Elizabeth

[jade17]

My 17 year old daughter is having eruptions on her face.  Symptoms start out as a red spot, looks wet or shiny, can be small and grow quickly within hours, initially looks like a nasty red burn, skin then erupts and breaks open and then it weeps fluid.  Impetigo ruled out...had that when she was younger.  Seeing dermatologist who doesn't know as he sees it too late.  It grows quickly.  She says it is hot, burning underneath, tingles, hurts, later after it is healing it feels numb.  This has been happening for the last five years and more frequently lately.  Two months ago, started on left cheek, then a day later on right forehead, then a day later on left forehead.  Treated all of these with Apo-Cephalex 500 mg. and fucidin for ten days. It cleared up, new skin formed and scar was left which always takes a long time to go.  Few weeks ago, another red circle but dermatologist said no antibiotic and no fucidin and gave us Betamethasone val 0.05% and we put it on immediately and skin did not break open, but scar with different pigment colour in the spot. She dances 22 hours a week, sweats a lot and says her face feels like it is on fire...just her face.  She comes out and has a small red spot that is redder than the rest of her face and we put the ointment on it.  Had staph infection once but was not the case this time. She is generally healthy and there are no other symptoms, no fever, nothing? Please help and if you have any other questions, please contact me.  Thank you for your time, Sincerely, Liz

[jade17]

She is absolutely not picking her face as she has never had acne and has a lovely complextion.  I have personally been at dance and have seen the red mark appear out of no where and then waited and watched to see the reaction of it turn to a nasty red and then start to break open?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Your daughter is almost certainly picking her face.  Spots on the face do not "break open and weep" unless they are traumatized.  She needs to know that no matter how uncomfortable these spots feel, unless she leaves them alone no treatment whatsoever will ever help her.  Sweating and dancing are non-factors.  Topical (external) therapy and leaving the skin alone should suffice.  Take photographs to show your doctor, if that helps, because advice from the doctor may be more effective than that coming from parents or from a doctor on line.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff