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Can you identify what this skin condition is?

S

Solo

Messages
14
I have a couple photos showing what happens to my skin after eating specific things or having extreme stress -- so it's just not related to eating. I first noticed this condition 10 years ago after a course of corticosteroids. What you're seeing in the photos is what my skin looks like upon waking up in the morning, and the marks are embedded from the mattress lining.

20r2p12.jpg


2ld7r5h.jpg
 
S

Solo

Messages
14
Hi, nanonug. I thought it might be dermatograpism a while back, but I disregarded that because I believe the hallmark is that you can kind of "write" into your own skin. When I try doing this with my own fingers, it does not stay in.

Thank you though. What are your thoughts about the fluid surrounding the tissue? Sometimes my fingers shrivel up like prunes. I feel like I have the opposite problem of -- fluid retention.
 
nanonug

nanonug

Senior Member
Messages
1,709
Location
Virginia, USA
Solo said:
I thought it might be dermatograpism a while back, but I disregarded that because I believe the hallmark is that you can kind of "write" into your own skin. When I try doing this with my own fingers, it does not stay in.
Click to expand...

Does it help if you take a H1/H2 blockers combo? I would expect you to be able to "write" on the skin which means that if you cannot it throws off my original guess of dermatographism... There is however "redness" present in a good part of your body which, if it's not due to histamine, may be due to other mediator such as prostaglandin d2.

Solo said:
What are your thoughts about the fluid surrounding the tissue? Sometimes my fingers shrivel up like prunes. I feel like I have the opposite problem of -- fluid retention.
Click to expand...

Hmm, I'm afraid I'm out of thoughts on this one...
 
camas

camas

Senior Member
Messages
702
Location
Oregon
Looks just like my skin in the morning. The dermatologist diagnosed mine as dermatographism. He didn't write on my skin with his finger, but scratched my back fairly forcefully with his closed pen and it left welts. From all the flushing you are showing, it sure looks like a histamine reaction. Do you get any burning or itching sensations?
 
A

Adster

Senior Member
Messages
600
Location
Australia
Doesn't everyone have those lines on their skin in the morning? They may not, I get that every day and just assumed everyone did.
 
S

Solo

Messages
14
camas, with regard to the lines in the skin, there is no itch or burning with it. I do have itchy skin sometimes, but isn't bad enough that I even do anything for it. No burning.

nanonug, I have a unique issue with histamine. When I developed Chonilergic Urticaria several years back, if I took an anti-histamine drug, it would result in more hives. The hives themselves have mostly resolved entirely, and I have not tried an anti-histamine in 10 years.

You have me thinking about prostaglandins.... What can I do to find out more about whether prostaglandins are directly involved in my issue? Isn't excess sebum production a sign of prostaglandin problems?
 
nanonug

nanonug

Senior Member
Messages
1,709
Location
Virginia, USA
Solo said:
nanonug, I have a unique issue with histamine. When I developed Chonilergic Urticaria several years back, if I took an anti-histamine drug, it would result in more hives. The hives themselves have mostly resolved entirely, and I have not tried an anti-histamine in 10 years.
Click to expand...

Your reaction to the anti-histamine is interesting. On top of that, cholinergic urticaria is generally dealt with by using H1 blockers. Do you recall the name of the anti-histamine you took?

Solo said:
You have me thinking about prostaglandins.... What can I do to find out more about whether prostaglandins are directly involved in my issue? Isn't excess sebum production a sign of prostaglandin problems?
Click to expand...

Elevated levels of 15-deoxy-D12,14-PGJ2 appear to be related to increased sebum production. But I don't know enough about the subject to say anything meaningful. This reference here may help, though: Sebaceous Glands and the Prostaglandin Pathway—Key Stones of an Exciting Mosaic.
 
Sparrow

Sparrow

Senior Member
Messages
691
Location
Canada
Wait... Yeah, you mean not everybody gets those marks?? And writing on your skin and having the letters come up starkly is not normal??

