Skin problem

[Nysea]

A few days  (some 5 days ago) I felt some itch on the sole of my feet. I scratched it for a while until I got some flakes of dead skin. Two or three days later I realized that the situation was more severe; apparently it had extended to other areas of the sole. It looked to me like some kind of fungus; the more I scratched the more I realized it was kind of a deeper and somewhat painful (only when scratched for a while) skin problem. Since I had been going for quite a while (every day for 10 days) to a new gym, I thought I got some kind of bacteria in the showers or something of that sort. At first I used some athlete foot spray and also aloe vera gel, and the feet felt somehow better; no itch and the dead skin was easier to peel off. I have been using the spray and the gel for 2 days, but I can't tell if there is any improvement because now I found a few similar tiny indentations, like tiny depressions in the skin, in some parts of the hand (but not in the palm) and on the face. I would say that these indentations, (sort of very tiny craters) in the hand and face are identical to the ones left on the feet after the scratching or scallin, except that in the foot they seem bigger. The 3 tiny ones I have in one hand and the very very small ones I have in the face don't scale or have any kind of dead skin though; they are just indentations I never have seen before. Do you know what is it that I'm dealing with?  Is it serious? Should I consult a doctor right away? And also, are the indentations in the feet related to those in the hand and face?

[bert73]

cuts on fingers, dry at the beginning, then small cuts on thumb, etc. skin opens, then heals, small dry patches in the area,turn somewhat light brown, and very dry. has worked its way from what finger to another. help

[saara]

i don't know what to name it, i have been having this problem for sometime. I have dark patchy areas in my pvt's, neck, joints of arm and legs and armpits. I consulted 3-4 doctors but they were of no help. Tablets, creams, dieting..i did everything. then few weeks back i had this bump near the vaginal area. no pain. no itching. after 3days went off on its own. last four days i have very dry skin and its sort of itchy around the pvt's i dont know what to do. please help.

[summer76]

I have been having this problem for at least 10 or more years, since I was 18.  The peeling skin all occur on the top of my index fingers and thumb.  It has gotten really bad and started to bleed, then heal, turns pink, and smooth with no fingerprints either.  Just when I think my finger will fall off, it starts to clear up.  It happens all the time!  So I just tell myself to not worry about it now.  

At 21, I went to see the dermatologist, but all the lotions he gave me did not help.  So I haven't gone since.  I have tried some home remedies like crushing garlic and soaking my fingers in it.  It really stings!  But did not help.  I also tried soaking it in hydrogen peroxide and watch it fizz until my skin turned white.  This method did not sting as much, but didn't prove to help so I stopped.

I also wonder if it's a food allergy or weather related.  Since lately we had a batch of fresh tomatoes, and I ate about 3 or 4 of them per day for about a week.  And now my fingers are peeling.  I also think it could be stress related since it the worst symptoms have been when I am going thru some major life changes.  Such as financial crisis, loss of family members, and other stressful times.  But I read that UV therapy would help, but all I can afford is to go outside more and soak in the sun.  I think that helps because this problem is worst in winter time.    

The difference is that at the beginning of spring this year, I've had little tiny blisters too.  They were not itchy at first and just go away on their own.  They just turn dry and a new skin appears.  But lately they are started to get a little itchy.  The little blisters look like clusters and as tiny as the head of a quilting pin needle.   I poked one of them and saw it was clear.

I am now keeping a medical journal, so that when I can afford to see the Doctor I will have more info.

I know this condition is not contagious since no one in my immediate family or friends has this condition.  I hope myself or someone will find some answers and put an end to this annoyance.

[ooch]

I have these bumps on my hands, elbow, lower stomach area. On my hands on my knuckles, upper part on fingers and  outer palm area are tiny water blisters which itch.They are skin color.They have just started to inch for the longest time they were just there they do have a liquid in them but they do not ooz and it doesnot seem to spread.  On my elbow, lower stomach and leg area I have a rash which is more like a hive type of look or a pimple with no head and stays one size and it skin color but also itches.
I went to the demotologist and she prescribed Pandel Cream which to my knowledge made it worse it turned red and itched like made.
I went to the store and bought 100% Aloe Vera gel which seems to soothe it. I am still itching I went to the area druggist aand he told me to get Benadryl. It helps I still have slight itching but this is driving me crazy because now I am sleepy. I am 60 and will be sleeping enough in later years can you please help me.

[theiota112]

i have a rashish thing under both armpits.. i have had it since winter and it starts above my elbow and goes down to my nipples on both sides and its only in the underarm area... there is a small patch on my stomach and my lower back, it doesnt itch or its not gotten on anyone else i touch. Its just very unattractive.. at first i thought it was just dry skin but lotion didnt help its very patchy alittle darker than my normal skin color and dry/rough... its been awhile.. what can i do or what is it/!

[Nysea]

Thank you for your help, Dr. Rockoff.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Again, I do not think anything you describe sounds like fungus, bacteria, or anything you "picked up" anywhere.  As to what's on the hands and face, likewise.  They may be totally unrelated.

Dr. Rockoff

[Nysea]

Hi Linda,

Thank you for your commet.
My tiny indentations in the sole of my feet, my hand and face aren't red either, but the ones I have in my hand and face don't have any kind of scale (like a scab or dandruf) or anything as you mention yours have. They are just clean, round depressions in the skin (that's why I said they look likes little craters, as craters in the moon surface). On the other hand, the ones I have in the sole of the feet form a scab that eventually falls off if I scratch it. They seem to have
a deeper constitution, as if it were a root that wants to hold fast, to persist.

[line]

Hi,

I am wondering if I have the same thing on my face as you. I have these small pimple looking bumps that itch like crazy, they seem to be drying up now and have a hard crust on them that I cannot scratch off. some of them look like they have a hole in the center, no redness they are flesh colored.they are on my forhead, my eyebrows, behind one ear and also get these sore bumps on my scalp that turn into a crusty itchy patch.

I did show it to my husband's Dr. who said it was an allergic reaction or else sebborhea. I am doubting the allergic reaction because I am now using a medicated shampoo, no hairspray and only dove soap and have this three months.

I searched the net for info on seborhea and other types of dermitis and everything says red, mine is not red.

This started a few weeks after I started physical therapy and was wondering if I picked somethng up there.Two weeks ago I started using t-gel shampoo and hydrocordisone cream on my face twice a day, seems to be helping.It cetainly is helping with the itch but does not seem to want to go away.

Hopefully we will get other reponses to help us out. I am not sure what you mean by a crater but thought this described whatever I have on my face.

Linda

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

This came on far too quickly to be a fungus.  It's probably just a mild irritation.  My advice is to keep the skin lubricated with any lotion you like--Lubriderm, Vaseline Intensive Care, and so forth.  Other medicated creams are probably irrelevant.  If it's not gone in 2 weeks--and you've left it alone--that would be the time to see a doctor.  Doesn't sound like anything to worry about.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff