Have Clusters Of Red Round Patches On Skin. What Could These Be?

Posted on Sat, 3 Nov 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 3 Nov 2012 Answered on

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : I have several roundish patches of skin with red rings around them. They aren't exactly round, they don't itch, burn or bother me. I wouldn't know they were there if I didn't see them. But now I have a cluster of them around my XXXXXXX They are on my legs mostly. What could these be? I don't know how I could get ringworm ... I'm 61 years old, in good health as far as I know. I do have sun damage to my skin, however. But these don't really look like any cancer photos I have seen. I am unemployed and no health insurance, so I don't go running to the doctor for every little thing...or even big things for that matter, now. Thanks.

Answered by Dr. Pravin Banodkar (9 hours later)

Hello
The thanks for your question.

Could you send me the photo of the condition.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Pravin Banodkar (12 hours later)

I uploaded it yesterday on your website. I can't get a very good picture of it with my cell phone. The patches are not red in the middle and they don't look like blisters or pimples as in hives. These patches come and go and yesterday I had several in one place and now they are already disappearing. They feel very dry but don't bother me at all. Check the uploaded picture.

Answered by Dr. Pravin Banodkar (10 hours later)

Thanks for the image sent.

From the Photo it looks like Pityriasis Rosea or Nummular Dermatitis or Pityriasis Lichenoids Chronica . The above area self limited conditions

I would suggest you should apply over the counter Cortisone on it twice a day for period of 10 days .
You should also apply a good moisturizer like Neutrogena moisturizer three times a day.

thanks and take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Pravin Banodkar (1 hour later)

Well, I looked at examples of all of those conditions and not one looked like mine. These patches do NOT itch...ever! They are just hideous looking...my friend gave me her Rx of Clobetasol Propionate Ointment 0.05% and I use it on all of the patches. I first started using the ointment because i had this horrible skin problem around my lips. Not ON my lips, but around them. It cracked, peeled, hurt, and looked horrible. This worked on it. I get this problem on my lips every few weeks and if I start using the ointment at the onset, it doesn't get too bad. I assumed it was from dehydration or something. Well, thanks anyway.

Answered by Dr. Pravin Banodkar (8 hours later)

Did any doctor mention it as a Urticarial Vasculitis?
What did he mean by a rare kind of Hive?
Could you send me more clear photos of the lesion so I could help you better?
Do you still have lesions around the lips?

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar