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What Causes Itchy,dark,dry And Leathery Like Skin On Buttocks?
Question: I have really itchy, dark, dry and leathery like skin on the top of my butt crack. I visited a dermatologist and he said it was a eczema turned chronic and he prescribed me Fobancort cream to apply and antihistamines but weeks passed and the condition still have not improved. Any slightly pressure or touch will trigger a very bad itch cycle even after I applied the cream and taken my antihistamines. I wonder what can be done to soothe and to cure this problem.
Brief Answer:
Kindly elaborate query and send pictures
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome and thanks for posting your query to the forum.
I can understand your concern for itchy, dark, dry and leather like skin on the top of butt crack.
In view to help you better I request you to kindly tell me certain important points:
- Since how long you have these spots on buttock area. Have you felt any such areas on other parts of body too.
- Do you feel that these posts increase sometimes or decrease. Any factors other than pressure or touch increasing the spots.
- What is the intensity of itching- mild/moderate/ severe.
- Your occupation and daily routine with emphasis on sitting job.
- What antihistamines you are taking and daily dose of the same.
- Kindly also take pains to tell me about your renal condition and do you require dialysis or any medications for the same.
It view to help you best I request you to send good resolution pictures of affected area so that I can analyze it better. For uploading the pictures you have a facility on the right side of the page or can send on:
YYYY@YYYY
with "attention:Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia"
Hope to hear soon form your side.
With regards,
Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
MD- Dermatology & Sexually transmitted diseases
Kindly elaborate query and send pictures
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome and thanks for posting your query to the forum.
I can understand your concern for itchy, dark, dry and leather like skin on the top of butt crack.
In view to help you better I request you to kindly tell me certain important points:
- Since how long you have these spots on buttock area. Have you felt any such areas on other parts of body too.
- Do you feel that these posts increase sometimes or decrease. Any factors other than pressure or touch increasing the spots.
- What is the intensity of itching- mild/moderate/ severe.
- Your occupation and daily routine with emphasis on sitting job.
- What antihistamines you are taking and daily dose of the same.
- Kindly also take pains to tell me about your renal condition and do you require dialysis or any medications for the same.
It view to help you best I request you to send good resolution pictures of affected area so that I can analyze it better. For uploading the pictures you have a facility on the right side of the page or can send on:
YYYY@YYYY
with "attention:Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia"
Hope to hear soon form your side.
With regards,
Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
MD- Dermatology & Sexually transmitted diseases
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
There are not spots just intense itch when touched of caressed so long as there's slight movement on it. Mostly intense when it occurs, like a needle prick itch on a vulnerable surface and the itch will go on for minutes. I work as a XXXXXXX art director so most of my time is spent sitting. I am currently on 3x a week haemodialysis, 4-4.30 hours each session. Antihistamines: atarax 10mg 2 tabs every night, loratadine 10mg one tab every alternate days, gebamantine 1mg after dialysis. All these doesn't seem to help the itch at all. The nights are worse. I will wake up in routine at 1plus am, 3 and 4 am to scratch myself silly. I was told it nurodermantitis. I need this itch to stop and the sensitivity too. It have been bothering me for months, 2 and a half month to be exact. I need a proper night's rest badly!
Brief Answer:
"Lichen simplex chronicus" or "neurodermatitis"
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome again and thanks for sending important details along with picture for analysis.
After reading your problem and analyzing the pictures I can make out the best possibility of "Lichen simplex chronicus" or "neurodermatitis" or in simple words skin response to continuous scratching.
I agree with the previous diagnosis of "neurodermatitis" by your treating dermatologist.
To explain you elaborately about the possible condition - Due to any irritation over this local area you have an intense desire to scratch. After scraching there can be initial redness and itching with mild pain sensation. As we scratch it continuously then it can get aggravated.
There is then build up of cycle of "Itch-scratch and itch". More you scratch - more you feel desire to itch.
