Flea-Man's Post Acutane skin eruption

[Flea_Man]

Dr Steve,

Background: I've always had minor skin issues. Acne, dryness, sensitive to certain soaps; nothing too bad or strange.

I went on Accutane back in November, all the way through May of this year. It was the best thing I had ever done because it cleared my acne for good. However, after I ended it, I got this new skin issue, and it's been around the past couple months.

My upper chest and upper arms have been getting really small, red bumps. It sort of looks like razor bumps. There's a couple on my stomach but it's mostly above my nipples, collar bone, and the upper arms. My shoulders, back, legs; all fine. The bumps aren't itchy, they aren't "full" of anything (its not acne or pus), they're just there and nasty. I mean you can obviously run your fingers over it and feel them but they don't do anything. Maybe it's a result or after effect of Accutane? I don't know and haven't seen my dermatologist since May (yes I know I should).

Basically, do you know what this is? And what's a good way to get them to go away? Everyone I talk to has a different answer. Some say a specific soap, others say moisturizers, etc. Maybe a recommended soap that is sensitive and doesn't cause these rashes? I'm not sure, that's why I'm coming to you. Any help would be greatly and seriously appreciated.

Here's a pic of my upper chest. It's not not safe for work (aka its fine), but I don't know how to put an image on here without these tags. Lol

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/4909/0915080019dr7.jpg

-Matt

[Dr Steve]

Dr Steve,

Background: I've always had minor skin issues. Acne, dryness, sensitive to certain soaps; nothing too bad or strange.

I went on Accutane back in November, all the way through May of this year. It was the best thing I had ever done because it cleared my acne for good. However, after I ended it, I got this new skin issue, and it's been around the past couple months.

My upper chest and upper arms have been getting really small, red bumps. It sort of looks like razor bumps. There's a couple on my stomach but it's mostly above my nipples, collar bone, and the upper arms. My shoulders, back, legs; all fine. The bumps aren't itchy, they aren't "full" of anything (its not acne or pus), they're just there and nasty. I mean you can obviously run your fingers over it and feel them but they don't do anything. Maybe it's a result or after effect of Accutane? I don't know and haven't seen my dermatologist since May (yes I know I should).

Basically, do you know what this is? And what's a good way to get them to go away? Everyone I talk to has a different answer. Some say a specific soap, others say moisturizers, etc. Maybe a recommended soap that is sensitive and doesn't cause these rashes? I'm not sure, that's why I'm coming to you. Any help would be greatly and seriously appreciated.

Here's a pic of my upper chest. It's not not safe for work (aka its fine), but I don't know how to put an image on here without these tags. Lol

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/4909/0915080019dr7.jpg

-Matt

Flea:

I remember we talked about your Accutane on the first weird medicine. Then Anthony joined the show (which was insanely cool and otherworldly for us first-time-radio hayseeds) and reminded everyone about your urea-foot theory. It was that moment, actually, kind of early on in the first show when I realized that we might actually have something with this wacky radio show thing.

Anyway...Accutane can change the skin forever. The photo is a little out of focus, but it still looks like micro-acne to me. If you were on accutane, you likely had the big, goobery acne lesions, so these aren't familiar to you in appearance. They do not look like pityriasis or other odd skin lesions, though it is admittedly hard to tell with that photo.

I'd just see the dermatologist again and tell him/her these bumps gross you out and what can they do for them?

Also write back in this thread and tell me what they said...it'll help me to be able to make the diagnosis with a fuzzy picture in the future, should this come up again.


your friend,



steve