Hi!
I'm a mostly healthy 27yo girl.. who has been struck with the craziest "rash" for years. And now I don't have any health insurance... and it's been rough.
Type of rash: spots, ranging from 1cm to little bumps, scaling, red (most red after shower or swimming), sometimes itchy on occasion. My boyfriend thinks I'm turning into some kind of reptile.
Locations: mostly hips, side of breasts, lower back, lower belly (but still-- mostly on the sides), upper thighs on side... and LATELY it's been showing up weird locations (only 1 or 2 spots) on arms and 1 on the side of my calf.. and even one above my eyebrow! :(
Again- it's mostly on the sides of my body.
They are rough, patchy... and embarrassing.
Me: A little overweight, but I work out 5x/week and have lost 30lbs since December. I drink plenty of water. I take a multi-vitamin for women, and Vita E and B supplements. Drink GREEN juices often. 80% of diet vegetarian. I live in a big city- and, I admit, do go out and drink now and then. I sometimes wonder if this might have anything to do with it.
Treatments so far: Been to SIX dermatologists. First, in 2001 I had bad acne (now entirely clear)- and I went on Accutane for 8 months. I think this might have triggered it! I never had eczema before Accutane.
I've been to several to see my eczema since. Biopsies, cancer screenings, Elidel, multiple steroid creams, lots of anti-fungal creams and even sprays. Nothing has worked... except: TANNING.
If I bake my skin in the tanning bed for 10 minutes/day.. for around 4 days... this rash disappears! The issue being: I have a history of skin cancer in my family. I'm pale and of irish/norwegian decent.
Is this even eczema?
Was it brought on by Accutane (in which case- should i return to the doctor who gave me the FREE 8 months for my case-perfect cystic acne?)
Please help! I don't know what to do anymore...