Question by Leigh: Can anyone help me identify a large rash on my back? (pictures included!)?
I first noticed a spot on my back that my boyfriend and I thought was an insect bite. I had an outer-circle of itchy, red, raised bumps and a single bump in the middle (sort of a ‘bulls eye’ effect, about 1.5 inches in diameter–first picture). The first doctor told me it was either ringworm or nummular eczema, and the anti-fungal cream had no effect (the spot continued to expand) but the corticosteriod cream caused it to stop spreading and it faded and stopped the itch. After the prescribed 2-weeks of use I stopped, and within a few days it started getting red again, growing larger, and became a sort of cluster of bumps about 3 inches in diameter with additional smaller circles forming around it as well (3 to be exact–2nd picture). That was in the course of a month, and about a week ago the ‘red bumpy areas’ got really dry/scaly and a thick, red, raised border formed along the outside of each red area. Most of the ‘circles’ are touching each other and the total area it covers on my back about 5 – 6 inches long/4 inches wide. The doctor I saw today spent a while looking through his skin-books before he came up with a diagnosis, and then said he thinks it’s an ‘atypical case’ because it looks slightly different.
I don’t want to say his diagnosis because I don’t want to bias anyone… but I’m wondering if ANYONE has had anything similar and how long it took to clear up and/or what they had to use to do so. Any other ideas just what it might be?
Any advice/suggestions are appreciated!
Pictures (I apologize for the images, but I did this quickly and couldn’t figure out how to re-size them to equal size):
http://www.geocities.com/itsy_chik/Rash
Thanks for the responses so far… I figued I’d add what the doctor told me. He said it definitely wasn’t shingles (and there isn’t any pain involved, just itching!) and he thinks it’s an ‘atypical form of EAC– Erythema Annulare Centrifugum.’ Although from the pictures on the internet, I don’t think it looks like that either and most of those cases don’t seem to have much itching involved. I don’t think there’s an infection (no pus or open sores, just dry, raised, red, itchy skin). Other ideas? Thanks for the responses so far!
Best answer:
Answer by peaceful
My daughter had the ringworm looking circle with the bump in the center. Her doctor immediately thought that it was MRSA because it had it’s characteristics. She tested her for it but the test was negative. She didn’t know exactly what it was but decided to try an ointment called altabax to see what affect it would have. Thank God it worked. It cleared up in a matter of three days.
I would ask the doctor about MRSA. If he hasn’t already checked for this then I would find another dr.
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