Underarm rash and puffiness

For about a week I had red and sore rashlike symptoms under my armpits. At first, I thought it was chaffing or maybe I shaved too much or too hard. It was progressively getting worse.  I thought maybe I had the beginnings of ringworm so I applied clotrimazole and the next morning it became inflamed and puffy, esp. in the left armpit. My dermatologist is completely booked and I just want to know what I can do in the short term not to make it worse. Should I keep it dry or moist? Powder or lotion? Thanks

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi

To be on the safe side, keep it dry. The arm pit is an intertriginous zone as it is usually covered and thus, may harbor bacteria and fungi due to the moisture and dampness in the area. This may be a fungal infection, a contact dermatitis or folliculitis. If you shave often, then folliculitis may be a likely differential. If you just recently changed your deodorant or if there is any history of applying any creams or lotions on the area, then a dermatitic skin condition may be considered.

Wash the area with a mild cleanser such as Cetaphil. Do not apply anything on the area. Observe if the skin improves without applying anything. If this worsens or persists, topical corticosteroids such as 1% hydrocortisone cream may help.