Recurrent Rash on Left Cheek

At least once a year I get a rash on my left cheek. It is always in the exact same spot starting in the middle my cheekbone and coming down in a strip to about half way down by cheek.
I have been getting this rash for about 16 years and it lasts several weeks.
It starts off like a heat rash, quite itchy and prickly. After a few days it comes up quite lumpy, again not unlike a heat rash, then the lumps open and the area scabs over for several weeks.
My Doctor told me to use hydrocortisone cream on it, but this actually makes it worse and delays healing time.
Can someone please help as this rash on my face looks quite nasty and keeps me out of the water for weeks on end as the saltwater irritates it and it gets infected. This is no good when the sea is important as a source of income. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the symptoms the possibility of herpetic sores need to be ruled out. The other possibilities are of bullous staph infection or viral rashes. Herpes presents as blisters which break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur. Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months after the first, but it almost always is less severe and shorter than the first outbreak.


I sincerely hope it helps. Take care and please do keep us posted on how you are doing. Warm regards.