Our granddaughter has an expanding patch of rough, dry skin around the crease of her elbow. Doesn't hurt, doesn't itch. My first thought was a fungal infection, but it doesn't have the characteristic circular shape of "ringworm." It's only on one arm. I can't see how it could be an allergy. 

 

Any ideas? Bacterial infection? 

5 minutes ago, orientalist said:

Our granddaughter has an expanding patch of rough, dry skin around the crease of her elbow. Doesn't hurt, doesn't itch. My first thought was a fungal infection, but it doesn't have the characteristic circular shape of "ringworm." It's only on one arm. I can't see how it could be an allergy. 

 

Any ideas? Bacterial infection? 

Fungus infection possibly. Not all signs got a ringworm form. Actually only a few.

Antifungal cream combined with a corticoid will do the job

This might help Don't guess, as medications aren't to be used haphazardly............https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323521

Lyme disease (at worst) or some other infection from insect bite.

Needs to be seen by a doctor really.

I have something similar on my ankle and have been to several doctors and skin specialists. Nearly all the medications I have received seemed to clear it up, but when I stopped using them it came back again.

 

I have learnt to live with it and as soon as I feel the skin drying out I apply some cream.

Eczema

Looks like Eczema, usually in the creases. If it is, don't scratch it just makes it worse and stuck in a cycle. Aqueous cream can help

Looks like dry skin patch, google it 

 

This is the first result of an google search. I had one like that years ago when I was a bit stressed out. If I’m not wrong, I think I used a good foot cream on it

 

https://elegancybeautybar.com/dry-skin-patches-causes-symptoms/

7 hours ago, orientalist said:

Our granddaughter has an expanding patch of rough, dry skin around the crease of her elbow. Doesn't hurt, doesn't itch. My first thought was a fungal infection, but it doesn't have the characteristic circular shape of "ringworm." It's only on one arm. I can't see how it could be an allergy. 

 

Any ideas? Bacterial infection? 

 

Very definitely ringworm, as the first poster stated, a fungal infection. My daughter, who swims often, has the same one, likely from infected water in the pool. It is essentially harmless, but can spread if unattended.

It is actually the same or of the same family as athlete's foot, so if you have an infection between your toes, I would cure it with the same method: antifungal creme (you can get these over the counter), and if the skin is very rough or even already broken up, a zinc creme to prevent secondary bacterial infections.

 

It can take a number of days, maybe two weeks, for symptoms to recede, so apply daily until you see an effect.

I would follow @jts-khorat

Choose an antifungal cream which doesn't have steroids (anything ending on -sone ) added (thre cream should have only 1 ingredient).

If it's not gone after a week or two, it wasn't a fungus and you should see a skin doctor. 

12 hours ago, Lorry said:

I would follow @jts-khorat

Choose an antifungal cream which doesn't have steroids (anything ending on -sone ) added (thre cream should have only 1 ingredient).

If it's not gone after a week or two, it wasn't a fungus and you should see a skin doctor. 

Above is a reasonable approach.  

Thanks!