worried: bumps on scar line - biopsy indicates allergy

[Aussie Girl]

Dear Shobha,

I'm a pathologist and I see this kind of skin reaction every day under my microscope. IT IS NOT CANCER!

About 50% of the time no specific cause is found, but it can be due to a drug, or food, insect bite, a cream applied to the skin, laundry powder etc. Occasionally a fungal infection is the cause, but that would have probably shown on the biopsy, if no anti-fungal cream had been used prior to the biopsy. Some people just have a tendency to rashes (eczema).

Mostly the treatment is corticosteroid cream which an oral antihistamine if particularly itchy.

Hope it clears up soon.

Aussie Girl

[AlaskaAngel]

Because my older sister also had IDC bc 2 years before my dx, and then about 12 years later developed IBC (but had no recurrence of IDC), I have always been watchful too for any bumps or rashes.

I broke out with an itchy rash, mostly under the breasts, some time ago, and so I saw my PCP for that. He said my skin was becoming more dry, and recommended a hospital-used lotion for dry skin plus tepid baths taken less often. The rash persisted, and spread all over me. Eventually I traveled to the Lower 48 where I could see a derm doc. The derm doc provided the steroid creams that helped reduce the rash but it never went away and it got worse when I stopped using the creams, so the derm doc biopsied me in several places. The bx showed nothing specific.

The rash is very uncomfortable, and at present is only relieved with the constant application of baby oil that includes aloe and vitamin E.

I saw another PCP, who put me on the waiting list for a second derm opinion (and left me there with no further treatment, saying that it can take months to get in to see one).

I remain in limbo at present, waiting to get that second opinion, very uncomfortable and very annoyed. It isn't IBC, thank goodness, but it is still very difficult to cope with.