Hi,

I recommend that you consult a board certified dermatologist as soon as possible for evaluation of the large water bumps that are appearing on your stomach. One cause of this type of problem is an allergy or irritation to something your skin is coming into contact with, for example, nickel in a metal belt, or fragrance or preservatives in skin care or laundry products. You could also be reacting to a medication or an over-the-counter treatment such as a vitamin, sinus medication or laxative that you are taking. Another possibility is that you have developed a blistering skin condition such as pemphigoid. Pemphigoid and related skin conditions such as pemphigus are caused by your body reacting against its own skin as if it was foreign and producing antibodies that disrupt the bonds between skin cells. This causes the skin cells to separate, allowing fluid to accumulate between them to form a blister. Pemphigoid typically starts out as itchy red bumps which then develop into tense water blisters. Pemphigus causes the development of looser, more superficial blisters that pop easily, leaving aeas of broken skin. Water blisters can also appear in certain types of lupus, which is a sun sensitivity condition due to your body developing antibodies against some of its own components.

The good news is that all these conditions are treatable. You will need to discuss your medical history with and be fully examined by a dermatologist. Futher investigations such as blood tests and a skin biopsy may be required, especially if your rash does not resolve with the application of prescription creams; usually, a steroid (cortisone-type) cream is the first step. The skin biopsy is a very minor procedure: a small area of your skin is numbed up and then a tiny piece of skin about the diameter of the top of a pencil is painlessly removed and sent to the lab to be exmained under the microscope.

Hope this helps!

Dr. Hema     

BarbraJean

5/29/10 12:10pm

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