red/purple horizontal lines on stomach area

I don't exactly know when it started, but recently I noticed there were some red kinda purple horizontal lines on my stomach area, on the part of the skin where it folds.  I tried to clean and scrub it with everything, even a tooth brush with rubbing alcohol, but it does't go away.  it just gets more red/purple.  there are two lines total and the top is a lot longer and wider then the bottom one (most likely due to the fact that the skin there folds a lot more). also, the skin in the line feels kind of sticky when touched and sort of damp.  I have taken a picture of what it looks like. please help and thanks for your time.



http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/3116/Picture91.jpg

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

The picture looks like irritation from skin rubbing against skin.  Scrubbing it with a toothbrush does not seem like the best way to deal with this.  Instead, I would recommend applying a mild steroid, such as 1% hydrocortisone, and a moisturizing lotion like Lubriderm once or twice a day, and otherwise leaving the lines alone.  They should go away by themselves over a period of several weeks.  If they don't, show them to a skin doctor for more therapeutic suggestions.  

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[jakeqqq]

thank you, will try, but did you want me to use both 1 % Hydrocortisone Cream and lubriderm at the sametime together? or just one cream at a time for a period of time?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Together is fine.

Dr. Rockoff

[Stacey251]

A related discussion, purple lines was started.