Red Spots - Alcohol Allergy?

[The Gentleman Scamp]

I've had this a while, it comes and goes. The only time I ever had it England was sometimes when hungover and in a hot bath but since residing in this hot climate I often get red blotches that sometimes choose my arms, sometimes torso and sometimes neck to appear on, which looks rather nasty on my farrang skin.

I am almost certain it is caused by alcohol or heat or a combo of the two, but if anyone else knows of this condition I would like to know more.

Sometimes it's itchy and sometimes not and more than often I get unbearable itching on my back which isn't even affected by the blotches.

Is it beer or spirits? Maybe it's yeast.

I've tried everything to keep it at bay but nothing really works, I just have to wait for it to go, and yes, I'm sure you're thinking what the doctor said which was lay off the booze for the rest of my life... To which I can only reply, I'm 29 years old I can't give up beer!

I'm not an alcoholic but I couldn't live a fulfilling life without the occasional Heiniken, and this thing isn't dangerous (I don't think) I just need a comprimise.

Anyone?

[cdnvic]

I am almost certain it is caused by alcohol or heat or a combo of the two,

You're probably right there. Sounds like you're dehydrating yourself with that combination. When sweat glands run dry they cause red spots and itcyness, plus your pores don't get cleaned out properly. I'm no expert but that advice was given to me. Try drinking a bottle of water every couple of beers to counteract the the diretic effect of the alcohol. Helps keep the hangovers away too

Good luck

cv

[ayakiawe]

I think you are lucky your body gives you the straight message about the dangerous products you may be taking in.

The problem I think it is is not the "beer" per say but all the chemicals they add to the beer here in Asia to preserve it!

They use, I hear, formalin based persevatives which are not good for anyone!

Does anyone know this to be a fact?

Try beer on "tap", fresh beer or homemade versions too possibly?

[terdsak_12]

I have a similar problem, something to do with dehydration. I drink a litre of water before I start a session and all is sorted. Try it.

[randyksf]

Have you ever wondered why you drink then you pee. After about 2 beers then you pee more and more as the night goes on? If you drink water by its self it really does not do that much good. It flushes out the system of electrolytes and other minerals.

Everyone has a trick to fending off hangovers, blotches and the other ailments of drinking. It all comes down to hydration and mineral re-absorption. People wonder why the salty Peanuts start too tasted so good as the night goes on?

It’s your body needing salts and other minerals.

On the occasional nights, I have found after a few drinks, I have one of the electrolyte replacement drinks. Then I have one b4 I crash or fall asleep.

[cdnvic]

Have you ever wondered why you drink then you pee. After about 2 beers then you pee more and more as the night goes on? If you drink water by its self it really does not do that much good. It flushes out the system of electrolytes and other minerals.

Everyone has a trick to fending off hangovers, blotches and the other ailments of drinking. It all comes down to hydration and mineral re-absorption. People wonder why the salty Peanuts start too tasted so good as the night goes on?

It’s your body needing salts and other minerals.

On the occasional nights, I have found after a few drinks, I have one of the electrolyte replacement drinks. Then I have one b4 I crash or fall asleep.

Very good point about the minerals and electrolytes. I would add that a multi vitamin or a Kratendeng is a good idea as its loaded with B vitimins that are absorbed quickly in liquid form. The spots though are almost surely just a hydration issue though. The vitamin/mineral loss can be counteracted much by eating properly before a night out as they will be more slowly taken into the system as digestion occers, rather than being washed away like the ones in the blood stream.

Some clever university should offer a adult education class "The science of getting loaded"

cv

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Thanks for the tips, will try a bit of everything - electrolytes sound a good idea. Had these multivitamins last year which I'd pop when hungover but they tasted awful and made my pee bright intense yellow which would sometimes stain white underwear when putting myself back in.

Prevention is always better than the cure, I'm oviously not drinking enough water either so i'll fill up before going out and i'll just have to cross my legs on the Skytrain if my back teeth start floating.

As for the local beer, I thought Heiniken would have less crap in it than the likes of Singha, Chang and especially Leo and Thai, but maybe not.

I've got enough experiments to keep me occupied, will let you know how I get on.

Cheers!

[NedKelly]

hey Gentleman.....you should try to go off the booze and anything else that u think maybe toxic to your system.......say for one month and then slowly introduce those things back into your diet...one by one to see the reaction. It wont hurt to have a month off the piss. My mate in Aus did it......no-one liked him for a month but he was very happy and healthy. After the month he would go back to his shocker beer diet.

