Dermatagraphism Itchy Skin Condition
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PICTURES OF RASHES PAGE
Zyrtec Hives Control
I have been dealing with dermatagraphism for over 25 years. I am currently taking Zyrtec to control it and the hives, however the itching seems to be getting worse as I get older. In the early stages, I would only feel the intense itching at night. Now it can be any time of the day. So I always have some kind of embarrassing red scratch marks, hives, or welts on me. I am going to seriously consider trying Noni juice for this condition.
Nancy
My Dermatagraphism Story
My dermatagraphism story is just beginning. I noticed the symptoms of dermographism such as hives a month ago. I went to my physician last week and had a range of blood tests. I am waiting on the results. I have a feeling my dermatographism was triggered by one of two allergic reactions I had recently or maybe it was a combination of both.
In August 2006, I got engaged. We had a ring especially designed and made in white gold. I developed a reaction to my ring about a month after wearing it everyday. The reaction cleared after two weeks of not wearing my ring. I started to wear it again and again a reaction occurred after a few weeks. I have gone through this cycle, of wearing and not wearing my ring, five or six times now. These days it only takes 48 hours for my skin that is in contact with the metal of my ring, to blister and ulcerate. We have concluded that I must be allergic to the nickel added to make the yellow gold white, as I have never had a problem with yellow gold before. What is really strange is that I have never in my life had any food, medication, or other types of allergies. I have always been in good health.
Then just after Christmas 2006, I noticed clouding of my vision. I saw an ophthalmologist and he identified that the clouding of my vision was caused by obvious inflammation of my corneas in both my eyes. One of two things could cause this, a bacterial infection or an allergic response to an allergen. There was no evidence of a bacterial infection found so the reaction was treated as an allergic response and I was put on a week’s course of Prednisolone eye drops. Within days my vision was back to normal and after the completion of the course of drops, the reaction did not return. We have never isolated what triggered this reaction. Nothing in my environment changed. We had moved to Bermuda early in December from Australia but I was still using all the same products I had used before, even our washing powder was the same.
Living with dermatagraphism (and raised hives) is bothersome and I want to fix it. I am registered nurse and it is my job to apply a treatment to cure an illness. To think I will always live with the itchy skin welts, hives, and redness is depressing. I cannot touch my face without it going red. I put my foundation on in the morning and the pressure of applying it causes my face to become hot and flushed. The raised hives on my skin, which were what I first noticed, are the most distressing, as they are the most noticeable to others. The hives or raised welts appear where I unknowing scratch my skin or where friction or pressure comes in contact with me. They are so very red and rise quite high above my skin's surface. I also get a stinging feeling all over my skin with an increase in body temperature. I cannot believe that it is something you just get and then not ever get rid of. I had really thought that dermagraphism was just a fancy name for a symptom of something else going on inside my body and that once we worked out what it was, we could fix it. But like you say, dermatographism is a disease and some diseases have no clear causes or cures.
Thank you for sharing your dermatagraphism story. At least I know that what I am experiencing is experienced by others and that we all have the same unanswered questions. When I see my physician next week I am anticipating that all my tests will come back normal as yours did. I now know after reading your story that daily treatment, whether that is with antihistamines or an all-natural remedy, will relieve my symptoms. I will look at taking Noni Juice. Even though I am an advocate of western medicine, I do believe if you can find an all-natural alternative to prescribed medication, you should take it. I hope it has the same effect on me as it did for you. I am looking forward to a symptom free day.
Katrina
If you would like to share your story about dermatographism and help others please visit this dermatagraphism page.
Scratch Test for Diagnosis
I have had dermatagraphism and raised hives for approx. 6 or 7 years now and we just recently figured out that it was what I had. I'm 16 years old, and my sister and I would always notice welts or hives appearing on our face, and at times it would be embarrassing. I've always had it on my skin and I never put the two together until we went to the doctor so I could be tested for lupus. That is when he scratched my skin and determined I had dermatagraphism. One thing that I feel helps is using non-scented lotion (if it's scented it irritates the skin even more). Both of my sisters have it as well, but I have it more severely.
Lauren
Dermatagraphism Skin Problem
I have had this hives and problem since I was about 13 years old, so, almost 10 years. Today, for the first time ever, I have a diagnosis. I've been to dermatologists and allergy doctors, regular doctors and nobody could ever tell me what the problem was. Not until today. I finally felt like I was going to loose my mind. I've had a really horrible itching problem the past couple of days and I just couldn't relieve it. I changed my family doctor and saw the new doctor this morning. He took one look and told me what the problem was and how to relieve it. I'm so happy I almost can't stand it. It's great to finally have a diagnosis. I do find the name funny because everyone always used to tease me about how they could write their name on my arm. And who would have thought the name would be skin writing.
Kim
Noni Juice Remedy for Hives Problem
We just found out today (2/5/07) that our grandson, who is 16 and lives with us, has dermatagraphism with hives. He's been itching and scratching for about a month. The weals or hives were so large on his body that I accused him of severely scratching himself. We thought he might have an allergy to something and didn't know what to do because it involves a lot of trying to determine what a body is allergic to.
