Red to violet patches appear on my skin, DOCTORS OUT THERE, HELP?

It all started when I was 9 yo. I've had this thing for 20 years. First time I noticed red patch-like bruises appeared on my feet, a year afetr, it crawled up to my knees. Now,20 years after, it's all over my legs, thighs, arms and hands.



It comes out whenever I stand too long, walk a long distance and when its cold and windy... I've seen a dermatologist and had 12 doses/day of steroids. It disappeared, but I had to ask my dermatologist to terminate the steroid because I started to look like Mr. Puff.



She said I have a blood vessel erruption called SCHAMBERG'S DISEASE . I don't know what it is. But what I know is the level of depression I'm having right now everytime I look at my skin, which was just perfect before I had this... now I'm having inferiority complex. I'm too shy to wear anything short or a sleeveless top, because as soon as I stand or as soon as it gets cold, people just start to stare at me. help me please.

Red to violet patches appear on my skin, DOCTORS OUT THERE, HELP?
Hi. You can read on the disease in the websites below.

I want to tell you that evrybody has had an inferiority complex at some point in thier lives, no matter if it was caused by pimples during puberty, or by being overwieght, etc...

I know how unpleasant it is for you that you'll have to either wear long sleavse or see people staring at you...but though most people form their first opinion on others according to how they look like, what really matters and stays with time is who you are and what your character is. If you let yourself suscept to depression, this will only worsen the situation because it means you've given up. What I'll advise you to do is to get as much info on the treatemnt/options available to you(what you'll see in most sites is that there is no treatement but cortisone for the itching, but I'm pretty sure constant research is going on). Also, talk to your dermatologist about other options available to you, like, for example other steroid hormones or the combination of steroid hormones plus other hormones that will minimize the "MR. Puff" side effects of the steroid hormones. Now it's up to you to do all you can because you're better and stronger than the disease and you can win over it!



http://www.skinsite.com/info_schambergs_...



http://www.medhelp.org/forums/dermatolog...



http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com/beauty...
Reply:ask your doc if there are any alternatives to the steroids, including anything herbal. get a second opinion.
Reply:Schamberg's disease is one type of purpura, a purplish discoloration caused by blood leaking from capillaries under the surface of the skin. Usually it causes no symptoms other than itching or mild discomfort and requires no treatment. In those cases, steriod therapy such as what you had or antibiotics are used. The exact cause is unknown but it may be associated with viral infection in your childhood or allergic reaction. And it occurs more often in males.



It's diagnosed based on the results of a skin biopsy because there are other more serious causes of purpura that could go untreated or mistreated if you have been misdiagnosed. Vasculitis can cause purpura and in children Henoch-Schonlein purpura, another form of vascultis, can lead to inflammation of the joints, the abdomen or the kidneys.



If you haven't been biopsied, you may wish to request one to be sure that you have Schamberg's and, if it turns out that your purpura has a different cause, that it's being treated appropriately.