by Dr. Long Nguyen, DO Board Certified Family Medicine
ThedaCare Physicians - Berlin, ThedaCare Physicians - Wautoma
WINTER RASHES/DERMATITIS
There are several rashes that may come and go throughout the year, but there are several common ones that can be seen more frequently when the weather becomes colder. These rashes can look identical at times, but some of the subtle differences are as follows:
Eczema: patches of itchy, red and raised lesions, typically occurs on the elbows and knees, but can occur anywhere on the body
Psoriasis: patches of itchy, raised, sometimes white and scaly lesions, typically occurs on elbows, knees, and scalp but can occur anywhere on the body
Contact Dermatitis: isolated patches of itchy, red, raised wheals that are due to contact with a specific trigger, these can occur anywhere on the body that the trigger touches
There are very subtle differences on how to treat each of these but the foundation is the same. You want to make sure you moisturize with lotion 2-3x daily during the winter to avoid dried out skin which can exacerbate these skin conditions. There are multiple different brands out there that work great, just pick the one that is financially best for you, and/or easiest to obtain. The thicker the better as this will stay on the skin for longer periods. Vaseline is always a great go to if you do not mind the greasiness. If you find yourself during a flare, steroids are the first line for treatment. You can try over the counter 1% hydrocortisone ointment but likely you will need a stronger prescription grade steroid ointment, so come see your doctor after a 1 week trial at home.
The important thing to note about these ointments is, you should not be using steroid ointments for long periods of time, especially beyond the resolution of the skin flare as long term use can lead to skin atrophy or thinning and lightening of the skin or other changes in skin.
If at all concerned, confused, or unsure, please reach out to your family doctor and make an appointment. When it comes to skin conditions it’s best to see it in person or have photo documentation of it to help delineate the subtle differences. If your doctor does not know what it is, they can always choose to biopsy a portion, which means taking a small sample of the affected skin and sending it off to be analyzed under a microscope for a more accurate diagnosis.
At the end of the day, the most important thing to do is to keep good skin maintenance which means staying protected from the sun, especially during the winter season as cloudiness does not mean UV light cannot still pass through. All dermatologists and physicians would recommend you lather up in sunscreen prior to leaving your home everyday. When an acute rash that is unexpected comes up, give 5-7 days trial as above and if no improvement, come to see your family doctor.
Do you have any interesting, common medical topics you want Dr. Nguyen to write about? Dr Nguyen hopes to keep topics short and succinct, to the point, so that it is easy for everyone to understand. Dr Nguyen will start with monthly topics for now and may increase depending on interest in the community. Submit your topics to: DrLongWautoma@gmail.com
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Long Nguyen, DO
Board Certified Family Medicine