I have never heard of this dermatagraphism condition so I have started reading up on it. I was so happy to get into your website and learn of some natural remedies with which you are experimenting. The doctor gave our grandson some medication, which he will take for a while, but I expect we will also try the Noni juice, which you recommend. We are very familiar with Noni juice. We'll just watch the condition to see how it progresses and what we need to do next. Thank you for your website and what you are doing to help the rest of us with this dermatagraphism problem.
Cherise
Body Toxins and Dermatographia
Oh my God, I cannot believe all the stories sound like me. I have been going crazy going to doctors and not getting any answers. I have begun by own research and feel that the toxins in our bodies are causing the reaction and I think the liver plays a big role in dermatagraphism. I asked my doctor to request a sonogram of my abdominal area, which includes all the organs, gall bladder, kidneys, liver, and the spleen. The results came back showing that I have a fatty liver. I know that it sounds crazy, but I think there is a connection. I started to look on-line and found that having a fatty liver has a lot to do with your liver being toxic and unable to filter your system, which is what might make some of us beak out in hives. There is no explanation, but I think that could be one reason for all this craziness.
I do have an appointment with a gastroenterologist. It really upsets me to think that all I can do is be on medicine every single day of my life and hope and pray I do not have an attack of hives. It is so frustrating to live like this.
Penny
Hives Skin Problem for Seven Years
My dermatologist suggested that I might have dermatagraphism when I was about 16. I used to get swelling of my hands and fingers often and they would itch. I was younger and thought nothing of it. Then I started getting rather large hives and was constantly itchy and scratching. The doctor scratched my arm, diagnosed me, and gave me 25mg of Hydroxyzine. I now take approximately 10-20mg/day, depending on how bad my hives symptoms are. I have noticed other symptoms that occur when I don't take my anti-histamine, but they may be unrelated to dermatagraphism. I get mucus build-up in my chest and begin sneezing profusely. I have had dermatagraphism now for about 7 years.
Jamie
Sun and UV Exposure Causes Hives Flare-ups
Yes if any of my information will help anyone I will give this a try. I’ve been suffering with dermatagraphism since puberty (13 year old), which is 19 years straight. I have done every thing to stop the continual scratching and hives. The best I have found is ATARAX (HYDROXIZINE) or Benadryl or ZYRTEC or Prednizone if it gets too bad, BUT I HATE PREDNIZONE. The best herbal remedy is nettle root. It worked better than noni juice for ME. This condition is so bad I get hives that raise and itch and I scratch until I bruise. It has been so bad that I have been to the emergency room for this at least a dozen times, where a Prednizone shot or a Cortisone shot would help.
I even received DEMOROL BECAUSE THE PAIN IS SO BAD!! The pain has been so bad I have itched for two days straight with no sleep, where my muscles ache and THROB so bad and the 7 or 8 Benadryl plus 2 Atarax barely keep me sane. Someone needs to find a CURE for this! This is so hard emotionally for me. It is as bad as my migraines, fibromyalgia, cifids, all combined.
If you have fevers with the dermatagraphism it might be a more serious problem. Have your blood tested for ANTINUCLEROR ANTIBOTIES. PEOPLE HAVE FIBROMYALGIA and LUPUS and RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS WITH THIS DISORDER, SO GET YOUR BLOOD TESTED. I FIBROMYALGIA and CRONIC FATIGUIE SO GET YOUR BLOOD TESTED IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DERMOGRAPHISM.
BAKING SODA OR CORN STARCH OR BOTH IN A HOT BATH HAVE HELPED ME and THE OATMEAL AVEENO BATH AS WELL. ALSO THE LOTION CETAPHIL IS THE BEST BECAUSE IT IS FRAGRANCE FREE & NON-COMEDOGENIC. ALSO PURE ALOE VERA HAS BEEN HELPFUL.
THE THINGS THAT HAVE BROUGHT ON A FLARE UP FOR ME ARE UV RAYS, A SLIGHT SUN BURN, and TANNING BEDS. EVEN GETTING OUT OF THE SHOWER I HAVE TO USE LOTION ON MY LEGS OR THEY WILL ITCH. ANYONE OUT THERE E-MAIL ME WITH ANY THING THAT MIGHT HELP ME.
Jennifer
Hives all over Body
I woke up one morning three weeks ago with welts or hives all over my body. The itching was extreme and my feet were broke out so bad I couldn't walk. I suffered through the weekend and went to work the next day. I work in a pediatric clinic and ask one of the doctors for some steroids because I just thought I had hives from something. I have never had hives before. He looked at me and saw how every place that I had scratched appeared with welts and hives. He then told me I had dermatographism. He showed it to be in a book. Since then I have been on a long course of steroids, antihistamine Zyrtec or Claritin, antidepressants, because they think its stress related, Tagamet h2 blocker, and Atarax at night if needed. I can say that it is better, but I still get red when my skin gets bumped, but I don’t welt or get itchy. I am a hypothyroid and have been for about six months. I don't know if they are related. I just hope this goes away as quickly as it came on. I do wonder though if it will become worse again once I come off my steroids in three days. Is there anyone out there that has gotten rid of their dermatagraphism and hives? Good luck to all of you. You are not alone.
Amanda
