Schamberg's Disease - use of alcohol and other factors

[schambergpatient]

I was diagnosed with Schamberg's disease last year.  After doing much research on my own (mostly on the web), I am confident that the diagnosis was correct.  I have all of the same symptoms that people describe on this board - red, flat, cayenne pepper like petechiae on my lower legs, feet and sometimes on my arms (and sometimes, but not always, itchy on my feet).  

My question is two-fold.  First, the petechiae always show up after I drink alcohol.  And there are a lot of them then.  They show up other times too, like after I stand or sit for long periods of time (ie on an airplane or at work), but they are really really bad after I drink (fyi, which I don't do that often).  Is this too consistent with Schamberg's disease or am I experiencing something else?  Of course, my wife says I just need to stop drinking, which I have but still have an rare happy hour), but I am worried that this is something else because I have not seen anybody else describe this symptom.      

Second, I have seen articles saying that pentoxifylline can be helpful in treating Schamberg's disease.  Can you confirm this or share your opinion on this treatment?

Thank you very much.

[redlegs]

I am not sure if schamberg's is what I have. The dermatologist says it is but it is slowly crawling up my legs and only gets worse in the heat and after I shave.  He suggested 1 gram of vitamin c. The patches are red but never itch.

[techater]

A related discussion, can laser treatment help schambergs disease ? was started.

[judesden]

A related discussion, schamberg's disease was started.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I don't know anything about pentoxifylline treatment for this condition, but I don't think any treatment does much.  My guess is that alcohol sends more blood to the skin, which "lights up" the reddish spots of Schamberg's.  It isn't worsening anything per se.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff