Bad Skin problem - Rare Disorders Message Board

leah101 · 07-22-2003, 11:37 PM

Please help me.
I have white marks all over my arms and hands and inside each "white blotch" is a red pin ***** sized dot that seems to be like a blood vessel. very tiny one. The red dot goes away when pressure is applied as if it is blood filled. They are getting worse and the dermatologist didnt have a clue on what they are. The spots become more apparent under certain light. ANY feedback would be appreciated,
Thanks

zuzu8 · 07-25-2003, 12:12 PM

I'm so sorry Leah, what you descibe isn't ringing any bells at all for me (and my family is plagued with many different skin problems) ....Dermatology is a very difficult and complicated field of medicine (the skin actually being our largest "organ" believe it or not)...I can't offer you any further insight, except to say that you really should get a second opinion from another dermatologist...It doesn't make sense that your lesions are unrecognizable to him/her! Find someone who knows what they're doing!

zuzu xx

projapoti · 07-29-2003, 11:12 AM

I agree..dermatology IS a very complicated field of medicine, and the thing that bugs me is the fact that, a lot of dermatologists turn their practices in to one that is mostly cosmetic in nature. Skin lesions are often a window in to what's going on in the body. The thing is, it is VERY hard to diagnose skin problems without seeing them. You can describe them all you want over the 'net, but it's must easier if there's a picture.

Question: if you scratch the lesions you have, do they bleed?

I'm wondering if what you have is lichen planus. Did the dermo mention that? How about a variation of psoriasis?

[This message has been edited by projapoti (edited 07-29-2003).]

leah101 · 08-01-2003, 12:13 AM

i have never really scratched at them as they dont get itchy. the red dots are only pin sized and the skin has turned white around them. the dermotogists didnt give an indicaton of what they might be. i was there because my hair was falling out like you wouldnt believe. she couldnt diagnose that either.. said it was stress which the doctors blame everything on when they are stumped.

alviarin · 08-13-2003, 12:30 PM

Have you had your thyroid checked? (At minimum, TSH and antibodies test). Hair falling out is one symptom of hypothyroidism.

Also, white spots/vitiligo is common in people with an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto's thyroid disease. Though as far as I know vitiligo doesn't cause red pinpricks in the white spots.