What Causes Rash On Cheek And Chest That Is Inflamed And Itching?

Posted on Mon, 14 Apr 2014

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

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 Answered on

Mon, 12 May 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : I get a rash on my cheek. shoulder and sometimes chest that inflames, itches and reddens, when I get sun exposure.. but also sometimes even when I don't. A laser treatment center once told me I was having an allergic reaction to the sun, but another Dr referred to it as a type of fungus when he saw it.. I was never able to research the word he used because I never got the right spelling. The rash, when inflamed has little white bumps. based on this information does anyone have any ideas on what I might have, so I'm able to research it and see if there's any OTC products to treat it? Thank you! XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Kalpana Pathak (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: it could be seborrheic dermatitis. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX Thanks for writing to us. Going by your description and diagnosis made by your previous doctor, you could be having seborrheic dermatitis. It is a type of eczema with fungal etiology and is characterized by itchy red lesions covered with greasy scales. Areas involved are scalp, face chest and upper back . Treatment involves using a plain steroid cream or a steroid antifungal cream. Hydrocortisone is an over the counter cream. Try using it or you may also use hydrocortisone mixed with terbinafine for better results. Hope this helped. take care

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

Follow up: Dr. Kalpana Pathak (48 minutes later)

Thank you Dr Pathak, I will look into both of those OTC products to see if it helps. Thank you for your response! XXXXXXX XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Kalpana Pathak (11 hours later)

Brief Answer: details below Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX You may use these products. Even if you have sun allergy , hydrocortisone would help. Having said this, I would appreciate if you could upload clear resolution pics of your affected area. The image that you have uploaded isn't clear enough. Regards

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