Additionally your job of continuous sitting as well as your renal condition can aggravate the condition.
For the betterment kindly follow the suggestions below:
1. Avoid hot – humid climate. Avoid sitting continuously for long hours.
2. Wear cotton clothes and avoid synthetic clothes.
3. Stay in cool environment(preferably AC) and avoid sweating.
4. Take two time bath once in morning and at night time which will soothe your skin and prevent the aggravation of the problem
5. Do not Pinch pop or squeeze or rub any area.
6. Do not use any deodorants or any cosmetics over and near the affected area.
7. Do cold compression over the affected area. Take a wet towel soaked in cold water and apply it for 5-10 minutes for 3-4 times a day.
For the part of treatment kindly follow the suggestions below:
1. Continue applying Fobancort cream in a thin layer in morning and at night time. Your doctor has given it correctly and wisely. Apply in a very thin layer for two times so that it should not be visible to naked eye. You can apply it under your dermatologist's guidance.
2. For the part of irritation or itching tablet “Loratadine” or "Deslotatadine" or levaocetrizine can be taken for up to three to four times in full day.
You can visit your treating dermatologist and can ask for changing the antihistamine or increasing the dose according to renal safety.
In my patients I also suggest to press the area deeply in case of intense desire to itch rather than scratching the area.
This is a quite simple problem which we see in our day to day practice and persist for only the time till the patient keep on scratching. So the most important part in your management is avoidance of scratching by all means.
Hope the informations will relax you, if you have any further query I will be happy to help or if not then can close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you good health,
with regards,
Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
MD- Dermatology & Sexually transmitted diseases
"Lichen simplex chronicus" or "neurodermatitis"
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome again and thanks for sending important details along with picture for analysis.
After reading your problem and analyzing the pictures I can make out the best possibility of "Lichen simplex chronicus" or "neurodermatitis" or in simple words skin response to continuous scratching.
I agree with the previous diagnosis of "neurodermatitis" by your treating dermatologist.
To explain you elaborately about the possible condition - Due to any irritation over this local area you have an intense desire to scratch. After scraching there can be initial redness and itching with mild pain sensation. As we scratch it continuously then it can get aggravated.
There is then build up of cycle of "Itch-scratch and itch". More you scratch - more you feel desire to itch.
Additionally your job of continuous sitting as well as your renal condition can aggravate the condition.
For the betterment kindly follow the suggestions below:
1. Avoid hot – humid climate. Avoid sitting continuously for long hours.
2. Wear cotton clothes and avoid synthetic clothes.
3. Stay in cool environment(preferably AC) and avoid sweating.
4. Take two time bath once in morning and at night time which will soothe your skin and prevent the aggravation of the problem
5. Do not Pinch pop or squeeze or rub any area.
6. Do not use any deodorants or any cosmetics over and near the affected area.
7. Do cold compression over the affected area. Take a wet towel soaked in cold water and apply it for 5-10 minutes for 3-4 times a day.
For the part of treatment kindly follow the suggestions below:
1. Continue applying Fobancort cream in a thin layer in morning and at night time. Your doctor has given it correctly and wisely. Apply in a very thin layer for two times so that it should not be visible to naked eye. You can apply it under your dermatologist's guidance.
2. For the part of irritation or itching tablet “Loratadine” or "Deslotatadine" or levaocetrizine can be taken for up to three to four times in full day.
You can visit your treating dermatologist and can ask for changing the antihistamine or increasing the dose according to renal safety.
In my patients I also suggest to press the area deeply in case of intense desire to itch rather than scratching the area.
This is a quite simple problem which we see in our day to day practice and persist for only the time till the patient keep on scratching. So the most important part in your management is avoidance of scratching by all means.
Hope the informations will relax you, if you have any further query I will be happy to help or if not then can close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you good health,
with regards,
Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
MD- Dermatology & Sexually transmitted diseases
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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