You people have just blown my mind again. :)

ETA: Well, at least mine don't seem as bad as a lot of what the internet tells me full blown dermographism seems to look like. My letters aren't ever that tall.
 
S

Solo

Messages
14
I don't know what's normal about it. I only get these marks when I'm feeling inflamed and exhausted. If I eat specific foods or have an extraordinary amount of stress, these marks get worse. Also, when I was at my sickest point, what you're seeing in the photos was magnified x 10, and was accompanied by extreme nerve pain, tingling, and my hands were numbing into a claw shape.
 
August59

August59

Daughters High School Graduation
Messages
1,617
Location
Upstate SC, USA
I get what appears to be very similar to what you are showing. A situation that is much more pronounced is in my lower legs and I have not received a diagnosis of edema, but poor perfusion has been noted on top of my feet. This came while tring to get a diagnosis of my cyanosis in my feet.
If I wear socks for 5 to 6 hours and take them off I will still have indentions in my calves for at least 2 to 3 hours afterwards. If I sleep on an ornamental type blanket for a few hours I will have indentions in my face, back and shoulder which may last for a good hour after awakening. I have always been one to have above normal of fluid infusion into my skin if I am lying down flat.
I had to have sinus surgery a few years back because when I slept on my side, the nostril that was down would swel completely shut within 30 minutes and a couple of light gasp would have me flipping to the other side which did the exact same thing. I technically wasn't sinus surgery as much as it was a "nose job" that anchored a very fine wire or nylon line on one side of my nose right at the end. The wire was threaded through my skin and ran through the hard cartilage in the middle of my nose (the beak) and down the other side. It was pulled tight and anchored to the bone.
I never had another problem breating on my side anymore and it is probably a professional permanent "Breathe Right" in my nose. It wasn't expensive compared to medical procedures, but if you have this problem ask your ENT.
 
S

Solo

Messages
14
August, I'm so glad you responded. Everything you just wrote about, I have experienced in some form or another.

Let me start with the sinuses -- the most difficult issue to deal with lasting 3 years straight. For a while, I was having a stuffy nose, but when I became extremely ill, my sinuses just shut. I had a septoplasty surgery a few months prior to correct a deviated septum, but the tissue was so weak that it broke again a couple months after. For 3 years, my breathing has been affected since the tissue inside just swells; especially during sleep and resting positions. I have to rest my head in specific positions or else it's impossible to breath through my nose. But, I am happy to say it has gotten much better.

Boy, have I had a court battle like experience trying to get doctors to recognize any problems with the conditions involving the skin and Cyanosis (thank you, I had no medical term for this symptom). I have the same issue with the socks and beds and so forth. Like, I would be eating and pressing a fork into my thumb while picking up the food, and the indent from the fork would mark my thumb for several minutes. It was just weird. Now, I should note that I picked up foods that were making this worse for me, and also medications can make this wide area of my problems flare. Again, 3 years, but it's convalescing.

I think we should talk privately (or openly). I think we have a lot to share about this particular issue. I have a question right now about your comment on "fluid infusion." I've been trying to wrap my head around this forever. You're saying that over hydration of fluid in the skin is what creates this reaction? Also, have you had any issues with numbness, tingling, nerve pain or what seems like sharp pain in the veins?

Thanks for your reply.
 
Marlène

Marlène

Senior Member
Messages
443
Location
Edegem, Belgium
I woke up my teenage son this morning because he was late for school. He had the same marks on his torso and skin. He's in general good health.
 
V

Valentijn

Senior Member
Messages
15,786
I have the same thing. When having blood drawn, the indentation from the band they put around my arm stayed for hours and was pretty deep. The doctor said I had "soft tissue swelling".
 
I

IreneF

Senior Member
Messages
1,552
Location
San Francisco
My daughter and I are both "welty" like that. Always have been. I don't know about my son, he's asleep right now and I don't think he'd appreciate it if I woke him up while scratching his name on his arm. BTW, in order to write you have to use your fingernail. I never noticed any changes relating to stress or illness but now I'll start paying attention.

BTW, we are all fair redheads.
 
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