• melbaboutown
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    2 months ago

    I’m sorry, that sucks. I had pityriasis rosea or some such, I’m hoping it’s just a reaction to a virus and nothing more serious 🤞

    I have had impetigo and Betadine helped. They sell bulk bottles so if you receive advice to use it you could decant some into a disposable container and use a sponge or paper towel to dab over large areas.

    I also potentially have mast cell flares = rashes so hopefully antihistamines can help you short term if it’s that (consider getting checked for that or allergies)

    Chemists sell Savlon, and chlorhexidine wash which may help prevent it spreading to others if it is impetigo or bacterial/fungal - but ask a doctor or nurse on call first as I’m not a doctor. The chlorhexidine is apparently a preventative only.

    While you wait - One thing I found is if you absolutely can’t resist scratching and are going mad, then just to very lightly and carefully ‘slap’ the itchy spots - or more like quickly and lightly pat or tap it with an open hand or fingertips. Even better do it right next to it on healthy skin. It distracts from the itchy sensation without causing as much irritation as scratching.

    However if it’s likely to be impetigo or the skin is in any way compromised ie. fragile, damaged, weeping, or infectious - don’t do this. Don’t touch it.

    Come on test results!

    • PeelerSheila
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      2 months ago

      My God Melba, that Pityriasis Rosea looks uncannily like what I’ve got! We’re the sores weepy at all?

      • melbaboutown
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        2 months ago

        I’m sorry I don’t really remember

        I saw it first on my torso and then I noticed it was on my back too, it moved out to my upper arms and thighs and then spread up the front of my throat

        • PeelerSheila
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          2 months ago

          This started on my upper arms and thighs and has suddenly and rapidly spread to the rest of the limbs, spread to my back and left boob and bottom, and up the front of my throat. I’d not heard of it before so I googled it and was shocked at how uncannily like my rash it is. I showed Mr P who said it basically looks exactly like it. I’ve got my specialist appointment on Thursday, so it’ll be interesting what they say. Looking into it though, there are a lot of similarities regarding the circumstances. I’ve been exposed to a lot of viruses in the past few months including covid, and I’ve been under a lot of stress for a prolonged period of time. I had wondered how I can look like I’ve got 3 different types of rashes all at the same time on different parts of my body, which is what pictures I saw looks like on people; there’s the ones that look like circles (arms, legs and butt, that the other rashes seem to spread nearby from) the ones that look like flattish raised bumps (throat and some on legs) and the ones that look like a bright red prickle rash (rapidly spreading everywhere else there isn’t already a rash, filling in the spaces like I’m being coloured in lol).

          • melbaboutown
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            2 months ago

            That might make sense as a viral reaction then. Definitely do make sure it isn’t anything infectious or serious though, I Am Not A Doctor.

            Mine was the classic ‘Christmas tree’ pattern and looked like this on my front. More central spreading out. But I did see pics of others where it was focused and severe on their upper arms.

            As a rough idea:

            Front

            Pic of rash off the net

             

            Back

            Rash pic off the net

             

            It did recur for me a second time, much milder and confined to my back.

            I still do get hives on my face, arms and lower legs. (Small hard white bumps that then swell up into areas of diffuse red puffiness.) That is a completely different thing and more likely from stress, allergies/contact dermatitis or MCAS

            • PeelerSheila
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              2 months ago

              Mine are like this, with the herald rashes in the centre of further outbreaks

              With the last one being how it looked in the very beginning. But I’m just waiting to see the specialist on this Thursday. Never seen a skin specialist before. My health problems have been mostly mental rather than physical lol.

              • melbaboutown
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                2 months ago

                Yeah, I apparently had a herald patch on my back that I hadn’t seen. That is how it starts. The herald patch is the single patch that appears before the general fine rash comes up. So if you had something like that at the start that tracks.

                The timing too. (More common in Autumn and Spring. More common in women.)

                The fine rash does apparently change to those more circular patches in the next stage. (I don’t remember mine doing that but it was a while back.)

                It can definitely spread to upper arms and thighs.

                I’m really hoping that’s what this is because it isn’t highly contagious, usually resolves by itself in a few months, and usually doesn’t recur.

                I was given cortisone cream to help soothe it but for some reason cortisone cream burns my skin so I just let it resolve on its own. Plain moisturiser might also help if it is this. Avoiding soap is also recommended as it might irritate, and maybe also don’t shower too hot.

                https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/pityriasis-rosea#

                Definitely make sure it isn’t something else that is infected, contagious or does need treatment though! And there are some things cortisone cream or moisturiser should not be applied to so definitely check with a professional first.