Horrible Rash Suddenly Appeared

[davejonesbkk]

In the last 48 hours I seem to have acquired a horrible rash all over the front of my neck, it seems to start around the place where I shave to and my facial hair ends and then further down my neck and then stops, bizarrely I also have the same rash in a 2cm x 2cm area on the top of my wrist right on the joint between wrist and hand, this rash itches like crazy, creams seem to alleviate that and last night I put a lot on and it seemed to have gone down a bit this morning but then as soon as I washed it flared up bright red again and started itching like hell again

I have never had any type of allergy nor eczema and cant think of anything I have done to get this rash in last 2 days, can anyone help?

[james24]

I have had this before.

1. Have you changed your washing powder or where you get your stuff washed...?

2. Have you changed your shower gel/soap..?

3. Has your diet changed...?

It sounds like you might be eating too much meat and not enough veg, this is quite common here. However this strange weather has been affecting my gf's skin and she's become quite itchy.

Try each step and see if that helps

[davejonesbkk]

No to all 3, also Ive actually been eating more veg in the last few weeks....

I have had this before.

1. Have you changed your washing powder or where you get your stuff washed...?

2. Have you changed your shower gel/soap..?

3. Has your diet changed...?

It sounds like you might be eating too much meat and not enough veg, this is quite common here. However this strange weather has been affecting my gf's skin and she's become quite itchy.

Try each step and see if that helps

[FBN]

Seems like a type of contact dermatitis but without examination, rahses are notoriously difficult to diagnose. name or type of cream applied that helped should also be some indication.

[davejonesbkk]

Ive been putting on some 'Boots Dermo Cream' for 2 days now which soothes it a little but isnt healing it, last night it was itching so bad I put on some Counterpain muscle rub cream as I know this has a very numbing effect, it burnt like hell (as it does) for 10 mins or so but after felt much better, in the morning the rash seemed to have gone down a lot and didnt itch but as soon as I washed it went crazy again

[dominique355]

Go see a dermatologist at your nearby hospital. I could be a simple thing like a sweat gland inflammation, which will go away with the right treatment within 7 days, or it could be an allergy and you need to find out what caused it.

Don't wait, go today.

[MrRed]

Go to the pharmacy and buy some cooling powder SNAKE BRAND.

[manarak]

pictures?

[BuckarooBanzai]

By all means see a doc but in the meantime if you go to the pharmacist and ask for a topical steroidal anti-infective product for your rash it should help you out. These products are used on the skin to reduce inflammation and relieve itching associated with various skin disorders. Can come as a cream, lotion, or Vaseline like gel.

Edited May 8, 2011 by BuckarooBanzai

[transam]

Don't rule out Shingles, have you had Chicken Pox as a kid.

[Shurup]

Sounds like the rash is where your skin irritated. On your face where you shave and on your wrist where you wear a watch??? Did you change your body lotion? Perhaps there could be comething in the water... Gust a guess..

Go see a doctor for sure.

[Mobi]

In my experience, nearly all rashes that suddenly appear are the result of allergies. The most common one is a sea food allergy, but it could be anything.

If it is an allergy, the simple way to tell is to take a course of antihistamines. You have nothing to lose, and if the rashes, start to disappear within 24 hours then you know you have an allergy.

The next step is find out what caused it. It is most likely some seafood - in in particular shell food, and just because it hasn't happened before , don't rule it out. Allergies can suddenly be triggered at any age, for no apparent reason.

It could also be some other food substance, or even an insect sting or bite which has injected some poison into your body system.

It is one of the above, then antihistamines will invariably do the trick.

Good luck.

[GoodKarma]

Hi indeed sounds like a food allergy. Where it comes and goes.

Here is some links about the RIbo rash. From personal experience it is awful, although for me it was only at night so I was convinced it was insects. Although after further investigation I think it was from eating something I usually don't eat (American white "chocolate"). Never again.

Here are some links to some really good info about it

http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/factsheets/635/RIBO1.htm

http://healthybliss.net/ribonucleotides-your-health/ (this was the best one for me.. as the writer of the blob is in Thailand)

[davejonesbkk]

Just come back from Piyavate hospital, no dermatologist working today so just saw a normal doc, she didnt seem to understand why I had them as I had no allergies I was aware of and hadnt done anything different recently or eaten anything different.

I have the following now though:

10 anti histamine pills (Xyzal)

Fusidic acid antibiotic cream

Elomet cream

Not sure which order I should put the creams on though

[BuckarooBanzai]

Just come back from Piyavate hospital, no dermatologist working today so just saw a normal doc, she didnt seem to understand why I had them as I had no allergies I was aware of and hadnt done anything different recently or eaten anything different.

I have the following now though:

10 anti histamine pills (Xyzal)

Fusidic acid antibiotic cream

Elomet cream

Not sure which order I should put the creams on though

Good call by the Doc - anti histamine for allergic response and the the others as per http://www0.hku.hk/uhs/drug_list/drug_detail_m.htm

[MisterMan]

What did you eat about 2 days ago that your normal don't?

