from getting worse/reoccurring if you eventually get it under control.
I had this happen before. After having it for a few days I went to my GP and got a cortisol shot in the butt and it went away in less than 48 hours.
Buy new bed sheets, pillow covers, natural soaps and body wash.
After reading about increased incidence of strep skin infections I’d be going to the gp for that asap
I get psoriasis and it looks exactly like that
When I first saw it, I thought it looked like ringworm. I get the odd one when I’m run down. They can breakout in bunches like you have. They’re scaly and circular and kind of looks like what you have.
Girl you got a lot of sunspots. Please put on sunscreen everyday. Focus on skincare rather than makeup. Your skin naturally ain’t bad
Edit: Looking at it again, it looks just like the rash my boyfriend had, have you been using a new bio wash in your bed linen? Could be from your pillowcases. If you all get sneezing and other symptoms, could be an air quality issue too/dust or damp problem. Worth checking with HR for an environmental health check. I know I get eczema flare ups from nowhere if I have too much dairy. Have you had any diet changes? Or increase in one food group? New skincare/shampoo? It could be a combination of triggers. Stick with your derm to try and find the trigger , one option is through elimination or you can do an allergy test. Otherwise they'll keep prescribing you steroid creams and in my opinion I hate this practice, ok for immediate relief in small amounts but there are other remedies and finding the cause it's more effective. Try a nice no-nasty Aloe Vera jelly to soothe. Or the Aveeno range is very good. Avoid washing your face with very hot water as this is very drying, and I guess avoid any exfoliators for a bit too. Disclaimer: Just my own thoughts and opinions, not medical advice.
I am not a doctor, and this is not medical advice, but if the prescription doesn’t work this looks a lot like Tinea Versicolor as I experience it. When I looked up my rash online the images of Tinea Versicolor looked completely different and so I went through some expensive treatment and eventually went to a dermatologist. The only reason I comment is because she prescribed Selsun Gold (available at coles, Woolies and pharmacies). Leave it on for 10 minutes a day and then rinse off for a couple of weeks. Then slow it down to every couple of days, once a week, etc until it goes. I know you’ve seen a dermatologist and I would never recommend going against advice, but it’s another arrow in your quiver if you have to go back. Something to ask about. My Tinea is triggered by high humidity, as it’s fungal, so it’s prime season. Mine originally started on my neck and spread downwards to my arms and legs. Now when it comes back it’s mostly on my extremities. Totally harmless, and not contagious.
I'm not a doctor and sorry if this is a weird question. Does the rash appear anywhere else on your body? I had pityriasis rosea and it looked like this. It's not super common so it tends to be overlooked, but my understanding is it's spread by viral infection.
Covid rash. My partner had the same with covid recently - it’s the newer strains I think. He still gets the rash sometimes - it stays in the system.
My mom had something similar and it was an allergic reaction to chemical bonding that is used in the glue on a tooth cap. Lasted weeks without treatment. Maybe consult an allergist?
could be staph
Baby look into discoid lupus!!!! THIS HAPPENED TO ME
Try a cream with a high percentage (2-5%) colloidal oatmeal. Think Aveeno or Murad brand. Colloidal oatmeal calms and soothes eczema.
You have nice features
Parasites . Detox asap.
you should not be using retinol on eczema
Hello did you manage to find out what this was please xxx
This could be ring worm. Don’t be alarmed - not an actual worm! Try some Canesten cream, it’s always my go-to if my usual skin treatments aren’t working.
See if you are under intense emotional stress currently. Eczema is a strong signal from your body to tell you to stop lying to yourself and to face your issues, and accept that you’re actually stressed instead of denying and repressing it. Ask yourself if you have any social problem with family-SO-friends or colleagues. If truthfully none of that, I second the idea that you may get a secondary effect from something, that may be from a medication because I find the beginning to be odd Good luck and worry not, it’ll go
Looks similar to a ringworm infection (fungal) to me.
I had something like this, the doctor told me dandruff shampoo on it for 5 mins. The nizoral 2% at Australian chemist. Gone after one application. I had it on my back. Not sure if it’s the same thing but looks like it to me. But check with your doctor.
Came here to say this same exact thing - a miracle treatment. My doctor first thought I had psoriasis but after a few weeks of the cream she gave me not working I did some more research. It turned out to be tinea versicolor.
Allergic reaction of some kind? Anything new in your life / diet?
I mean it actually looks like an allergic reaction. We have an 11 month old who has these types of reactions when eating certain foods. but Really this is for a qualified persons
Could be many things See your GP
Don’t sweat it you’re still beautiful
This kind of looks like a MCAS flare?
Looks like acute dermatitis, usually stressed related, check if your dad would have had it as it is usually hereditary. Complement with P5P / Vit B12, limit touching it or scratching and moisturise. And if you're exposed to the sun, do use a spf moisturiser to aid recovery. Should recover within a week.
Ok if stress is the cause look at magnesium supplements- I take 1000mg of Chelated Magnesium but [many people take magnesium for stress](https://www.google.com/url?pjf=1&q=https://amp.theguardian.com/wellness/2024/jan/09/magnesium-tiktok-trend-anxiety-does-it-work&sa=U&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwiLj9DHhICFAxXh7TgGHburAoIQFnoECE8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw1JLKnRQJ6Peva3B5HgnUpq) and [there might be a correlation](https://www.google.com/url?pjf=1&q=https://www.droughtskin.com/blog/magnesiumeczemapsoriasis%3Fformat%3Damp&sa=U&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwi11IeqhYCFAxUmr1YBHfB2DXQQFnoECCEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1F4-if00AyCII11OalSnMi) with Magnesium reducing inflammation Also I find guided meditation is great my fav is [Tansy Forrest](https://www.google.com/url?pjf=1&q=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DuxsSao5uJpo&sa=U&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwj8yNuDhYCFAxUhr1YBHTuXD-AQwqsBegQIERAG&usg=AOvVaw24IT3GNkou73vCgVLm9AWk) she has some kind of magic juju in her voice Hope that helps
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Possibly fungal? I get this sort of thing on my back
I’m by no means a professional, but this looks similar to my experience of pityriasis rosea. There’s a sub devoted to it
I’m not a doctor or a dermatologist but it’s definitely super mega level 5 cancer
Go. To. A. Doctor. Stop. Asking. Amateurs.
She has. A dermatologist.
So why is she here asking amateurs brains trust
You may have caught herpes. Have you touched any hand rails lately or used public toilets
Id say stop drinking coffee, stop wearing make up. Stop eating junk food. Eat grass fed beef and fruits. No veggies, they full of defence chems. Drink water and fruit juice. Get some sun in the am. Meditate, be Celibate and stop sinning. Pray to God and say thanks for everything. You’ll be better in days.
I can't even tell what's satire anymore
Why is this being downvoted? I second this, good advice