Contents

Hi! I’ll begin answering your post by asking you a question. By lab do you mean skin scrapings from the lesion sent for microscopic examination or culture? If yes then if there was no indication of bacterial or fungal infection then definitely this can be ruled out. This leaves the possibility of a viral infection which usually does not present like this. However if by labs you mean checking for white blood counts then localized infection like this is unlikely to cause a detectable rise in WBC. In this case only skin scrapings taken for microscopic evaluation and culture can throw some light. After looking at the location and type of rash a few possibilities come to my mind. One is folliculitis or infection of hair follicle. base of hairline is pretty vulnerable to this infection. On drying up it may look like the rash you have and this can itch from time to time due to dryness. Diagnosis is as I have described in the previous para. This could be treated with local broad spectrum antibiotic cream. If you recently had a hair cut then this could be ‘Barber’s rash’. This may persist if not treated adequately with antibiotics. The other possibility is tinea capitis (or ring worm as it is commonly called). This is a fungal infection of the head. This may cause a rash like the one in picture especially due to scratching. Normally this responds to local broad spectrum anti-fungal cream applied over a few weeks. Diagnosis is as I have described in the second para. The third possibility is psoriasis. Though not the typical site psoriasis can cause the type of rash in picture. This has a recurring course and is treated with steroid creams. Another possibility is seborrheic keratosis. This is mildly irritating at times and usually does not require any treatment. Another possibility is contact dermatitis caused by any oil etc used during massage or any other personal care product you used. However the rash is unlikely to be so localized. Other possibility of localized circular type of rash that itches from time to time is eczema. This is usually treated with steroids. Hence please consult your doctor regarding this. However as I can see similar smaller lesions cropping up around it I think it is probably folliculitis or Barber’s rash. However nothing can be said for sure on net based on an image. Please consult a doctor or skin specialist. Direct visualization of the rash is often enough for diagnosis. Other wise microscopic examination and culture may help nail the diagnosis. You can discuss these possibilities with your doctor. I sincerely hope you will find this information useful. Hope the rash heals soon! Good Luck and take care!

2014-12-10 03:10:52

Ben