Rash all over body

[Cynthia]

I'v had this rash for months. It's on my arms,legs,back,face,buttocks and in genital area.I'm an addict who's in relapse on cocaine and crank for the past eight months.On my chin I have three large sores that are open and draining a clear and pussie liquid that wont go away. What could it be? I'v been to emergancy thinking I had syphilis or something,instead theytreated me for scabies.

[yvonne]

I have the same condition... i don't know exactly what it is or how to treat it. Although I have come to the conclusion that it is a combination of hives from anxiety and the poisons seeping out through the pores of your skin. (A.K.A "crank rash") Stop picking it only makes it worse and scars terribly. I use desitin on the blemishes to help them dry out,and lots of baby powder or goldbond. Laying out in the sun seems to help a little. If you were diagnosed with scabies they probaly prescribed elimite cream,,, use it. It's almost impossible not to pick. This won't cure it completly but does help tremendously.

                    good luck,and many blessings

[Sherry]

My 6 yrs. old son had a small rash on the right upper part of his back and now the rash seems to be going away.  As I look behind the left ear of his scalp, he has a sore and it is a knot behind the left ear.  Do you have any idea of what it could be?

[Julie L]

I have this rash on my legs and arms that look like mosquito bites and they itch terribly, this time last year I got the same rash and I also had a ring worm.  Last year the doctors couldn't figure out what the bumps were from and put me on prenizone.  But now I am five months pregnant, what could it be? Maybe I could have a ring worm again and I am getting an allergic reaction?  Please help.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Cynthia,

It's obviously hard for me to say for sure what's going on, but perhaps you either have a skin infection, or maybe more likely, you are picking or scratching at your skin, out of anxiety or itch.  I assume the scabies treatment did not help.  If that's the case, forget abou scabies: this mite infestation is reflexively overdiagnosed in emergency rooms.

My advice: see a dermatologist, get some treamtnet, stop scratching, and forget about bugs.

best.

Dr. R