Red line on thumb

[ARnola]

I noticed a red line on my thumb 5 days ago. It starts below my finger nail and wraps around the crook of my hand.  I was at the beach, so I thought it might be a sunburn, but it has not faded any. I am not sunburned anywhere else. It is slightly raised and painless. It does not itch. Should I be concerned? I posted a picture in the Dermatology Community forum, but I am not able to here.

[ARnola]

Thanks for your reply. It has also appeared on my other hand and on my back. It has been over three weeks now. I have not been able to see a dermatologist. General practitioner did not know what it is. CMP was normal except low RBC. He prescribed 7 days of doxycycline, which did not help, and said to see someone else if it did not get better. The spots have started to turn brown. Tiny petechiae appeared on my lower abdomen last night. I guess I need to see a dermatologist.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
This red line can be due to some insect bite at the beach or due to contact dermatitis. Apply cold compresses(ice cubes wrapped in a towel) on the rash and take some antihistaminic like benadryl or claritin. You can also apply calamine lotion on the rash. It will help in soothing the skin. Also use mild soap like Dove for washing hands.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.