[Laurelf]

I have had an itchy rash on my legs, elbow, and buttocks for a long time now. They look like little red dots that I scratch until they bleed, then they scab and itch some more. One dr thought it was scabies, but my dermatologist thinks it's eczema with really dry skin. Another dr said it looked like an autoimmune thing. The derm said she couldn't do a biopsy because I had scratched them so much that there was nothing to scrape plus I scratched to infection.

I have other possible celiac symptoms (GI) but no diagnosis yet.

Could this be DH?

Thanks.

Laurel

[happygirl]

The only way to know is to have the skin around the rash biopsied. May want to find a new dermatologist if your doctor isn't familiar with how to biopsy for DH.

[captaincrab55]

You could try the Iodine Test.....

[Laurelf]

captaincrab55, on Sep 9 2009, 06:11 PM, said:

You could try the Iodine Test.....

What's that? Can I do it at home?

Thanks

[ChemistMama]

Laurelf, on Sep 10 2009, 07:35 AM, said:

What's that? Can I do it at home?

Yep, but if you have DH it can be painful, just to warn you!

Go to the drug store and buy a small bottle of iodine tincture (you'll find it in the first aid section in a brown bottle). Soak the pad of a band-aid with the iodine and put it on your skin. Wait for a few hours, up to 12, if you can stand it. If you don't have DH, you'll see a nice brown patch on your skin which will fade in a few days. If you have DH, you'll either start blistering under the band-aid or it'll itch and the entire area will be one large blister (which happened to me). Cheap and itchy, but a lot less $$ than a biopsy. happygirl, my biopsy came back negative (three different areas, around and on lesions), but the iodine test was a raging positive. That's how they used to do it before fluorescence microscopy of skin samples.

[frogrun]

ChemistMama, on Sep 10 2009, 03:44 PM, said:

If you have DH, you'll either start blistering under the band-aid or it'll itch and the entire area will be one large blister (which happened to me).

I'm confused...wouldn't the same reaction happen if you had any type of contact dermatitis? Why would this be specific for DH?

[Laurelf]

I did the iodine test last night. Shortly after I put the bandaid on, the skin next to the bandaid got goosebumps and became very itchy and looked like the rest of my rash. When i took the bandaid off this morning, all that was under the bandaid was a yellowish spot - no blisters.

I have been g.f. for a week now and the other rash I had is getting better, as well as the acne on my face has cleared up. I also have more energy and feel better. Still waiting for the blood test results, though.

I'm so confused!