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Brown Spot On Wrist, Itchy, Tingling, Dizzy. No Family History Of Skin Cancer.

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Posted on Wed, 12 Sep 2012
Question: Hi, I have a very small light colored, very light brown spot on my left inner wrist that itches sometimes. The first time I noticed it would have gone un-noticed had it not been for what transpired just after scratching the area with my thumb on my right hand. You know how you get a itch, a hair that happens to hit your nose in just the right spot and without thought you bring you hand up to swipe the area, or scratch the area to make it feel better. One night my husband and I were watching TV and I had this itch on my left inner wrist, sort of a tingle itch feeling so instictively I took my thumb (my right hand thumb) and rubbed it across the area that itched (tingled)...within a few seconds I noticed my thumb starting to tingle in a big way...at first I just started running the tip of my nails across my thumb which brought comfort but did little to sway the tingling I was feeling in my thumb. I thought this is weird....it was just the tip of my inner thumb Not quite down to the first line. I was looking at my thumb trying to figure out what was going on when I noticed a blue vein starting to appear on the front side of my thumb not on the inner where the tingling was. As I set there the blue vein began to appear even more vivid up my arm following a path that ended on the inner part of my forearm and stopped about mid way to my elbow. By the time this happened I am standing over my husbands chair saying look at this, what is going on with this, are you seeing what I am seeing...we both couldn't figure out what was going on. I don't do drugs, I am against drugs, drugs ruin people's lives so with that said and out of the way there has to be a medical reason for what happened. I can tell you that the spot where this happened on my arm, where the vein popped up and ended quickly got a bruise right where the vein pop-up ended, I can also tell you that my thumb where the severe tingling happened after scratching the light brown spot on my left wrist quickly went numb and stayed numb, regaining very little sensation back since it happened nearly 3years ago. Since then I have developed a cyst looking lump on my wrist parallel to the light brown spot on my left inner wrist. The cyst like thing is very very soft and two doctors have looked at it one said we would keep an eye on it, watch for changes and the other felt that it was just a fat deposit (I almost laughed at that suggestion). I still get the itch sensation at the brown spot but I am very very careful scratching that area however one time I could not resist so I took the tips of my nails from my right hand and felt tingling...but nothing severe and the first thing that I wondered if the tingling could have happened just because I knew it was a possibility however don't know if my mind worked that fast, lol and with that said after scratching I laid my left wrist up on the back of the sofa (I was laying on the sofa watching TV at the time) so I wouldn't be tempted to scratch again and just as I did that I felt a jolt (not a big one...but well noticed) up my left arm, on the left side of my head and neck. Is that even possible? I've been reluctant to say anything because it just seems so foolish and something that is not possible. Others things that could be of interest in solving my mystery...when I am cooking in my kitchen (somewhat small kitchen) and am in there for 30- 40 minutes or longer I...how to explain this, I start to feel effects of something, it drains my energy, makes me feel slightly dizzy, makes me feel heavy or gives me a heavy feel like being weighed down. I know All this must sound really crazy, believe me I realize how it sounds but at the same time I feel like I am pretty in tune to how My own body feels. I also have slight discomfort when I use my iPad when I don't use a pillow in between myself and the iPad, I also owned a pont. grand am that had a security feature that every time it was about to disable the car, or when the car had just some how been disabled I would feel a magnetic pull from the bottom of my lap where my legs XXXXXXX my torso to just around my belly button. I usually talk on speaker phone when I use my cell phone so I haven't had a problem with that. Approx. 6 - 7 years ago my dermatologist noticed a large light brown spot on my back it was round approx. 4" across, it was probably 3 shades darker then my fair skin and could have been and was confused for a birth XXXXXXX He removed it by freezing, as he has done with several small age spots over the years. Others things of interest: no history of skin cancer in my family, 47 year old female
Have itching on my skin sometimes but notice it almost every time I take a shower and skin gets wet. I mainly notice it on my back. I've also had small cyst removed on my ear that were hard cyst, hard movable cyst.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Rohit Batra (1 hour later)
Dear XXXXXXX,
Thanks for your query and a detailed one at that too.
The patch on the inner aspect of the wrist seems to be a sort of dermatitis which can be because of dryness or irritation due to any substance.
A topical combination of steroid cream and a moisturiser can help you in the same.

Your body symptoms and other concerns might be due to vitamin deficiencies or an altered thyroid profile. You can discuss the same with your primary care physician.
A lesion which was described as a fat deposit by your dermatologist but was not convincing for you can be taken for a skin biopsy to ascertain the diagnosis.

Itching on body after shower can be 'Aquagenic urticaria " and can be treated with antihistaminic and other Immune modifier drugs but the diagnosis needs to be confirmed by your dermatologist before starting the treatment.

I can understand your mental agony and going by the chronicity of the various skin problems. I would advise you to have a regular follow up with a qualified dermatologist in your area to get a complete cure to all your long standing problems.

