What on Earth has happened to DD back?

[Icancount]

DD is 15 and currently boarding at school since January. She said yesterday she had a "sore bit " on her back. I said could she manage until she comes home on Friday, and put some E45 cream on it in the meantime.

Today she sent me this photo. .
I have alerted school, and they are contacting the local gp tomorrow.

But has anyone got any thoughts?

Thank you.

Another one who thinks they are stretch marks. My DS got them when he was around 14 and still has them on his back and he's 21 now!

Are the people who see stretch marks looking at the creases obviously made by a large rectangular plaster? The other marks look like a bruise and scratches.

I reacted badly to E45. I wouldn't use that.

There is a bruise underneath scratch marks, the wrinkling is a square shape which may be from having some kind of large dressing over it.

Thanks all. She has just face timed and we had a good chat. She said it started a couple of days ago as dry skin. Then it got drier and more itchy. She thinks the skin has cracked because it is so dry. That's her idea. We'll see what the Dr says tomorrow. She has a large plaster over it again now, having just showered. She said the water doesn't sting it.

There are very few girls in school at the moment, and I don't think anything has happened. I don't want to talk too much about the school because it might 'out' me/her.

She does sometimes go to bed with wet hair apparently. And there are various allergies in grandparents (metal, various foods, plasters).

Staffy, it took me longer to say same thing.

@Staffy1

Are the people who see stretch marks looking at the creases obviously made by a large rectangular plaster? The other marks look like a bruise and scratches.

No. Stretch marks often look like a deep scar/scratch with blueish or red skin underneath.

As a teenage nickel allergy sufferer who scratched the hell out of my stomach I think it could be that. I'd get her some bras with just the band I.e. hooks. I never found covering the metal hooks helped until it was completely healed.

But I'd want to be really, really sure there isn't any bullying going on. School can be cruel (ex boarder here too).

I thought the nickel allergy link a pp posted looked likely, OP. It does look like a discoloured patch which she's then had a few good scratches at.

Looks like the plaster may have caused an allergic reaction too, so is on top of the original rash/injury.

Possibly allergic on the far right as there might be raised fluid filled bits (hives) there,
She's not allergic to the plaster though as there would be a square rash.
I suffer with chronic hives, and although I can scratch a lot I couldn't do that much damage to myself without a lot of pain!
It's definitely trauma of some kind, a graze or possible burn ( looking at the pink outside to the scratched bit)
Another thought is she being bullied and by showing you she's telling you in a non telling way?

I used to have a bra that gave me a raised rash where the strap was basically a circle round my trunk. It was one that could be converted to strapless and had a band of plastic grippy stuff on it. Either I was allergic too it or got sweaty. Could it be that? Then she has scratched it?

Eczema and night scratching?

Yes the see through straps and grippy areas on strapless bras irritate my skin.

Alternatively, her bra clasp may have a rough bit and be digging into her

Does she sit with her back against a radiator? The pigmented bit could be something like that, and then scratched because itchy..?

Another thought is she being bullied and by showing you she's telling you in a non telling way

My first thought too. They look like whip marks from a cane or whippy stick of some kind.

I get something very similar if I don't keep my nails short! Sensitive, pale skin. If something irritates my skin - bra straps being the main culprit, especially where the metal sits for the adjuster (which looks like a prime culprit given the site for your daughter) the skin gets itchy. So I scratch it, esp at night (not realising) If I keep doing that the skin goes a darker colour, hence the pigmentation. Its a vicious circle, as once I've started scratching it just keeps feeling itchy. On your back you don't realise the damage that repeat scratching is doing. Keeping my nails very short reduces the likelihood, wearing looser clothes, and an anti itch cream that e45 do.

I agree with the posters that say it’s likely to do with her bra material causing irritation and then her itching it. This happens to me a lot still even though I’m an adult and I’m constantly on steroid creams for it so I hope your daughters improves because the itch is maddening at times.

It does look intentional and also painful.

Sledging injury? Lots of snow here and we are covered in weird grazes from sledging.

Psoriasis? I can absent mindedly scratch huge gauges just like that when it flares up.
Except it looks brown under the skin rather than red and scaly. Some form of cyst - those can itch.
Poor girl. Hope Dr gets to bottom of it. And school stop using such silly big plasters. They can't be helping

There is a bruise underneath scratch marks, the wrinkling is a square shape which may be from having some kind of large dressing over it.

This

I’m glad she’s seeing the GP soon. It looks painful.

Absolutely, a bit of cream and only GP if it doesn't clear up! Why on earth would you go straight to GP?!