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What Causes Rashes In The Groin And Armpits?

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Posted on Sat, 31 Dec 2016
Question: Hello, I have had a rash in my groin and armpits for several months now. The armpit rash started in XXXXXXX and I used to clotrimazole to treat it. It has repeatedly come back. In October it spread to my groin and I have not been able to get rid of it. I live in Nicaragua and I think it is bothered by the heat, or possibly irritated by hand washing my clothes and not getting the soap out. However this started in Peru where it wasn't so hot. I have tried rubbing alcohol, clotrimazole, ketaconazole, and flucanzole and it has not gone away. It is is itchy and has now spread down my inner thighs and to my buttocks. Today the pharmacist recommened Mupirocin and Amoxicllin thinking it is a bacterial infection. I though it was Intertrigo so I did 7 days of Flucanazole, it got better but then I took a yoga class in tight leggings and it came back. I am a yoga teacher so this is very inconvenient. I don't know if its bacterial or fungal, or both.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Vasudha (3 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Need specific treatment & personal care to get rid of it.

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for asking under Health care magic.I have read your query & understand your concern.
Itching rash under arms/ groins can be either allergic or fungal being secondarily infected by bacteria(creating the small pustules seen in image ) / due to mites causing scabies.
- Allergic rashes can be due to food allergy / medicinal allergy(appears all over body ) or due to cosmetics applied on specific area...you don't have such history.
- Fungal infection is possible because of the damp & wet skin in the affected area( tight clothing & sweat ), helping fungal infection to develop. Our skin is usually harbored by many bacteria & these can infect the scratched skin producing the pustules like bumps seen in the image But it does not exhibit typical scaly itching rash.. This doubt needs to be cleared by actual physical examination.
- Scabies- It is a mite infestation causing itchy rash with inflammatory & allergic reactions due to mites growing under skin.I thought of this as you seem to have some rash on hand too ( due to hand washing of clothes )& also spread of the rash to groin.
Rash in the finger pits are characteristic .Infestation through another affected person/ use of his/ her clothing, can produce such rash any where in body folds. So to be in skin contact with the infestation ( in family/ friends ) is a must to catch such problem.
* You have the problem over along period & it's not relieved with different self medications . Looking at the scenario. You need a through examination by a skin specialist.A direct visual inspection mostly assists in pointing out the cause. This would follow specific treatment ( both local application & oral medication ) as per need.
* personal care-
- Following doctor's advise strictly.
- daily bath followed by local application of ointment/ lotion prescribed.
- Avoid sweating (avoid exposure to heat, using Hosiery/ cotton clothe
with loose fitting ( with probably elastic fitting at ankle .. looking at
your profession )
- Have a bath after each work out followed by use of local medicine.
- Be careful about washing clothes- wash them separately, dry them in
sun
- Avoid use of washing soap with excessive washing soda/ Use pair of
gloves to protect your hands.
- Avoid use of allergens if any.
* thus with expert advise & personal care you can get rid of the scaring problem & prevent it in future too.
I hope the answer was both informative & useful to you. Any more information you need- I would be happy to help.
Please rate the answer before you close the query.
Thanks



Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Vasudha (19 hours later)
I am not sure this is scabies. Wouldn't scabies rapidly spread throughout my entire body? Like I said, I have had this for almost 2 months now and it has been confined to my groin. The armpit issue has been occurring for 5 months and I don't know if it's related or not. I also never said anything about a rash on my hand or in between my fingers, there is no such there going on. I also do not have zig zag symptoms of the scabies burrowing under my skin. So I'm not sure. I ended up having an allergic reaction from the amoxocillin I was prescribed yesterday and broke out in hives all over my body within 12 hours. I saw a dermotologist who prescribed me methylprednisolone. However I do not know if that will treat my initial rash. I think when I wrote last night the rash that was spreading was primarily from the amoxocillin.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Vasudha (8 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Dermatologist to confirm the diagnosis & specific treatment.

