Reaccurances of erythemea annulare centrifugum

Posted , 6 users are following.

This is my 3rd year with this horrible skin or autoimmune disorder it's not getting any better. I have the rashes here and there continuously but a full eruption in the winter. I get it worse on my legs but I also get it on my scalp. I have seen Dr's and dermos and had many test done but all negatives including 2 biopsy the dr's has no explanation. No meds or creams work's in fact it burns my skin. I'm limited.to what I wear some clothing feels like they burn I'm only allowed a 5 min shower if longer it would trigger it worse.

3 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi I have a very very similar case the hard hot painful lumps appear almost on every part of my body that I use , however they only appear apon activity I have been to countless doctor's rheumotologist , hematologist,dermos, infectious Drs. Etc and noone can figure it out they are very visible ,and I've gone through every blood work up ,and the only thing clear is my high esr and highsed rate and sometimes positive ANA ,so nothing is pin pointed to any specific reason , however they do all agree they believe it is auto immune accept for the rheumatologist that can't figure it out ,I am now going to NYU rheumatologist last option in hopes of finally finding out what it is ,if you've gotten any answers please keep me posted !

    • Posted

      Hi jillian.

      So far I'm on the same boat as you. The only thing that helps a lil is being on hydroxyzine and cetrizine for the itchiness and cutting down on the amount of time during showering I been ordered to a 5 minute shower and it does help.. It does sound your immune that's the same one I have I've been seen by a dermo and had a few biopsy blood work all negative.

    • Posted

      Almost forgot. Some eac are very rare and the majority is either some medications that can be causing it but if all test came back negative then you might have the rare one which is your own immune like my dr said it was my own immune acting like if I had an infection. A weird defense mechanism..look it up you will be amazed. Being in the light comes it down a lil. Good luck and I hope this helps.
  • Posted

    Hi. I have had this same skin condition and was diagnosed with EAC about two years ago. NOTHING makes it go away. I have seen 5 dermatologist and they have no idea how to treat it. I have used unfragranced soap and laundry detergent and still nothing. The rash occurs between my legs, butt and down the back and sides of my legs, and they move. Some of the spots are in different places now. They don't itch or burn but now that summer is approaching, I'm not looking forward to wearing shorts/dresses. The only thing that helps is a steroid shot but the doctors don't like for you to stay on that because it is bad for your bones. The shower and working out definitely make the spots worse for me. Have you tried laying the sun any?  

    • Posted

      Hi Margo.

      It's hard having this skin condition especially with summer approaching it will probably get to the point that it may sting a lil especially at night. But to relieve but symptom cut down to a 5 minute shower and try to keep yourself from sweating to much in the summer it will probably aggravate your skin and if the Dr's can't find what it is it's probably your immune. I had a few biopsy seen different Dr's bunch of blood work including been checked for allergic reactions all came back negative in all tests. My Dr spoke to multiple Dr's one dr seem to know what it was it was my own body fighting it self like it there were a infection this type of eac is rare and it my go away or stay for years to come. One more thing believe or not being in the light comes it down a lil as in stinging, itching,burning.. Hope your goes away. Good luck

  • Posted

    Hi Lela,,so I just finally got to nyu and it seems they believe I have a form of vasculitus, which one we do not yet know ,see my case was a little different as I described ,mine were raised hot large lumps ,that were never itchy just very painful ,to touch ,or walk depending on where they were ,so we are almost on to something, as soon as we can confirm it's vasculitus ,and what kind as there are many ,but that's the story ! And good luck to you finding out what your case is ,I don't know if your in NY however, try NYU clinic !

    • Posted

      Thank you jillian.

      That's something I can tell my dr cause they think it's my immune cause they can't figure it out. I think your right I should further into it. I been on meds for the last 2 years to control the itchiness and pain. I hope they figure out yours as well. 1 thing I do know is that no more than a 5 min shower does work. After a 5 min shower I'm in pain and covered and it's really bad with blisters argh. But good luck and keep me (us) posted.

    • Posted

      Thank you jillian.

      I'm glad your on to something hope that they can help you with that. For the past couple of nights mine is acting up especially at night. It is so hard to sleep especially with my blanky and during the day my skin is stinky and burning and extremely itchy. I'm kinda nervous cause thats how it starts before being full blown blisters and scaling red patches.

      Good luck and hope you become pain free.

