Skin Itch Diagnosis and Treatment

[dani2222]

For 10 years now i have coming & going reddish itching rash in my groin. There's a remise for a year and a half or so and then i gets back, usually between ferbruary and april, and towards spring.

Several skin doctors diganosed it differently by looking at it : erythrasma, psoriasis inverse, dryness, and prescribed various treatments that didn't solve the itch : elidel, divonex, cortisone based, antiallergic, antifungal etc...

The rash looks like a red stripe along the sides of the scrotom, but it's not scabias.
The itch is mainly on the right side. It's quiet in the morning when i wake up and worsens towards the evening, mainly after long sitting down or activity.

Can anyone help in some diganosis idea, and mainly treatment that can make the itch / sting go away ?

[SickbutEmpowered]

There is one more soap called Hibiclens I think but you can only use it on certain areas. Also when I got this one bad rash on my upper thigh, I had this for so long and it was horrible. It itched, flaked, and was not a typical yeast rash. Nothing worked...and I mean nothing. I had a friend who had betadine swabs and she helped me with this and lightly covered the area with gauze. Within a week, the darn thing was gone. I have had this happen on and off on occasion. If it is psoriasis of some type, they have newer medications out there as far as I know, but you said you have been through it all. Not to be gross but air it out, maybe wear loose boxers, even if you have to sit around the house when you are home with something loose on just to help relieve it somehow. Leaning back and not compressing the area might be of some help. Have you been to a rheumatologist? This is probably just a long shot, but sometimes rashes go along with autoimmune problems. As far as the itch goes, I don't know what you have tried otc. Have they given you a script maybe for the patch they give shingles sufferers? Maybe that would help if nothing else has worked. I don't know what it is specific for. But, I do know that it even helps patients with localized joint pain. I know this personally because I was on it years back. Good luck and take care ok.
Peace

[dani2222]

Thanks for the quick response. I used very delicate good soap (soap with Tilia by Boiron) but it isn't manufactured anymore, so i moved to OILATUM by cetaphil. This was more than a year ago and since then it was ok. Other soaps irritated my skin there so i found only these two soaps to be good.

As per family doc, internist, etc... - i do a full workup check every year and things are ok in general. Since three years ago i got low back pain, but the problem with the itch began much much earlier.

For the last three or so years i use a non-steroidal plant based cream, that a homeopathic person prepares for me. It does wonders as per skin look there, and helped me very much in containing the remise period for long period. This week the itch was so bad, i had to go for cortisone bases SOS with gradual reduction, which did some good in reducing the itch but only partially.

What bothers me is the itch / sting after long sitting. Even if i make a break and walk around, and get back sitting, it is the same. I saw couple of specialists but they didn't know what to suggest. It's frustrating.

Would appreciate ideas what kind of treatment might shut the itch / sting out.

[SickbutEmpowered]

Did they give you any instructions on perhaps certain soaps to use as well, ones that don't irritate the skin. There are many special soaps for folks with sensitive skin but it goes beyond that as well. Sometimes rashes can be very resistent even to treatment if the underlying condition is not treated. So, I think you should start out with a specialist aside from a dermatologist, or even a family doc, internist, etc, and get a complete workup to see if there is something else going on here. Are there any other conditions going on right now healthwise, that you did not mention here that you may not think have anything to do with the rash? I have to personally keep antibiotic cream, antifungal medication, and diaper rash cream on hand. I hope this helps.