dermagraphism

mario · Newbie Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 20

Hello. I'm 20 year old male and I would like to find more about the specific skin condition I have developed. To be honest with you, I don’t know did I develop this condition lately or maybe I have all my life.
I have noticed earlier that my skin is very sensitive.
You wouldn’t believe it but- when I even scratch my self a bit harder-I immediately experience a linear, itchy and red hive which lasts sometimes several hours. I have never thought about this a lot but I know that this condition is called dermographism and that many people are having it.
Could anybody tell me anything about this?

maridel · Silver Member Joined: 31 Jan 2000 Posts: 219

Hi. I'm very glad that someone posted about this problem.
For a long time I thought that I was alone with this problem but just recently I have met several people with the same problem and I found out some information.
Like you said- the condition is called dermographism and it is a common form of chronic hives. There are some typical signs of this disorder. People with dermographism experience a linear, itchy hive within minutes of stroking the skin with a physical object. It could be scratch, or any other type of physical contact.
The exact mechanism of dermographism remains uncertain. I have read somewhere that contact may release an antigen that interacts with the immunoglobulin E, which release inflammatory mediators, particularly histamine, into the tissues. This often requires no treatment but H1 antihistamines are the drugs of choice.

Guest · Guest

MY ITCHY SKIN PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 20 YRS AGO...ALL OF A SUDDEN I NOTICED THAT ANY PRESSURE ON MY SKIN WOULD CAUSE A RED WELT TO FORM AND IT WOULD EACH UNBEARABLY. IT SEEMS THAT THIS CONDITION COMES AND GOES IN SEVERITY. I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY MEDS FOR IT BUT I AM CURIOUS WHAT CAUSES IT AND IF THERE IS A TREATMENT. SOMETIMES THE ITCH KEEPS ME AWAKE AT NIGHT....IT IS AWFUL.

Guest · Guest

Prax. It is over-the-counter, but normally they don't actually stock it. You have to order it. I swear it has saved my arm from being itched right off my body a million times.

Guest · Guest

I was diagnosed with this skin disorder also and my doctor said that it was brought on by an infection in my body. When he looked through my file history he noticed that I had Broncitis three times in on year. he said that is probably what had triggered it. He said there was no known cure for it and that I could take Zantac 150 mgs and an allergy pill at 10mgs and I just buy the equate from Wal-mart. It really helps the simptoms but I have to take them every day once a day. I did ask him however if I take these everyday if there would be any long term effect. He said no. So I would like to think that being a doctor he knows what hes talking about. I have went under numeras websites for this and some people have said that they have had for a couple of months some for many years . The doctor said that he obviously couldnt tell me how long this would last. Really depressing huh? But if we keep nagging the doctors then maybe they will do more research.

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Guest · Guest

I have suffered from Urticaria for about 10 years. I am 39. Any change in body temperature would bring me out in an itch. Swimming, heat, cold showers, even losing my temper would bring on mad itching. Living on the Mediterranean island of Malta means hot weather and beach life. Not easy to avoid the triggers.

My Doctor prescribed Atarax (which makes me sleepy) and then I discovered Telfast (which does not) and I have been taking both on a regular basis since. Sometimes I would not need either for weeks then would need to take one or the other every day for weeks at a time. Atarax at night gives a good night's sleep. Telfast is better for during the day.

Suddenly out of the blue, around 2 months ago, not only was I itching more than usual, even when calmly sitting in my office but my skin started coming out in red, raised, welts simply by resting my arm on a chair or car window. Even my sandal straps leave marks on my feet. I don't always itch but even lying on a towel will leave marks on my back. I found out all about Dermographism. Walking on the beach is a nightmare! I look like I've been whipped or something. Thank goodness it fades within 20-30 minutes. I had not had this problem previously.
Explaining this condition to friends and strangers alike is becoming tedious though the name writing on my skin has become self explanatory!

I decided to take matters in my own hands and embark on a little research of my own to see if I could find alternative or natural antihistamines. I know antihistamines are not addictive but if this is going to last indefinitely I'd rather try out natural remedies.

