OT: what would cause my skin to look like a port wine birthmark

[Carpe Diem]

I discovered this on my inner thigh one day about 2 months ago. It is about the size of a quarter and I think maybe getting slightly bigger. I was shocked when I first saw it. I is burgandy in color and solid all the way across. I thought perhaps it was a nasty bruise but it never went away.

Do I have blood leaking somewhere? Should I be concerned?

Thanks!

[PrairieAir]

It isn't pretty faint, but about that color. Actually it may have faded. I've had it probably 5 years. It's just below my collar bone and when I first noticed it, I accused dh of giving me a hickie:o I didn't remember him doing that but figured he must have because that's what it looked like. He said he didn't do it. I also had two more spots show up on the inside of my arm. It didn't really bother me since the area wasn't raised and didn't itch or hurt. They really look like faint bruises that have never gone away.

At one point I got a little concerned and went to a free skin cancer screening. The doctor said it was nothing to worry about, that people occasionally get them, they can't be sure what cause them, and that they usually leave them alone unless they are bothersome in some way. I still looked at pictures of different types of skin cancers to ease my mind. No, they don't look anything like that.

Sometimes the one on my neck will get redder or darker. I tend to get red splotches on my neck from time to time. I don't know what's up with that except that my mom and brother get this too and that, as with them, it seems to be accompanied by a tight feeling in the throat and top of the chest. Maybe it's an allergic reaction. Anyway, that's when I notice the color changing on my one most prominent spot. (The others don't change.) It always fades again.

I don't know if it's the same as what you're describing or not, though.

[Tap, tap, tap]

It could be a simple spot of melasma, a hormone related skin discoloration.
It could be a simple fungal infection.
Or, it could be early skin cancer. There are too many possibilities but since one of them could be a major health issue, you need to go in to the dr. now.


Do not delay, go in ASAP, if nothing else then to put your mind to rest and get a diagnosis.

[Quiver0f10]

It could be a simple spot of melasma, a hormone related skin discoloration.
It could be a simple fungal infection.
Or, it could be early skin cancer. There are too many possibilities but since one of them could be a major health issue, you need to go in to the dr. now.


Do not delay, go in ASAP, if nothing else then to put your mind to rest and get a diagnosis.


I agree. I'd get it looked at.

[Carpe Diem]

I looked at some skin cancer photos and it sort of looks like some of the melanoma photos. They looked more brown maybe mine looks more rose colored. I hate going to the doctor. It won't be much fun I am sure.
Should I go to my internal medicine or try to get into a skin doctor.

Thanks everyone. Please send up a prayer for me.

[JenneinAZ]

Go to your regular doctor, first. The wait time for a new patient at a dermatologist is 6 weeks or more even with a referral from a primary care doctor. Hopefully your primary care doctor can identify it and tell you not to worry.

Good luck!

Jenne in AZ

[Karin]

DON'T self-diagnose from a photo!!! You may go through needless worry as things can look similar, especially to the untrained eye. But do go to a doctor. Hope all is well for you.

[Carpe Diem]

I'm a little nervous. I don't think they would do anything painful tomorrow. Just look at it and refer me on to somewhere if I need to. I am hoping it is just my husband giving me a big hickie while I am sleeping.

Is there anything I should request? Measure it? Photograph it?

Thanks for listening.

[Karin]

Please let us know how it goes.

[Carpe Diem]

Well, my doctor said she had no idea. She called it a lesion. When I asked her if she thought it was melanoma she said it didn't look like it was that but she wasn't sure. She said the dermatologist might know exactly what it was or he may need to biopsy. Yikes. I'm scared of that word!!! But having had a spinal tap I am sure I can survive that procedure if I put my mind to it.

Now I just have to schedule the appointment.

Thanks to all who have been following my story.

[Quiver0f10]

Thanks for the update. Please let us know what you find out.

[Karin]

My sentiments, also.

[Lisa in Jax]

I discovered this on my inner thigh one day about 2 months ago. It is about the size of a quarter and I think maybe getting slightly bigger. I was shocked when I first saw it. I is burgandy in color and solid all the way across. I thought perhaps it was a nasty bruise but it never went away.

Do I have blood leaking somewhere? Should I be concerned?

Thanks!
Could it be granuloma annulare? My dd has these on her legs. They look like bruises, but they're not. They start small, then grow over time. In her case, they're smooth, light/medium pink, and are slightly shiny in the center. (When they're small, they aren't shiny.)

If that's what they are, they are benign in most cases. Sometimes they are related to thyroid or diabetes issues, but they're also just "there" in some cases. If they're unrelated to diabetes or thyroid issues, there is often no reason to treat them -- they just go away over time.

The dermatologist should be able to tell you pretty quickly if it's granuloma annulare.

HIH,

Lisa

[Carpe Diem]

Not sure if this is how to update but I will try it and see what happens. I saw the dermatologist today and left confused. He said what I had was a Lichen aureus, a progressive pigmented purpura, a capillaritis and that I probably had Shamberg's disease. He said I could have a biopsy. He said it was rare. He didn't seem to concerned. Disease didn't sound good though! Anyone know anything about this? I googled it and looked on Mayo. It was hard to find any info.

[j.griff]

I don't know anything about any of that, but hugs to you ((((())))). That sounds SO very frustrating. Is a biopsy necessary to determine whether this is Shamberg's? It's always frustrating for me, when I leave a Dr.'s office with no real "answer", or even more confused than I was before I went.