But I say this as it may well be something else causing your reactions. During your month you could try to be serious about it and eat healthy foods, go to the gym, sleep early etc etc.....maybe even go to a spa and have a facial or cleansing massage.........seriously you might benefit from it. Yeah I know you are a big boofy bloke, but who cares...I know some big boofy blokes who have done full on health retreats complete with daily enemas......yes enemas......and they love it. They say it is the best thing to do.....I have not tried yet but thinking about it. Not sure about the enemas though haha !!

In my line of work I used to see loads of brits coming to Thailand with skin conditions. Their Doc would tell them they needed to get to a warm climate for a holiday and get some sun. Maybe you could do the same......get out of Bangkok and have a swim at the beach for a week or so. Or if yo ualready do that then do the reverse or whatever. Just change your ways a bit to see the effect.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Big boofy bloke? Where on earth did you gett that idea?

I'm a small, slim guy who looks about 24 despite being about to turn 30.

Anyway, what you're saying is very true, the last time I got rid of it was actually by sunning myself so that my skin became mildly sunburned which would hide the spots, they would then fade away with the sunburn.

Believe me, I am dying to get away for a weekend break to Samet and just beach around for a while but I'll have to wait three weeks until the next long weekend.

[andy50]

hi scamp, i had a similar problem when working in saudia red itchy rash appeared on my upper body!,,i found it was caused by the amount of orange drink that i was consuming ,the rash was so bad ,that nobody would come near me!-i think it was exessive vitamin c,in the drink, or it was too aciddy ,but as soon as i stopped drinking orange, i got better!

[mrmnp]

Gentleman Scamp: LISTEN UP! While giving up alcohol is a good way of making a differential diagnoses of an allergy, when you said sunshine ammeliorated your condition, I said to mylelf, FINALLY, you have met someone who has the same rare skin condition you have.

UTICARIA PIGMENTOSA. Clinically insignificant condiiton with little health significance, it is none-the-less annoying. Mine has been biopsyied, the only way to know for sure. Less than 200,00 people in the world have the disease, therefore no money for research. Restricted usually to children who grow out of it, adults have it and the only treatment for it is light. The medical approach is to give you light treatments, but without the UV radiation danger of sunlight.

I have had a wonderful tan as a result of two years of treatment, that virtually made the condition go away. Prior to spending all that money I treated it with sunlight, until my skin finally rebelled in my later years.

Rather than fill this page with my personal experiences with the condition in and out of the hospital setting and the Professors of Dermatology who are facinated with having such a rare patient, I will point you to a New Zealand web page that will give you the basics, pictures of the spots and just below the condition description there is a page on UVA treatment.

The light treatment is usually only available at the University Medical Center level. The UV treatment is also given to those who suffer psoriasis.

http://www.dermnetnz.org/index.html is the web page. Once you have read that information and have any more questions or want to hear almost a lifetime of living with the condition, just PM me anytime. I was a major drinker for years and the symptoms did increase then.

As you will read, the bumps or spots are created when mast cells, contained in the skin, become irritated and they eject a skin redning substance. The mast cells are sent to the skin in a chemical reaction related to histamines and some have suggested anithistmines help, not for me.

Clearly, if you were having an allergic reaction caused by alcohol, the sun would have no affect on the allergy. Alcohol no doubt aggravates the condition, but since beer is largely water, I doubt it would be the cause of dehydration, vodka on the other hand, my drug of choice, certainly did. Good luck.

[John K]

I've had this a while, it comes and goes. The only time I ever had it England was sometimes when hungover and in a hot bath but since residing in this hot climate I often get red blotches that sometimes choose my arms, sometimes torso and sometimes neck to appear on, which looks rather nasty on my farrang skin.

I am almost certain it is caused by alcohol or heat or a combo of the two, but if anyone else knows of this condition I would like to know more.

Sometimes it's itchy and sometimes not and more than often I get unbearable itching on my back which isn't even affected by the blotches.

Is it beer or spirits?  Maybe it's yeast.

I've tried everything to keep it at bay but nothing really works, I just have to wait for it to go, and yes, I'm sure you're thinking what the doctor said which was lay off the booze for the rest of my life... To which I can only reply, I'm 29 years old I can't give up beer!

I'm not an alcoholic but I couldn't live a fulfilling life without the occasional Heiniken, and this thing isn't dangerous (I don't think) I just need a comprimise.

Anyone? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I get that from eating shell fish. Unfortunately they are bottom dwellers and any toxins tend to sink to the bottom. My friends can always tell when I had lobster for dinner. I don’t know if it is the fish or what they have been in. It looks bad for about 24 to 36 hours then goes away.

John Krukowski, C.H.