STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

member · Hermes

Is This Eczema?

carmenb513 · Coach

Is this the first time you've had this problem?Because if so it is probably not eczema, unless you have other instances of it on your body.I have eczema. It's something you are normally born with.I've battled with all my life.It can itch very badly.I know this sounds gross but as a kid (I didn't know any better) I use to scratch until it bled.

member · Hermes

Nope, never had anything else like this. What else could it be though?

My boyfriend, who does have eczema, on and off, thought for sure that's what it was.

Grace · Dooney & Bourke

I have something similar to this but it doesn't itch. I think mine is just really dry skin. Try using a washcloth on your face (if you normally don't) it may help take the top dry layer off. I'd say keep doing what you are doing.

Tashina · Kate Spade

my husband has eczema and it didn't show up until he was 22. his started as little bumps that kind of popped. then they got dry and itchy. but rosacea sometimes starts as dry scally skin patches.

member · Hermes

Tashina wrote:

my husband has eczema and it didn't show up until he was 22. his started as little bumps that kind of popped. then they got dry and itchy. but rosacea sometimes starts as dry scally skin patches.

Hmm, now what's rosacea? Is it possible I just have a patch of dry skin? I've never had it this bad before, but the more I think about it..it's not that itchy and it has been coming and going

Tashina · Kate Spade

rosacea is that thing that a lot of people get that makes them look like they got slapped in the face. the most common kind is red cheeks or forhead. but there is also rosacea that shows up as dry red patches or small clusters of red bumps that almost look like break outs or like when you exfoliate too much. they will come and go at first, but eventually stay for long periods at a time. my husband has severe eczema and he gets it all over his feet, legs, fore arms and fingers and it is constant. but when a spot starts to break out it will look like little bumps that if you squeeze them yellowish clear stuff will come out and then they will dry up and get itchy. it usually happens when the patches get infected.

member · Hermes

Tashina wrote:

rosacea is that thing that a lot of people get that makes them look like they got slapped in the face. the most common kind is red cheeks or forhead. but there is also rosacea that shows up as dry red patches or small clusters of red bumps that almost look like break outs or like when you exfoliate too much. they will come and go at first, but eventually stay for long periods at a time. my husband has severe eczema and he gets it all over his feet, legs, fore arms and fingers and it is constant. but when a spot starts to break out it will look like little bumps that if you squeeze them yellowish clear stuff will come out and then they will dry up and get itchy. it usually happens when the patches get infected.

Ok, then it's definitely not rosacea. I don't know what it is. It just looks like a small, red patch of skin and it feels really dry, but it's not like normal dry skin I have where it's really flaky. Arrghh. I just feel like a freak

Tashina · Kate Spade

if you normaly have dry skin it might just be a little irritated from the cold weather or extra dry weather depending on where you live. you may just need to use a very emloiant moisturizer on that spot until it clears up and then at night whenyou go to bed to help prevent it from coming back.

try something like aquaphor's original ointment or try some lansinoh brand lanolin. that is the stuff women use on their nipples while they are breast feeding to help keep them from getting chapped. i used it while i was breast feeding my daughter and it was great so i started using it on my lips before bed. i apply a generous amount before i go to sleep and my lips are never chapped and any dry or dead skin comes right off with out leaving tender sore spots.

Elle · Hermes

Hmmm, considering that this is the first time something like this has happened and it's only been around for 3 days, I'm not sure it's really 'anything' per se. It's winter which routinely makes even normal skin dry and irritated, so even if that's not the original cause it could be making something that would have been mild in the warmer months much more noticeable.

I'd give it another couple days, try not to apply makeup or anything like that to the area, and just splash with tepid water instead of washing with soap. I'd also put neosporin ointment on it at night, to moisturize and help the skin repair itself.

If it persists or more patches like it crop up, then I'd talk with a derm to see if you can get an official diagnosis and some treatment for flare ups.

calico · Kenneth Cole

Could it be Pityriasis Rosea? I have had this skin rash, it didn't ever spread to my face, but if it looks like eczema, but isn't, then this is a possibility, because this is quite itchy. Unfortunately, if is this virus, there's isn't any treatment that makes it better... you just have to wait it out.

[url=http://familydoctor.org/808.xml[/url]

Also, if you google "skin rashes", it brings up a flow chart of symptoms that you can follow to find out what it could be. That's where I got this link. HTH!

subwolley · Kate Spade

Sounds more like seborrhoeic dermatitis, which I have. I have all of those symptoms - patches of dry flakey, itchy skin. It can show up around my nose, chin, mouth, hairline, and/or eyebrows whenever I have a breakout of it. You'll need to see a dermatologist, and he or she will give you a cream that will clear it right up in a couple of days. Also do you have dandruff? You can buy Nizarol shampoo at any drugstore. My doctor told me you can also use this on your face to clear any breakouts. Anyway, if it turns out you do have seborrhoeic dermatitis, it can't be cured. All you can do is treat it to keep your skin clear. But anyway go see a dermatologist to get a diagnosis.

-- Edited by subwolley at 23:20, 2006-01-16

-- Edited by subwolley at 23:21, 2006-01-16

-- Edited by subwolley at 23:21, 2006-01-16

-- Edited by subwolley at 23:22, 2006-01-16

Deuce · Dooney & Bourke

Sounds like it could be eczema but probably not. You can get eczema later in life but I think it shows up on hands and arms first. I think there are a few kinds of eczema. I have eczema, the same kind Tanisha described, on my hands, regularly, and sometimes other places like arms and legs. The only time I got it on my face was when I was taking accutane and my eczema went crazy. My mom gets what you described in the winter due to really dry skin. I also get something like that on my eyelids sometimes and have a cortizone cream that clears it right up. I would say go to a derm and get a cream.

Also, I know this is gross but you can get something like athletes foot on your face. The same medicine works to clear it up. Maybe try lotramin if you dont have insurance. My bestfriend got this on her forehead. We laughed about it for weeks, still do.

-- Edited by Deuce at 00:27, 2006-01-17