eczema?

[beth5511]

My daughter is 6 years old and the dermatologist that I took her to is saying that she has vitilago and eczema.  I don't doubt the vitilago, its the eczema that I doubt.  He skin starts with red circles that start small and then get larger, and then when the red ring goes away, the pigmentation is gone in her skin.  Her skin where the redness is, is almost like leather.  My question is, do you think that this is eczema or could it be a fungal infection?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
I doubt the diagnosis os eczema by the symptoms that you have described. You have not mentioned whether the lesions are itchy. If the lesions are ring like, red, itchy and dry then the possibility of nummular dermatitis is there. Otherwise another possibility of pityriasis rosea needs to be ruled out.
Pityriasis rosea is a common human skin disease which presents as numerous patches of pink or red oval rash. The rash may be accompanied by low-grade headache, fever, nausea and fatigue and sometimes by itching.

No treatment is usually required. In most patients, the condition lasts only a matter of weeks or months( upto six months). Sometimes when they go ,they may leave marks or scars due to hyperpigmentation. If the rash persists then it will be best to get it evaluated from a dermatologist. Other possibilities have to be ruled out then.

I hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted in case you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.