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Suffered A Severe Reaction To Penicillin. Had Bad Rashes. Received Steroids And Antihistamines. Scars Still There?

Posted on Mon, 9 Jul 2012

Question: Hi, my 5 year old son suffered a severe reaction to penicillin. He was covered head to toe in a nasty rash. Penicillin was stopped and he received steroids and antihistamines. Now 10 days on, the rash has faded but left behind purple scars all over his body. Is this likely to fade and what can we do to help it?

Answered by Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (11 minutes later)

Hello and thanks for the query.
You need not worry as these purple spots will fade soon and go away.you don't have to do any thing for this.
Continue the medicines as per the instructions of your doctor.
I hope this helps.
You can revert to me for any other query.
Thanks and best of luck.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (7 minutes later)

Is this likely to by post inflammatory hyperpigmentation? How long do these sort of spots generally last?

Answered by Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (3 hours later)

Hello
This could be a normal skin rash due to reaction to penicillin or a post inflammatory hyper pigmentation.If it a normal reaction rash then it should go away in next few days however if it is due to post inflammatory pigmentation then hyperpigmentation may gradually lessen over time and normal skin colour will return. However, this is a long process that may take up to 6-12 months or longer. Patients should be advised to use a good broad spectrum sunscreen daily to reduce further darkening.
In such a scenario your doctor will be able to tell the best course of treatment to be adopted as there are various cosmetic treatments available.
Thanks

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. Chakravarthy Mazumdar