I’ve Had A Very Disturbing Skin Rash Off And On For About 5 Years, Any Suggestions?
Posted by: Alan in Contact Dermatitis, tags: About, Disturbing, I've, Rash, Skin, Suggestions, Very, Years
Since i was in third grade(5yrs ago) i started getting this rash. It started with just a little spot from my belt buckle on my stomach and then it eventually was on my forearms. About 3yrs. ago, i had a skin allergy test and i found out that I’m allergic to cobalt and nickel. More recently, that rash seems to come and go more often but now i get it on my back, abdomen, arms, legs, neck and chin. The thing is, all my dermatologists keep telling me that im coming in contact with nickel or cobalt. Let me tell you, I’ve done a lot of research and i even wore sweatshirts and long pants when it was 80 degrees just to see if it was contact dermatitis, and i don’t think it is. My nickel rash from my belt looks entirely different than my other rashes. There is no real pattern that i get the rash. it usually starts small and just gets worse until i finally have to go back to the doctor’s, and they give me new creams that take it away. I’m fully aware that nickel and cobalt are in shampoos,clothing,silverware,cookware,mo… foods, and paints. I switched my shampoo to all natural hoping for the answer. I thought it was but then about a week ago it came back again. I’m miserable! My rash itches like crazy, hurts and is hot to the touch. Its scaly and an angry red. The bumps are small and form in one giant cluster. If anyone has some sort of magic cure for rashes would they please share? I’ve tried benadryll, and all kinds of other allergy medications. My dermatologist suggested a cortisone shot but I’d have to wait 2 weeks for an appointment and i would still like to search around for the cause instead of just treating the symptoms. Any help is greatly appreciated = ] by the way, the creams i am give are to be only used for a week at a time because they are very strong steroid creams so after i use it for more then a week, the rash is way more painful and if i use it only for a week, its not long enough for a significant improvement. By the time i go in to the doc’s office and he gives me more cream, the rash is just about over with and theres no point in using creams, it just makes it go faster.
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December 31st, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Well, I suspect that you’re not going to like this answer, but nickel allergies are very difficult to treat, as the nickel is so pervasive in the environment and hard to avoid. Often,the initial presentation is exactly like what you had: a localized spot to an area in which the nickel was obviously touching the skin. But, nickel is in so many objects that it’s very difficult to avoid touching it and spreading the molecule to other parts of your skin. In addition, nickel is in many foods, so it’s also hard to avoid eating it,too. However, there are diets which have been given to people who are so allergic to it, and it often seems to help. Ask your dermatologist to recommend a nickel free diet and see if that helps, too.