Weird Skin Rash

[Magister Mundi]

Hello all,

I developed a skin rash at around the same time as I developed serious celiac symptoms, and my doctor is pretty certain it's connected somehow. It resembles ringworm (red circle, clear middle), and is definitely not dermatitis herpetiformis. It also seems to move around on my body - a few weeks ago, my back was covered in it, and now it's surrounding my groin area. A couple months ago, it was all around my stomach. I've also started developing weird little pustules on my palms and fingers... little yellow bubbles. Plus, I have constant hay fever symptoms.

 

I know I haven't been glutened recently, so it's not that. We've tried broad-spectrum anti-fungul/anti-yeast treatments, and that seemed to help, but it didn't get rid of it, and the anti-fungal only replacement medication didn't do a whole lot. My doctor is about to send me to a dermatologist, and I applaud the decision - it's definitely negatively impacting many areas of my life, including some, ahem, intimate parts of life - but I'd like to figure out a list of possibilities to ask my dermatologist about.

 

Any ideas? Bacterial overgrowth, maybe? Systemic yeast infection? Anyone else have this problem? As a note, I'm somewhat recently diagnosed - I had my anti-tTg IgA test about a year ago, and my biopsy about 8 months ago.

[Lock]

I can't diagnose but from your description it could be:

 

1. Nummular eczema. I have that and it is coin shaped patches that sometimes clear in the middle, similar to ringworm

2. Morphea patches can do that too but I feel it is not likely your problem is morphea

 

The hands, if the little yellowish blisters are very very itchy, it is a form of eczema that affects hands and feet only and is called dysidrosis.  I think all of this could be related to gluten sensitivity but may or may not be directly related to having ingested gluten. It may have to do with your skin's healing system is damaged from years of gluten, so exposure to allergens can cause a flare. For me, detergents and any irritation, even just clothes rubbing a spot on my skin, can bring up the circular rash or give me an attack of the tiny bubbles on my hands. Those are also related to nickle allergy.

 

PS edit: Also sweating or getting wet will bring up the rashes.

 

I'm glad you are seeing a dermatologist. I saw one just a couple of weeks ago and he gave me presrciption triamcinolon cream. It is a corticosteroid. It has worked WONDERS. I don't like to use strong creams but I got very desperate with the rash spreading all over my body so finally broke down and saw the doctor. I am glad I did. I only use the cream minimally (not even every day) and it has beaten the rash back so that it's almost gone.

 

They say long term use of strong corticosteroids can thin and weaken your skin, so I had refused to use them. But the doctor pointed out to me that the eczema rash is an entry for bad bugs. I have herpes on my mouth and for example, if the herpes virus were to get into the eczema it could spread all over my body and I could end up in the hospital, so you want to get the eczema healed. 

 

Good luck, and let us know what the doctor finds in your case.

[jhol]

look up palmoplantar pustular psoriasis.

 

i think i have this on my palms. its not as bad as some of the pictures show and i dont have it on my feet. ive had it for 16 years and im still undiagnosed!!!! got a dermatology appointment - at last- next week. mine doesnt itch, its just unsightly ,annoying and painfull when it flares up and the skin flakes and cracks. the docs have just given me steriod creams - dont work!!!!  let me know what your dermatologist says an i,ll do the same. it would be great to find out what it is after all this time

[bartfull]

I have palmoplantar pustular psoriasis. I have it on both my hands and my feet. As Jhol said, it doesn't itch TOO much, although I admit, the patches on my feet DO itch some, but it hurts just the way a whitehead pimple would hurt when you put pressure on it. After the pustules go down there is a red spot, then the skin peels. It hurts a lot when it peels too because the skin cracks open. Hot water is out of the question when it gets like that, and it's hard to even pick up a pencil because bending the hand and fingers hurts like the dickens.  

 

When people ask if it hurts, the best description I can give is, "It doesn't HURT, but it's sore.", meaning that there is no contstant pain, it just hurts to touch. When it was on the bottoms of my feet, every step was torture. And when it was really bad, I couldn't play guitar, which is bad for me because I teach guitar for a living.

 

The ONLY thing that has helped is going gluten-free. I also break out when I'm exposed to corn or soy (but that's just me). I was reacting to salicylates for a while, but I think I have gotten beyond that now. But I still will never take asperin again. That was the WORST flare-up I ever had.