What is wrong with my skin?

What is wrong with my skin?

• Ok so on my legs, and now lower back there are these patches of skin that are different than the rest of my skin. I've tried searching this but no one seems to have the same thing goin' on. These patches on my skin aren't exactly visibly noticeable if you were to just look. But if you run your hand on the side of my calf, on either leg on the outward side, you can feel some... erm... I'm not quite sure how to describe it but they're like half flattened goosebumps and they're always there. And as for the patch of skin on my back, in just feels soft, and then the patch feels like a bunch of really teeny tiny scabs from a bunch of extremely small cuts. Two summers ago I developed the patches on my legs after I waded in a really deep tide pool and a jelly fish wrapped itself around my legs. There have been those little half goosbumps there ever since. I'm not sure if it was caused by the jellyfish though or if the jelly has anything to do with it. As for the one on my lower back, I just decided to try taking a bath since I haven't taken any baths in years, only showers and when I laid back and then my lower back started itching and kind burning when it hit the base of the tub even though the water wasn't that warm. I think the reason for that may have been cleaner that may not have been washed out when the bathtub was cleaned. So what do you guys think it is? I don't think its really something too terrible. There's never any redness unless when I shave my legs, the semi-bumps get kinda red but that's it... Otherwise its unnoticeable.

• Answer:

  I work at a dermatology office and although I am not a dr or nurse I will take my best guess at what you are describing. For your legs, the fact that you may have had contact with the jelly fish and you developed this skin issue, it sounds like it could be that the jelly fish stung you in these areas, and the skin healed but with some small amount of scar tissue maybe? It sounds like the jelly fish caused it, but I am not certain what jelly fish do to the skin. The only other skin problem I can think of is some sort of folliculitis (infection or irritation of the hair follicles)...look and see if every goosbump area is surrounding a hair follicle, this can be a tip off of folliculitis. Shaving usually is the culprit. Use a fresh razor each time and lots of foam, moisturize with a fragrance free lotion such as Cetaphil to moisturize. Otherwise, have a doctor assess the skin. As for your back, your reaction of itching and burning does sound like a reaction to the cleaner. Any chemical cleaner can irritate your skin like that. You didn't say how long you have had this patch but I agree that it is the cleaner. Hot water would not cause that. I had a reaction to one of those orange cleaners once and my skin cracked in all kinds of places..similar to the feeling of little cuts that you say you have. I would treat the patch as an irritant or allergic contact dermatitis. Wash the area with very gentle soap such as Dove for sensitive skin or Cetaphil, maybe try a light coating of Vaseline to the area; possibly hydrocortisone but try a small spot first to see how it responds. It should heal but may take a few days. Chemical reactions can cause "fissuring" in the skin, or cracking, and that will take time to heal. If it worsens, have your doctor look at it. And always be very careful about skin exposure to chemical agents and cleaning agents, they can irritate your skin.