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Suggest Treatment For Rashes On Chest And Arms
Question: After sanitizing & disinfecting the home of a family friend I hadnt seen in 15 years, I developed symptoms with my skin & hair. His house was filthy, dusty, dark, old carpet not properly maintained x 14 years. Poor ventilation, main sewer line leak 3 days after my arrival. Excavation under house where another water leak was, which was discoved in his bathroom where he installed a new shower 3 months prior. Had to share same shower with this person. Only half bath in my room.
Pest control identified carpet beetle infestation, fungas gnats & fungas beetles in his house.
Old everything! House not maintained, 2 indoor/ outdoor cats. Heavy amononia odor from cat box.
Asbestos popcorn celing, lead paint. Old curtains from 70's.
Long story short, I left but still suffering. Ive been to ID & a derm x 1. Symptoms have worsened. My lomg thick curly hair is now short with a cotten candy, fuzzy, nappy texture. Skin on back of my neck is red, scaley and bouts of it ozzing. Front and back of neck wont absorb moiturizer properly. Swelling of lower limbs and hands. Eyebrows itch with pimples at times. Dandruff on eyelashes. Nothing has been done except nasic labs x 1. Nothing significent revealed. Negative for HIV/ Aids, Hepatitis, Syphalis and other obvious ID.
I have two cats as well that have only been house cats! Burning ar times from warm water in shower. Major outer ear infection developed when I went to NYC. ER MD did CT scan of brain secondary to lymph node & mandible swelling, lumps & bunps at base of neck where hair fell out. CT scan negative but showed soft tissue swelling around ear and adjacent neck area. Lymph node on left side was visible from across the room. Was given Cipro oral & drops x 14 days. Refered to enviromental/ internal. Told MD under care in XXXXXXX Nothing further has been done since I returned and gave them ER report.
Derm gave me a dx of eczema. No history of ANY skin problems except hormonol chin acne at times! Never had a rash EVER!
Rashes on front of chest with strange red lines on arms that appear after I shower.
Pain when I extend the back of my neck. Hair feels sharp too? Had allergic type reaction at his house when arounfd him in same room? With lips swelling, eyes and hives. Resolved with benadryl, which is only way to be around this person.
No longer see this person! However all belongings are thete and told I cant tetrieve them. Yet not told why or how to get anything back?
Dependant on wig now, dont know what part of body to hide from rash or scaly skin. Skin feels numb on ateas of upper back & lower leg. Legs look waxy/ shiny. Alot of broken veins in ankle folds with dark thickened skin!
Keep being told by a ANRP who is primary she dorsnt know what is wrong. Derm & ID don't appear concerned. However symptoms have worsened since i saw them last in 10/15. Under care x 7 months.
I dont know what to do?
My looks have been stolen!
I cry daily from having strange hair & no growth in 5 months after all hair started to fall off. Cant get a comb through nappy texture. Not afro XXXXXXX Im white, with Russian Jewish & Hispanic descent.
Im now very upset with providers and RNP refuses to answer logical questions and no further medical testing opinions have been done. This is despite her telling patient relations it should and referal from Mount Sinai in NYC for ear infection. They felt my ear was related to whats going on.
RNP admits something very wrong but she doesnt know what it is?
Please advise me!
Pest control identified carpet beetle infestation, fungas gnats & fungas beetles in his house.
Old everything! House not maintained, 2 indoor/ outdoor cats. Heavy amononia odor from cat box.
Asbestos popcorn celing, lead paint. Old curtains from 70's.
Long story short, I left but still suffering. Ive been to ID & a derm x 1. Symptoms have worsened. My lomg thick curly hair is now short with a cotten candy, fuzzy, nappy texture. Skin on back of my neck is red, scaley and bouts of it ozzing. Front and back of neck wont absorb moiturizer properly. Swelling of lower limbs and hands. Eyebrows itch with pimples at times. Dandruff on eyelashes. Nothing has been done except nasic labs x 1. Nothing significent revealed. Negative for HIV/ Aids, Hepatitis, Syphalis and other obvious ID.
I have two cats as well that have only been house cats! Burning ar times from warm water in shower. Major outer ear infection developed when I went to NYC. ER MD did CT scan of brain secondary to lymph node & mandible swelling, lumps & bunps at base of neck where hair fell out. CT scan negative but showed soft tissue swelling around ear and adjacent neck area. Lymph node on left side was visible from across the room. Was given Cipro oral & drops x 14 days. Refered to enviromental/ internal. Told MD under care in XXXXXXX Nothing further has been done since I returned and gave them ER report.
Derm gave me a dx of eczema. No history of ANY skin problems except hormonol chin acne at times! Never had a rash EVER!
Rashes on front of chest with strange red lines on arms that appear after I shower.
Pain when I extend the back of my neck. Hair feels sharp too? Had allergic type reaction at his house when arounfd him in same room? With lips swelling, eyes and hives. Resolved with benadryl, which is only way to be around this person.
No longer see this person! However all belongings are thete and told I cant tetrieve them. Yet not told why or how to get anything back?
Dependant on wig now, dont know what part of body to hide from rash or scaly skin. Skin feels numb on ateas of upper back & lower leg. Legs look waxy/ shiny. Alot of broken veins in ankle folds with dark thickened skin!
Keep being told by a ANRP who is primary she dorsnt know what is wrong. Derm & ID don't appear concerned. However symptoms have worsened since i saw them last in 10/15. Under care x 7 months.
I dont know what to do?
My looks have been stolen!
I cry daily from having strange hair & no growth in 5 months after all hair started to fall off. Cant get a comb through nappy texture. Not afro XXXXXXX Im white, with Russian Jewish & Hispanic descent.
