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What Causes Allergic Skin Rashes?

Posted on Thu, 13 Feb 2014

Question: Hello, I get these strange rashes on my body, they lool like a burn or rubbed off skin. It seems to be when i have pasta or things like that. Could it be a reaction to gluten?

Answered by Dr. Geetika Paul (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: Allergic skin rashes Detailed Answer: Hi I understand your concern regarding your skin problem and I hope I am able to help you in the same. From the description, it looks like you have developed some kind of an allergic reaction. But it is very difficult to reach a final diagnosis without having a look at the exact skin lesions. Please click some close up pictures of the exact skin lesions and upload them here on this page. You can also mail them at YYYY@YYYY with heading as ref to Dr Geetika Paul. Also please tell since when do you develop these skin lesions? Are you presently on any medicine or do you take any pain killers or antibiotics occasionally? I am sure I will be able to help you more once you provide me the pictures and the above details. Dr Geetika Paul

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Geetika Paul (40 minutes later)

Thank you for your response! I am currently going through IVF treatments, however, prior to that I was not on any medications, it started about 3 years ago, they were all sizes mostly on my legs and trunk area and a significant amount of them. Now when i do get them, they typically appear on my arms. They stay for quite a while (up to a month), the inside starts to go back to my normal skin color, then the outside slowly changes back. They dont hurt and are not itchy. I have attached a picture of one i currently have, it has started to heal though, I'm not sure how well you can see it Thank you again!!.

Answered by Dr. Geetika Paul (59 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Fixed eruptions Detailed Answer: Hi You seem to be developing lesions of fixed drug eruptions. These are basically a type of skin allergy that you tend to develop after the intake of certain drugs. Pain killers, antibiotics, drugs for upset stomach and cough syrups are the most common offending agents. But in your case, since you do not have history of intake of any of the above medicines, then we need to look for other rarer causes. Among these, intake of various food stuffs containing various preservatives and coloring agents can lead to recurrent development of such lesions over the body. Now what is important is that since you are presently taking ivf treatment, so it is better to avoid any oral drugs in your case. I would recommend you to take only topical drug's. You can apply a topical steroid cream like cortisone over the affected areas twice a day whenever these lesions appear. As much as possible, you should try to recall and find out the find every time you develop the lesions since every time exposure of the body to the same offending agent must be causing the lesions. Dr Geetika Paul

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Geetika Paul (39 minutes later)

Thank you, I will start trying to record when these appear and what I have eaten/drank etc prior to it. How quickly (typically) after exposure would these appear? Should I be recording my previous 24 hours or more? Thank you!

Answered by Dr. Geetika Paul (26 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Fixed drug eruption Detailed Answer: Hi again These lesions can appear anywhere from half an hour to twenty hours after exposure to the agent. So it is usually not very difficult to find the offending agent. Dr Geetika Paul

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar