Dermatographism Skin Rash
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Here is the scoop. I am 31 years old and I started getting this derma… whatever it is called… in the form of red blotchies all over my chest and neck when I was in middle school. Clothes, coat, seat belt rubbing me, towel drying, getting hot, getting mad, getting anxious, all of these things provoked my daily red blotchies. Classmates who sat behind me would draw their initials on the back of my neck and wait for the red to appear in the form of the letters. When these spots came up, they would be hot and itchy. This provoked more rubbing and scratching which provoked more red blotchies, hot and itchy.
It was horrible living with the skin rash. I have tried antihistamines like crazy but nothing worked until I got a tanning bed 5 years ago. I noticed that when I have a base tan, my sensitive skin is less sensitive. Since I am not breaking out to the simple touch of clothing, I am not itching, and so I am not scratching which means NO RED BLOTCHIES!
I have tanned year round (nothing extreme, just a base tan) since this discovery. Sometimes I forget that I have this problem until I do not use my tanning bed for a few weeks and then the red blotchies reappear. Everyone else had forgotten that I had this skin rash or hives problem and so my explanations of why these hives are always on my neck have started again.
My skin is currently very fair, sensitive, dry feeling, and blotchy all of the time. What a reminder. So, I will start back up with the tanning to fix the problem. I know that tanning is not good either, but for me it beats dealing with this!
During my research today I have read of people having and considering surgery for this skin rash hives problem. What an extreme measure. I am glad that I have found something less invasive to help with my problem. This would obviously not be for everyone as tanning can lead to skin cancer. For now, I am choosing my battles and taking my chances with the tanning.
Because I have not had this problem since I have had a tan, I have never researched it to realize there is a name until today. What a concept! There are a ton of others out there like me. This is so odd!! I am the only person I have ever known with this problem. I joke now to people that ask about my blotchies that I am wearing my winter skin. Anyway, good luck to all dealing with this. I have had it for 20+ years and I know that it is no fun.
Jennifer
Relief with Aveeno Lotion
I wish I knew how to help you and me. All I have found is that Aveeno lotion helps this skin rash hives problem. Chlorine from aquacize classes seems to help. Claritin and Benadryl help. I think coffee may even cause my hives. Ibuprofen and Acetaminophin cause me to break out in hives. We all need to be aware that hives can be a sign of an auto immune disease.
Mary
Dermographism Skin Rash
I remember when I first started feeling the effects of dermographism. I was only 15 at the time and anytime something hit my skin or there was a stove or something near by that caused an intense amount of heat, I used to break out in hives, skin rash, itch, and wonder what was going on. It was only after I found out my aunt had this same disease that I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with this skin condition.
Since then I have been taking Zyrtec - one tablet a day and it has worked really well. If I forget to take the meds for more than a day, I will know it because the itching starts back up again. On some rare occasions the meds do not work until I take another and then it is all good. If the hives or skin rash begin to itch, then only rubbing it and not scratching helps a lot.
I am almost 20 now and I have had dermographism for nearly five years. The hives, if I get them, will last for about an hour. Prior to being diagnosed, I did have food allergies and regular allergies.
When taking the Zyrtec, if I irritate my skin or if my body temperature rises, it turns red but does not itch and produce raised welts.
Corey
Dermographia Diagnosis
Here is my story. I took my four little cousins to the Obama rally in St. Louis on Saturday October 18th and on the way home while riding the metro I started itching. When I got home and undressed I literally went crazy itching all over including my scalp. I took a Benadryl and it did help after 30 minutes or so but later it started again and my palms were red then the skin rash hives or welts started.
I thought to myself - what did I do different? I did change washing detergents so maybe that was it. I rewashed everything, but despite that the next couple of days were horrible. I then went to this website and read what everyone was saying and concluded that it has to be dermatographism. I went to Walgreen and got Prevacid, Claritin, and Aveeno wash and lotion and started using them on Wednesday October 22nd. They really helped.
Today is November 7th and I did not take any medication today and I am not itching at all. I also wanted to mention that in June I broke out with red spots and went to the emergency room and was diagnosed with the Christmas tree skin rash known as Pityriasis Rosea. With this skin condition, 20 percent of people itch and I was one of those people. It lasted for about five weeks and the only thing the doctor gave me was a five day prescription of prednisone, which made the red spots go away for a bit but they then came back in full force. I was miserable, not to mention that I had just started getting close to my new boyfriend. I could not let him know what was going on. I was terrified so I covered up for months.
The red spots went away in July but I still have the dark spots (so ugly). I am using fade cream on them and here it is six months later and they are leaving slowly. I have no clue if the rosea triggered the dermatographism. I just wanted to share my story and hope it helps someone. I pray someday my skin and yours will be normal. Be blessed and walk by faith not by sight.
Tee