Im now very upset with providers and RNP refuses to answer logical questions and no further medical testing opinions have been done. This is despite her telling patient relations it should and referal from Mount Sinai in NYC for ear infection. They felt my ear was related to whats going on.
RNP admits something very wrong but she doesnt know what it is?
Please advise me!
Brief Answer:
Infected eczematous dermatitis
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us
I am Dr.Kakkar (Dermatologist). I have gone through your query and I have reviewed the Images.
You definitely seem to have a sort of an infected eczematous dermatitis as can be seen on wrist, back and one more image of a body part.
You would benefit immensely from a course of an Oral antibiotic e.g either amoxicillin or ciprofloxacin. That would help dry up the oozing.
In addition I would also suggest you to apply a potent topical steroid+antibiotic combination cream e.g clobetasol propionate 0.05% and fusidic acid 2% combination cream to take care of infected eczematous dermatitis.
Your treatment should be along these lines. These are prescription medications and I suggest that you talk to your doctor for the needful.
An otc oral antihistamine e.g cetrizine 10 mg once daily in evening will provide you symptomatic relief from itching.
You may use a Ketoconazole based shampoo for head wash e.g Nizral shampoo.
Regards
Infected eczematous dermatitis
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us
I am Dr.Kakkar (Dermatologist). I have gone through your query and I have reviewed the Images.
You definitely seem to have a sort of an infected eczematous dermatitis as can be seen on wrist, back and one more image of a body part.
You would benefit immensely from a course of an Oral antibiotic e.g either amoxicillin or ciprofloxacin. That would help dry up the oozing.
In addition I would also suggest you to apply a potent topical steroid+antibiotic combination cream e.g clobetasol propionate 0.05% and fusidic acid 2% combination cream to take care of infected eczematous dermatitis.
Your treatment should be along these lines. These are prescription medications and I suggest that you talk to your doctor for the needful.
An otc oral antihistamine e.g cetrizine 10 mg once daily in evening will provide you symptomatic relief from itching.
You may use a Ketoconazole based shampoo for head wash e.g Nizral shampoo.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank- you Dr,
Is there a potential that bacteria from my skin got on my outer ear & contributed to the outer ear infection? My skin had opened up for the first time 1 week before? Possibly why the oral Cipro given for my ear cleared up my skin? However, symptoms returned. I was also briefly on Diflucan for this being maybe related to a fungus? While on the two together this resulted in a tremendous improvement of skin & fluffing of my hair. Once my 200 mg course x 2 weeks was over, symptoms, returned! Why did I loose all my hair & have this nappy, sticky like texture? Is it possible,I caught a fungus at this house & my hair loss/ texture may be potentially from a fungal, skin infection? What can I do to find out the cause of my condition? SoI don't have to keep going through what appears to be some sort of cycle of same symptoms. With now no hair length left to loose? It feel out from the bottom up & on the sides in the beginning. But this strange texture has spread?
The last picture with long hair is how I was prior to these symptoms. Is there a possibility, the bioaerosols in this house may have caused my infection? Without proper treatment can it continue to spread & or go deeper into my skin layers?
I truly appreciate your time and help!!!,
Is there a potential that bacteria from my skin got on my outer ear & contributed to the outer ear infection? My skin had opened up for the first time 1 week before? Possibly why the oral Cipro given for my ear cleared up my skin? However, symptoms returned. I was also briefly on Diflucan for this being maybe related to a fungus? While on the two together this resulted in a tremendous improvement of skin & fluffing of my hair. Once my 200 mg course x 2 weeks was over, symptoms, returned! Why did I loose all my hair & have this nappy, sticky like texture? Is it possible,I caught a fungus at this house & my hair loss/ texture may be potentially from a fungal, skin infection? What can I do to find out the cause of my condition? SoI don't have to keep going through what appears to be some sort of cycle of same symptoms. With now no hair length left to loose? It feel out from the bottom up & on the sides in the beginning. But this strange texture has spread?
The last picture with long hair is how I was prior to these symptoms. Is there a possibility, the bioaerosols in this house may have caused my infection? Without proper treatment can it continue to spread & or go deeper into my skin layers?
I truly appreciate your time and help!!!,
Brief Answer:
Infected eczematous dermatitis
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Outer ear infection may have been due to a fungus i.e otomycosis, however, your skin condition certainly does'nt seem like a fungal infection.
Is the water supplied to this house, hard water? Hair texture may possibly be explained if the water is hard i.e has lots of mineral content. Moreover, this deterioration in texture could also be due buid up of scalp fungus/ dandruff and scaling which is even more common with hard water use. Therefore I suggest you to use an antidandruff shampoo i.e Nizral shampoo and switch to soft water for scalp wash, if that is so.
Skin rash seems more like an infected eczmatous dermatitis rather than a fungal infection. I would again suggest a course of an Oral antibiotic, for a week. Topically you may use a steroid+antibiotic cream combination, as I mentiioned in my previous reply. In addition I suggest a tablet of cetrizine 10 mg for symptomatic relief from itching.
Regards
Infected eczematous dermatitis
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Outer ear infection may have been due to a fungus i.e otomycosis, however, your skin condition certainly does'nt seem like a fungal infection.
Is the water supplied to this house, hard water? Hair texture may possibly be explained if the water is hard i.e has lots of mineral content. Moreover, this deterioration in texture could also be due buid up of scalp fungus/ dandruff and scaling which is even more common with hard water use. Therefore I suggest you to use an antidandruff shampoo i.e Nizral shampoo and switch to soft water for scalp wash, if that is so.
Skin rash seems more like an infected eczmatous dermatitis rather than a fungal infection. I would again suggest a course of an Oral antibiotic, for a week. Topically you may use a steroid+antibiotic cream combination, as I mentiioned in my previous reply. In addition I suggest a tablet of cetrizine 10 mg for symptomatic relief from itching.
Regards
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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