Recurring Red Inflammed Areas on Arms

[redrash1234]

I am a 20 year old male and atttending college.  In the spring of 2007 I got my first case of jock itch.  Soon thereafter similarly itchy red inflammed patches appeared on my upper forearms and the lower part of my upper arms: generally no more than 5 inches either side of my elbow but not really in the folds or joint.  Most of these patches touch or overlap other patches and are essentially round circles.  The inflamation covers the whole patch but does not blister or crack.  I began using Tenactin and the jock itch seems to have gone away.  However, every so often (maybe every two months), the arm spots come back overnight and then subside in a few days.  Initially they itch but a little hydrocortizone takes care of the itching.  As they go away the outline of each circle stays red longer but ultimately disappears.  After gone, each whole circle is lighter in color than the rest of my skin.  

I have read many online sites and looked at many different pictures of possible conditions and the picture that best matches is one of several ringworm sites in the same location, but the recurrance does not seem to fit the descriptions of fungal problems.

I will add that my roomates and I do not do a very good job keeping our apartment clean, especially the bathrooms.  If its fungal, I worry that I never really kill the fungus or keep contacting the same fungus in our apartment.

I have no history of such skin conditions nor do my parents.  Any guidance you can offer would be greatly appreciated.  If you need other information just let me know.          

[brad420]

A related discussion, hey doctor was started.

[hyams11]

I believe I have had your problem before. I usually have a similar problem during colder seasons. I saw a doctor and he prescribed Desoximetasone Cream USP, 0.25%. I would apply twice a day and within a week my spots would be gone. Sometimes I had small spots and other times I would have large ones that really did look like ringworm. They mostly occured on my arms but occasionally I would get one on my back.

Hope this helps.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I don't think you have ringworm (fungus) at all.  Fungus doesn't go all over the place like that, and it doesn't respond to hydrocortisone.  I think you have nummular (round) eczema.  So you don't need to worry about catchiness.  What I think you should do is to see a skin doctor and get proper diagnosis and treatment, which should involve a prescription-strength cortisone.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[redrash1234]

As for the cycle, it goes like this: my skin will itch and if I scratch the circles will get red and inflammed especially on the outer ring, after hydrocortizone its stops itching, after a little Tanactin most all of the inflamation goes away (i'm not sure if its the Tanactin or just the moisturizer in the ointment).  All this takes 24 hours.  The spots then are either still a little pink or just a lighter white color than the rest of my skin for some time.  Many of the circles have a raised outer red ridge while they are red.  Some of the spots never get red in the center, just around the outside.  When I shower the spots get a little red or reder but this change goes away quickly.  Hope this helps.