Regards

Dr.Rohit

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Aparna Kohli
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Rohit Batra (2 hours later)
Are you saying there is no medical reason whatsoever that can cause my vain to do that on it's own just from rubbing my thumb against the brown spot that was itching? As crazy as it sounds....that's exactly what happened. I have had my Tyroid checked several times yearly for the past 10 years however I don't know about the vitamins however because I have a yearly exam I believe that is covered but not certain. The spot on my inner wrist in not dryness...it's a small circle spot that is 2 shades darker then my skin that is just there laying across my lines in my wrist...as moist as the rest of me, the only difference is that spot itches sometimes... It's exactly like my skin as if it's a freckle not a dry freckle just a freckle. My concern was spots, cancer or not that give off electric feel when touched however what is very different in my case this is not just the feel...it was actual, or at least enou to make a thumb to go numb and a vein to raise and ultimately burst and bruise. As much as you want to say it's not possible, as much as you want to brush me off and chalk it up to a Tyroid problem I would ask that you at least try and investigate. I realize I am only paying $25.00 but you have the chance to learn something you might have never learned about otherwise and sometimes that in itself is priceless. Now other things I failed to mention but very well might be important. Approx. 4 or 5 years ago I went through a period of time where I had this sensation on the right (my right side) side of my head, it would tingle. It covered about a quarter of my head from the mid right to my forehead but not crossing over to the left side. Also, during the day there were times I would get goose pimple feeling on the right side of my face...it was the feeling only, not the actual goosebumps one would get on their arms. This happened quite often for a period of time. Approx. 10 years ago I stated having bad migraines however the past few years have been better I don't get them near as often or as bad as I use to nor do I get those funny sensations on my face or on my head. I went through a fast weight gain 2 years ago. I gained approx. 70 -80 lbs in a short period of time and my appetite had increased ten fold what seemed like overnight. My diabetics is controlled with medicine and my a1c is always 6 or below which is very good however with that said my weight gain and appetite surge surprised me. I hope this helps.
Hi, I just checked what Aquagenic Urticaria is...can't be correct. It's mainly my back that itches and it doesn't happen every single time I shower. I love baths...never had issues with water, crying, drinking water, sweat...although the salt in sweat may bother me a bit. Does salt have anything to do with it?
I forgot to mention...my hair appears to be thinning.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Rohit Batra (14 hours later)
Hello XXXXXXX,

Thanks for your feedback and detailed History.

I am sorry if I could not convince you with my explanation during our last conversation. Let me try today.

I would like to know few more things as this would help. Hence please answer these.

Are you obese?
What’s your height and weight?

To my opinion you seem to have Xerosis (dryness of skin). Apply sufficient amount of moisturizer especially just after taking bath. Drink plenty of water (provided your renal functions are normal).

You need a detailed check up by Dermatologist and Physician. I am sorry but without doing a comprehensive physical examination of you, I cannot conclude on the diagnosis part.

I think this should help you.

Best Regards
Dr Rohit Batra

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Rohit Batra (4 hours later)
Yes, I am overweight. I am 5'8" and weigh 250 I am due to go In For a check up for both the dermatologist and my regular yearly exam so if there is anything you believe I need to mention please let me know. It's not that I don't accept what you have said it's just...well the spot doesn't seem like dry skin at all and my back only itches when I take a shower and if I were illergic to water well...that would be my whole body and that's just not the case. The thyroid well I have wondered about that myself forever even though test seem to come back OK so I will be taking your advice and having that test done yet again. Please don't think me as ungrateful...I don't mean to sound that way, I just can't seem to find an explanation for the vein thing and it happened right before my husbands and my eyes. I also can't determine if you know of people being sensitive to wifi, electrical...or whatever it's called and if it truly a medical condition or if all doctors think a like and think it's just a figment of people's imagination. I suppose if you cleared that up and answered that for me well...then I would I am not wasting my time or your time.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Rohit Batra (21 minutes later)
Hi,

Thanks for your feedback.

As your problem is not being solved since long time, this is causing mental distress.
You need proper face to face counseling as well. So, I will still suggest you to have team work up of your case with Dermatologist/physician and Psychiatrist.

I hope this will help you.

With Regards,

Dr Rohit Batra.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Rohit Batra (6 hours later)
Nice...guess you don't do much research after all because if you did you would certainly find out that there are many people who suspect they have the same type of problem...I was just taught that it's OK to ask doctors questions even if you feel foolish doing so, that no question is a stupid question however I have since learned that doctors can be pretty stupid when answering those questions.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Rohit Batra (2 hours later)
Dear XXXXXXX
I am sorry if my earlier reply hurt you.

A doctor is there to help the patients and if a cure is not easy and some problem persists for long, we do take a referal or a second opinion.
The idea is not to miss anything.

Sorry once again.

Dr. Rohit
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
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Dr. Rohit Batra

Dermatologist

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Brown Spot On Wrist, Itchy, Tingling, Dizzy. No Family History Of Skin Cancer.

Dear XXXXXXX,
Thanks for your query and a detailed one at that too.
The patch on the inner aspect of the wrist seems to be a sort of dermatitis which can be because of dryness or irritation due to any substance.
A topical combination of steroid cream and a moisturiser can help you in the same.

Your body symptoms and other concerns might be due to vitamin deficiencies or an altered thyroid profile. You can discuss the same with your primary care physician.
A lesion which was described as a fat deposit by your dermatologist but was not convincing for you can be taken for a skin biopsy to ascertain the diagnosis.

Itching on body after shower can be 'Aquagenic urticaria " and can be treated with antihistaminic and other Immune modifier drugs but the diagnosis needs to be confirmed by your dermatologist before starting the treatment.

I can understand your mental agony and going by the chronicity of the various skin problems. I would advise you to have a regular follow up with a qualified dermatologist in your area to get a complete cure to all your long standing problems.

Regards

Dr.Rohit