Red patches on skin

For the past 6 months or so everytime I get out of the hot shower I have these flat red, circular patches that appear down the sides of my thighs, back of my calves, my butt, and a couple on my stomach.  They also show up when I lay out in the sun.  I think the heat brings them out.  I have always had very dry itchy skin so I have to use lotion on my skin after every shower.  After I apply the lotion and my skin cools down the patches dissappear. These patches do not hurt and they are not itchy.  I did a little research on psoriasis and found out that they can be triggered by beta blockers, and I have been on a beta blocker (propranolol) for the past 5 years.  Does it sound like I have a mild case of psoriasis or something else?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
These patches can be due to hives or solar urticaria. They have a tendency to change size rapidly and to move around, disappearing in one place and reappearing in other places, often in a matter of hours.

Many cases of hives are "idiopathic," meaning no cause is known. Others may be triggered by viral infections or medications.
Apply calamine lotion and a good quality moisturizer after taking a bath. If the symptoms persist then you can take antihistaminics for some days.

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 dermatologist. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.