Discolored spots on ribs

[Kates47]

Hello all,

I have recently noticed strange spots on my ribs. They look like bruises about the size of a finger print that trail down my ribs, mostly on the left side. They don't hurt at all, not even to touch like a bruise would. I do not have any broken/fractured/bruised ribs or anything else wrong with my ribs. They do itch from time to time, but that is really only when the rest of my skin is dry and itchy. If I do itch them they look more of a red color, but normally they just look a bit darker than the rest of my skin. I'm  not sure how long these spots have been there, I noticed them about four months ago and thought I had bumped into something or maybe an allergic reaction.

I had recently switched to using different soaps and laundry detergents. Thinking it was an allergy of some sort I switched back to my old soaps but the spots are still there. Aside from the occasional itching I honestly forget that they are there. Does anyone know what could be causing this? I have no allergies that cause skin irritation. To my knowledge I am only allergic to chocolate and dairy. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[jemma116]

Tinea is a fungal infection and another name that it is sometimes called is "Ringworm".  Of course, it has no worms, it is just called that because of it having a round red ring with a dry pale patch of skin in the middle.

Tinea can also make the skin feel itchy sometimes sting and cause flakiness of the skin and sometimes other symptoms.

It is a contagious condition and can be caught from contact with other people who have it, from animals and from objects.

Good hygiene is important.

[shorty112]

Resolve plus 0.5 for inflamed or itchy tinia thr pharmest said it was a fungal nfection just told me to rub the tinia cream on it. And it worked but u have to keep using it all it comes bak

[jemma116]

As we age we do get brown and red spots appear and these just could be that.  And of course, anything that you scratch, will go red.

The only way to find out is to make an appointment with your doctor so that he can look at them and if required take a scraping to get analysed at the laboratory.

As you suffer from dry and itchy skin, it is wise not to use normal soaps, shower gels or bubble baths.  Normal soaps will dry your skin even more.  Use soaps with a pH level that suits our skins, or baby washes.  Your doctor can also prescribe an emollient that you can pour into the bath and also other emollients that can be used instead of soap.

With your dry skin, you do have to take extra care and moisturise it.  I squirt in some baby oil into my bath.

For shorty112 :  Can you remember what the name of the medication was
                          that the pharmacist suggested for your skin problem?

The medical profession does not know what causes Lichen problems and I can safely say that cortisone creams do not help the condition.  Some other medications that are combined bacterial and fungal creams can sometimes help, but it is a condition that like silverfox67 says cannot be cured.

Best wishes.

[silverfox67]

     these spots could be Lichen Planus.  It is a type of "fungal" infection that can't be cured.  The doctor will prescribe a corticosteroid cream which will almost cure it.  The cortizone creams OTC are not strong enough to treat Lichen.  Eventually with the corticosteroid, the dark spots will lighten and disappear.

     Wishing you the best.

[shorty112]

I have a similiar thing but they are the size of a pea and smalleri got it on my top half of m stomack and my arm pits i switched too a soap free soap like goats milk , pears soap my doctor rekons it was dry skin but i ised moisterisers and stuff and nothing worked so i went to the chemist and spoke ro the pharmicest and he said it was like some sort of tinia and gave me tinia cream and it worked i dont know if it will work for u but try it .. :-)