Something with a lot of MSG?

Junk food, chips? Candy?

Antihistamines will help. Perhaps it is a parasite?

[davejonesbkk]

How long before I should see some signs of improvement from the medication? Nothing seems to be happening so far.....

[FBN]

How long before I should see some signs of improvement from the medication? Nothing seems to be happening so far.....

The medications you were given are a typical "shotgun" approach; meaning the doc that saw you had also no idea what it was. Is is a mix of antihistamine (tabs) steroid cream (Elomet) as well as an antibiotic (Fucidin).

Rashes should respond relatively quickly with symptomatic relief of the itching within 24h or so if it is an allergic type of rash. It may also just be a heat rash in which case it will take longer to respond to the Steroid like a few days.. Did the doc give any diagnosis?

[davejonesbkk]

No doc had no idea as I basically answered 'no' to all her questions such as 'do you have any allergies?' 'have you changed anything recently?'....

[davejonesbkk]

itching has stopped a but btw, still very red tho

[krading]

Ive been putting on some 'Boots Dermo Cream' for 2 days now which soothes it a little but isnt healing it, last night it was itching so bad I put on some Counterpain muscle rub cream as I know this has a very numbing effect, it burnt like hell (as it does) for 10 mins or so but after felt much better, in the morning the rash seemed to have gone down a lot and didnt itch but as soon as I washed it went crazy again

Pretty obvious isn't it?

don't wash it

[mca]

The next step is find out what caused it. It is most likely some seafood - in in particular shell food, and just because it hasn't happened before , don't rule it out. Allergies can suddenly be triggered at any age, for no apparent reason.

This is very true. I loved soft shell crab. Eaten it for years. About 6 months ago woke up with my entire chest, stomach and back covered in painless and non irritating red blotches. Had soft shell crab as my single dish for dinner the night before. Got checked out, had some anti biotics and cream and they were gone in a couple of days. Haven't eaten the crab since and the problems not returned.

[tim armstrong]

Dave, here is a couple of natural remedies:

1. Turmeric powder - the yellow Indian variety used in curries Used widely throughout India and some other countries to cure many skin conditions. Simply rub it on. Thais call it 'cummin' here, which it is not.

2. Jo Joba plant grows everywhere here, break a piece off and apply the gel. Instant pain relief. Keep unused pieces in the fridge - even more effective when cold.

[Sheryl]

I don't claim to know what this is, but some serious nonsense has been posted, to wit:

Shingles is painful, not itching and follows a different pattern in appearance.

The very specific limited location of this make food allergy unlikely.

If it is fungal, it will take some time to resolve. Of some concern is that you are not on an antifungal, and steroids will make a fungal infection worse.

If one is going to "shot gun" I personally would prefer a combo of anti-fungal plus steroid, of which there are many popular preparations in Thailand e.g. Myda-B.

You did not respond to the question about wearing a watch but it was a good one. If the wrist rash is located where watchband would cover, then both locations (neck + wrist) are areas prone to a lot of perspiration making either heat rash or fungal infection contenders.

Also - before this happened had you been doing any gardening? Walked through woods etc? A lot of small insects and weeds in Thailand can produce this effect. i often get this after gardening.

A photo would be helpful.

[davejonesbkk]

4 days on the meds now, itching stopped a few hours after starting them but rash still there, does seem to be fading very slowly though, fading faster on the wrist. I dont think the 2 creams are doing annything tbh.

Will go back to the doc tomorrow if not significant improvement, reluctant though as its going to be at least another 1,500 baht

Btw, yes wore a watch before but always have done without probs, its further down on the wrist then where my watch strap would be anyway.

[Raesum]

I recently developed a rash seemingly overnight on one side of my neck,shoulders back and front. I went to Banpho Private Hospital in northern suburbs of Bangkok.Within 1/2 an hour they had taken samples, another 1/2 an hour to diagnose and I was advised I had shingles.At no time was it ever painful but sometimes a bit itchy.I got given a course of tablets(Valtrex 500mg) and a relaxant(Xanax 0.5) They did the trick although it did take a few days before the rash started to disappear and about 3 weeks before it went completely.The Valtrex were rather expensive at about 5000 baht for 42 tablets.Luckily my (Thai) health insurance covered more than I thought it would

[dominique355]

Davejones, your symptoms remind me what I had. I also thought it's an allergy and treated it accordingly. A short time relief, then it came back. Skin was red and scratching mad it worse. Also the area seemed to expand. Itch was strong, sometimes like needles.

Finally I went to see my dermatologist at Ramkhamhaeng Hospital and he took one look and said, that's a "sweat gland inflammation", not an allergy. I got some anti-inflammatory cream and the improvement was instantaneous.

Go see a real dermatologist.