Rashes stay red then eventually brown?

Posted by Elizabeth on July 17, 1999 at 16:48:29
Dear Doctor, I was recently admitted to the ER with a final dx as cervical radiculopathy.  However, I have multiple annoying problems, some diagnosed and others, not. One such problem is a chronic rash-like area around the front of my neck in which over time, two sections have turned brown. It goes in a v-shape on my chest and never goes away. The problem is when the nurse at the ER tried to place the intravenous needle in she said "My Lord, your skin is like leather!" My skin is so dry, pigmented and a red-brown on my forearms. Are these two rashes skin damage or what?

I have a severe seborreah band above my forehead, my face is flaky, dry and my lower legs was dx as Lichen Pl.which is also very dry, flaky, itchy. If I try to remove the flakes, my skin starts to bleed and if not bleeding will leave a red, irritation in its place.  Is this a fungus?
Is there anything over the counter that can help that I haven't tried..I think I have tried them all!  I do have a liquid cortisone for my face which works well but it does come back if I do not use it everyday! I was dx as having lupus or some other connective tissue disorder; but my ana has either gone into remission, or misdiagnosed.  Any thoughts on these problems?  Thank you! Elizabeth

Posted by Derm M.D. ASR on July 17, 1999 at 22:01:21
Elizabeth:
While it's hard for me to comment without seeing you, I offer the following:
1. The "V" near your neck probably represents chronic changes in the skin brogh on by sun exposure over a period of years. (You don't say whether you're fair-skinned or have a history of sunburns.)  These chages aren't precancerous in themselves, but if you had many sunburns, you may want to get your skin checked out.
2.  The "leathery skin" noticed by the nurse may also be secondary to sun exposure, or else may represent eczema or some other skin problem.  That too should be evaluated by a physician.
3.  Facial seborrhea is soemthing else again.  Your use if over-the-counter hydrocortisone is appropriate, but the condition will always return when it wants to (at which point you should use the hydrocortisone again.)
There are many moisturizers available for dry skin, but it sounds as though yours may be more than just dry.  I doubt any relationship with connective tissue disorder, however.
Oh yes -- don't forget sunscreen!
Dr. Rockoff
keywords: sun damage, sunscreens, eczema, seborrhea