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for the details. That shrinks my thoughts.
* I had put scabies as number third possibility to complete the causes of itchy rashes with small pop ups in groin/arm pit ( body folds ), that too considering possibility of hands/ finger webs, from the information given in the primary query.
Any way. I appreciate the detailed description of scabies lesion you have made , absence of such lesions makes scabies as good as excluded.
* The appearance of allergic rash to Amoxicillin is being treated with steroid,
Methyl prednisolone & yes, it would also reduce/ remove your initial rashes ... if at all it is basically allergic in nature. Such chronic long standing rash indicates constant contact of allergen ( May be cosmetics, talcum powder) & this needs to be investigated by allergy screening tests followed by exclusion of allergens with anti allergic medicines/steroids as per need.
- Steroid ointment mixed with the Mupirocin ( an antibiotic ointment ) applied locally would help.
* But in case it is not at all cleared with the prednisolone treatment ... it's sure to be a fungal infection ( Candidiasis of skin)
Candidiasis of skin usually is cleared with local antifungal ointments along with personal care as described in previous answer.
- You have already used ointments containing anti fungal agents without any cure.
In this scenario,I would suggest to consult a dermatologist after the allergic rash is cleared . Microscopic examination of swab rubbed to the lesion would confirm the diagnosis. followed by specific medication.
He may suggest some specific local ointment ( Miconazole/Tioconazole ) / oral anti fungal medicines for complete resolving of the issue.
How ever immune compromised conditions / uncontrolled diabetes need to be excluded in this condition.
* This way with dermatologist's advise 8 self care would help you to get rid of the condition.
Hope that answers your query. Any follow up query is welcome,
Thanks.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

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

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1970

Answered : 10398 Questions

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What Causes Rashes In The Groin And Armpits?

Brief Answer: Need specific treatment & personal care to get rid of it. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXX, Thanks for asking under Health care magic.I have read your query & understand your concern. Itching rash under arms/ groins can be either allergic or fungal being secondarily infected by bacteria(creating the small pustules seen in image ) / due to mites causing scabies. - Allergic rashes can be due to food allergy / medicinal allergy(appears all over body ) or due to cosmetics applied on specific area...you don't have such history. - Fungal infection is possible because of the damp & wet skin in the affected area( tight clothing & sweat ), helping fungal infection to develop. Our skin is usually harbored by many bacteria & these can infect the scratched skin producing the pustules like bumps seen in the image But it does not exhibit typical scaly itching rash.. This doubt needs to be cleared by actual physical examination. - Scabies- It is a mite infestation causing itchy rash with inflammatory & allergic reactions due to mites growing under skin.I thought of this as you seem to have some rash on hand too ( due to hand washing of clothes )& also spread of the rash to groin. Rash in the finger pits are characteristic .Infestation through another affected person/ use of his/ her clothing, can produce such rash any where in body folds. So to be in skin contact with the infestation ( in family/ friends ) is a must to catch such problem. * You have the problem over along period & it's not relieved with different self medications . Looking at the scenario. You need a through examination by a skin specialist.A direct visual inspection mostly assists in pointing out the cause. This would follow specific treatment ( both local application & oral medication ) as per need. * personal care- - Following doctor's advise strictly. - daily bath followed by local application of ointment/ lotion prescribed. - Avoid sweating (avoid exposure to heat, using Hosiery/ cotton clothe with loose fitting ( with probably elastic fitting at ankle .. looking at your profession ) - Have a bath after each work out followed by use of local medicine. - Be careful about washing clothes- wash them separately, dry them in sun - Avoid use of washing soap with excessive washing soda/ Use pair of gloves to protect your hands. - Avoid use of allergens if any. * thus with expert advise & personal care you can get rid of the scaring problem & prevent it in future too. I hope the answer was both informative & useful to you. Any more information you need- I would be happy to help. Please rate the answer before you close the query. Thanks