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Autoimmune rash
I have been getting a rash covering most of my body every time I get the slightest bit sick over the past 10 years. I have been told it was autoimmune and probably cause from when I got a almost deadly case of the bird flu. I don’t have any itching with it it just makes me look like I have the plague when it’s active. It effects everything except my face so that’s a plus but I’m beginning to wonder if it’s really that or maybe something else. The doctors never did any test when it’s active they just shrugged it off as autoimmune and that’s all.
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I am hypothyroid with Hashimotos. I started experiencing red itchy dots. Long story short, it was from the fillers in my medication. Changed manufacturers and the rash disappeared. We don’t know what is added to the medication!
If you can get a dermatologist to take a biopsy of the rash when it is active (good luck on that) then he/she can test for Dermatitis Herpetiformis or other diseases. I've had skin rashes for decades and dermatologists always said "its just dry skin"; I think that is their mantra. I found out it is autoimmune eczema after gluten intolerance morphed into celiac disease from catching H1N1 fourteen years ago (the rashes went away after going gluten free). I went to a dermatologist last year because I had angry red rashes that covered my arms. She sat across the room and said....."its just dry skin". I said "I win!" the bet. I told her it is a reaction to cottonwood sap (I was cutting wet wood). She did give me gel that negated the rash over a month, but unfortunately didn't mention it also thins the skin. One can become sensitive to things over time; good to avoid processed foods, perfumed TP and other things that contact your skin, and keep a food log to check for sensitivities. I even react to some "hypoallergenic" things. I am 69 and otherwise in good health other than hypothyroid, MGUS, celiac, and such.
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1 ReactionIt’s unfortunate you have had such inept derm care. This looks like a classic “shawl sign” that can accompany autoimmune disorders like dermatomyositis, a combination of skin rashes and muscle inflammation causing muscle weakness. A corresponding rash is the “V sign” which looks like this but is on the upper chest. This should be biopsied and skeletal muscle enzymes and antibodies measured in the blood. You can google these signs with the word images to see pictures and get more information. I hope you find a good dermatologist who takes this seriously!
When I looked at your rash pictures earlier they were very blurry and I didn’t realize this rash was on the front and sides of your neck. The V sign can involve the front of neck but usually involves the upper chest as well. The shawl sign is on the back of neck and upper back/shoulder area like a shawl wrapped around you. You might have the best luck with a dermatologist in an academic (university) setting.