I am now taking 30ml of Noni Juice every morning. 2000mg a day of soluble Vitamin C, 400mg Quercetin capsules and 500g Rutin supplements. All of which are natural anti-oxidant bioflavonoids (anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-cancer activity - which inhibit both the production and release of histamine and other allergic/inflammatory mediators)

I've been on the Noni Juice and Vitamin C for about 2 weeks. I had to order the other supplements from a website as my local pharmacy had not heard of them. They arrived 3 days ago and I am taking them too. I am not itching as often as I had been. Welts still appear but fade alot quicker.
My reasoning is that if I can bombard my system with all these known histamine inhibitors, maybe I can beat this thing!

Thanks for the opportunity of sharing my story

Guest · Guest

The vitamin C does seem to help. I think we should all take your approach and keep bombarding this thing with everything we know how. I titled this former dermagraghia because I think we should all claim it as such. Has anyone gone to any homeopathic doctors? We really need to share as much information as possible and also seek out support groups and try group prayer. There must also be a common denominator among us all. Anyone in Atlanta? Please reply.

Guest · Guest

Hi everyone,

Here is some stats about me and my treatments:
- Male. Age: 24. Suffered for 4 years. Mild Dermographism.
- Tried Dr. Shah's Homeophathic meds for 7 months: did not work

The thing with homeophathic meds is that the doc always says it takes long time. First he said 6 months. After that he said 9 months - 1 year. I lost trust in him because he kept contradicting what he said. So I stopped.

- Tried acupuncture for 9 sessions: did not work

Same untrustworthy kind of doctor. First, he said improvement after 4 sessions. Then, 10 sessions. No improvement at all.

For me, if a doctor says 2 different things at different times. I stop seeing him right away. That's a sign he doesn't know what he's doing.

frustrated mom · Newbie Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Posts: 1

My daughter is 33 months old and started suffering from a form of this at 28 months old...out of the blue. As a nurse, myself, I tried to rule out many things during the first month. After that, we saw our pediatrician who said it was probably set off by a virus and would run it's course in 1-2 months. After 3 months of Zyrtec and 1 week of Prednisone--no improvement was seen. The allergist switched us to Periactin syrup-no help. Next we tried Atarax and Singulair combo--no help. Now we have started Atarax and Clarinex. We will see what happens. They say her reactions in relation to her young age, are quite severe and the medications that can be used on her at 2 are limited as well. The only good thing is that she DOESN"T itch. She just looks like she has been getting daily doses of beatings due to the number of welts and hives that she develops. They go away within 10-15 minutes, but they look horrible. I had to document with photos (and I have many of them) and lenghy discussions with the specialist about this. It is hard to take her to a child care facility and explain her circumstances without getting funny looks. It is also hard to say "it's not contagious" when we weren't given a diagnosis for several months. I haven't noticed a difference with temperature changes.
We have had allergy testing done (though I knew that wouldn't tell us anything because she even reacted to the marker that they used to separate the allergy sections). Multiple blood draws have all come back normal as well.
I DO hope she grows out of this. It has been 6 very long months!

rosered69 · Newbie Joined: 25 Aug 2008 Posts: 2

hi i am a 39 yr old women and i have had demagraphism for a number
of yrs.im on antihistimine tablets all they time. i was on telfast for a
number of yrs and it started to settle down so i cut down on them and
then my demathologist put me on different ones. his answer to it was
i could have it for 1,2,3 yrs or all my life he did'nt no. so really i find they
are not much good. i also cut out things certain foods out of my diet
cple yrs ago and i think that it helped me. but xmas 07 i suddenly got
bad with it again and i dont no why but it was worse then ever, i even had
chest pains which was severe, it was as it i was burning from the inside
out. my doctor had put me on steroids and stronger antihismines to try
and settle it down. the steroids helped but its still bad. like everyone i hate
bn out in town or somewhere and im in a queue and suddenly tip maybe
off my face and i start to feel it burn and itch and i feel so embarrased.
i was so bad one night with my chest and my whole body and i driving
from town i had to get my daughter to drive home and bring me straight
to my doctor. i was covered in welts all over and itchin and burning. has
this chest pains ever happened to anyone else. i also found that if i was
after been out at nite havin a few drinks that the following morning it
wld be terrible so i no alcohol effects it in some way and i feel it has
a lot to do with allergys and what we may be eating and drinking. so i am def going to look into alternative ways of trying to deal with it. i find drs
dont take this condition seriously enough.

dermagraphism

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