Mysterious rash

[ichini88]

Hello and thanks for taking the time to read my post.

I am an Irish man living in Japan and have been suffering from a mysterious skin condition which has me driven to the point of insanity. If anyone on here could shed light on the issue I would be forever grateful!!

My problem started perhaps six months ago with large patches of itchy, dry and scaly skin. Being in the midst of a dry, cold Japanese winter, I put it down to a case of seasonally aggravated atopy, which I have suffered from in the past. However, as the weather improved, things actually got worse. I developed an unbearably itchy scalp which began to develop dandruff symptoms and (minor) hair thinning. At this point I decided a trip to the doctor was inevitable so I visited my local dermatologist. He diagnosed a food allergy and put me on high dose antihistamines and steroid ointments.

The steroid ointments I was prescribed certainly cleared the symptoms temporarily. However, they came back with vengeance within a couple of weeks. Frustrated, I decided to try another dermatologist, who put me on a combination of antihistamines, steroid ointments and a Chinese herbal anti-inflammatory. Again, the steroids hid the symptoms away temporarily only for them to return as soon as I stop applying them.

I have been doing an unholy amount of research on my symptoms. Sometimes the rash takes a ring like appearance, not unlike ringworm. Other times it is just a splotchy red eczema-like rash. My feet have symptoms similar to athlete's foot, while my scalp remains maddeningly itchy. I am convinced I have a tinea-type infection but doctors have dismissed this- my wife would have caught it too if I have indeed got tinea (?). The doctors stubbornly refuse to do any sort of tests which is very frustrating indeed.

I have just recently developed severe pompholyx blisters on my hands and feet, just to add to the list!

As I have stated, the rashes' appearance changes week on week but I'll upload a picture or two soon of the current appearance.

Thank you in advance and my apologies for the length of my post.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
The dryness of skin can be due to eczema, atopic dermatitis or psoriasis. There are certain other non-pharmacological measures which are equally important in treating atopic dermatitis. These are Lubricating the skin frequently, avoiding harsh soaps and cleansers, preventing scratching or rubbing whenever possible, protecting skin from excessive moisture, irritants, and rough clothing, maintaining a cool, stable temperature and consistent humidity levels, limiting exposure to dust, cigarette smoke, pollens, and animal dander & Recognizing and limiting emotional stress.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[ichini88]

If you view my profile, you should be able to see some photos of my condition which I have uploaded.