  • Posted

    Thanks for the info. What’s weird is that my spots don’t hurt at all. No itching, burning, blisters, etc. I’ve had three biopsy’s and they have no idea how to treat it. I’ve also been told it’s a viral infection caused from medicine, which you mentioned. I have no idea what that could be as I don’t take hardly any meds and just recently got off birth control pills as they said it could be hormones too. It’s very frustrating. Hopefully they can come up with something but if your doctor has any ideas, please share! Thank you! 
    • Posted

      Look it up on line when if there's no explanation for it then it's the rarest one in that case you gonna have to figure out what triggers it. And avoid it. If I hear anything about it from my dr I'll let you know.

  • Posted

    CURED!  SOLVED!

    I too have had erythema annulare for years.   I am 56yo, Male with zero health issues, no disease, no maintenance drugs, no nothing.

    Have been to dermatologists that hit me with Cortisone creams, terbinifine,  and ALL treatments for Fungal, even though 5 separate scrapings revealed no fungal present.   If you have been treated with everything typical and it doesnt respond, thats the differential diagnosis for Annulare (non responsive to most everything).   Heck, I have tried coating it with Laquer thinner, nail polish, peroxide, anything short of gasoline with ZERO affect.  

    I had a big one present for about 9 months now, starting 1" diameter on my stomach, growing to 6", split into two rings, and was getting biger and heading north.   Uggg.

    Out of despair, I started looking for any recent research and found two things that looked worthy of trying.

    1.  Ethromyacin treatments have been shown to resolve it completely.  Need perscript, and the research I saw indicated 2-4 weeks of it.  sad

    2.  UV-B ultraviolet treatments have been successful.  SEE:

    https://de.almalasers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/308_Eximer_System_WhitePaper_EAC_Roscher_EN.pdf

    #2 surprisingly can also be done at home with the $350-$900 FDA approved home UV treatment equipment, OR under a professionals care. 

    Do a search and you can find home use models out there.   Beware of units that dont say UV-B, or claim to be LED based "blue light".  They are fake garbage.    The real stuff costs real money.  The bare UV-B bulbs alone cost $50-$60.

    I DO NOT CONDONE SELF TREATMENT.   SEE A DOCTOR.   I AM NOT A DOCTOR, NOR DO I PROVIDE GUIDANCE OR SUGGESTIONS FOR ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT. 

    SO....

    I was dosed with about 1-2 minute exposure the first day, then15-30 seconds daily thereafter.   Any more and you can get a faint tan at the exposure.  The exposure was direct and focused to just the area involved.   UV PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR similar to welding goggles was mandatory as well as protecting adjacent areas during treatments.   The UV-B skin treatment bulbs/units do not generate the same UV band that gives intentional tanning, but they still are harmfull to the eyes (and can tan slightly).  FOLLOW A DOCTORS GUIDANCE AND MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS!

    THE BOTTOM LINE:    AFTER ONLY 2 WEEKS OF UV-B DOSING, MY OTHERWISE FULLY INVOLVED AND CONSISTENT ANNULARE OF 9 MONTHS HAS STOPPED IN ITS TRACKS.  IT HAS GONE FROM RED/SCALY ADVANCING DAILY TO LIGHT BROWN RINGS, NO ADVANCEMENT, AND IS DISAPPEARING!   HOO-RAY!   I CANT BELIEVE THIS WORKED, AND WITHOUT ANY DRUGS.   SIMPLY AWESOME.

    SEEK this treatment.  I cant praise it enough. 

  • Edited

    I suffer from this disorder and have tried everything. The solution for controlling it though lies in its location. It generally occurs in areas that do not receive much sunlight like upper thighs, buttocks or torso. People often get it worse in winter ie less sunlight and more covered bodies.

    My solution is a 2 part solution;

    1. get more sunlight on those areas which is easy for me in summer in Australia because I regularly go to the beach

    2. For winter I bought a uv lamp and give the effected area a short 40 second burst of uv light. The time depends on your lamp's power output but it doesnt take much for the uv light to completely stop the spread, even when it is in the initial red dot phase.

    I generally expose the area once a day for about 40 seconds for a period of 3 days. Just be careful with your uv lamp. If your skin starts to tingle it is being sunburned. If you are left with a red area after the exposure you have left it on way too long. Make sure you time your exposure and wear the appropriate safety glasses that are generally supplied with the unit.

    Give it a go. It will change your world

    cheers

    matt

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