To be fed up having to explain this

[Battenburger]

I have a skin condition. It looks exactly like chickenpox.

I’ve even had it wrongly recorded in medical notes from hospital appts that i had c pox !!
Wherever I go I feel stared at and people move away.
At baby groups I used to get parents moving away or the person running it on more than one occasion had a chat with me as ‘parents were concerned I had chickenpox’
I’m just embarrassed
It’s coming up to spring and summer and groups are reopening and I know it’ll all start up again I feel like I need to wear a badge saying ‘I don’t have chickenpox and I’m not contagious’

It looks so bad and I’m just fed up of it

I’m under a dermatologist but there’s very little they can do. Nothing so far has worked and I feel disgusting and it’s becoming a real issue

Didn't want to read and run op, so all I can say is to hold your head up high and maybe tell the organiser of any events when you first meet them that you don't have anything contagious? Hopefully someone will come along soon with some better advice though? Personally I'm the sort of person who would announce it to the whole group when I got there and just laugh it off, but you might not be quite as brash as I am!

Is it just pigmentation, or bumps? You can get heavy-duty foundations, like this one.www.<a class="break-all" href="https://amazon.co.uk/Dermacol-Make-up-Cover-Foundation-Tattoos/dp/B071RN25NL?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-am-i-being-unreasonable-4220596-To-be-fed-up-having-to-explain-this" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.co.uk/Dermacol-Make-up-Cover-Foundation-Tattoos/dp/B071RN25NL

I have a skin condition called vitiligo and I'm very conscious about it, it's all over my body and I am aware people stare at me. There is no cure unfortunately.. I can cover it with make up but it takes so long.
I feel your pain

I understand op. My daughter has a form of eczema that looks like chicken pox. She's constantly sore and it does look awful. People stare, move their children away from us....

I've had a woman in the past shout at me for being out with a child with chicken pox.

She's started methotrexate now as it's so so bad and people's reactions to her really effect her mental health. She just wants to feel normal.

Hope you find something that helps you x

I've psoriasis and urticaria and 100% understand it when people think you are contagious. My psoriasis are just tiny dots and mixed with the chronic hives I suppose can look like some kind of chicken pox. Thankfully through a change in diet mine cleared up.

I understand your feelings op, but sadly due to chicken pox being so contagious and a risk to babies and young children, those who are immune scompromised and pregnant, I think that it's entirely understandable why people are concerned.
As I see it you have a few choices:
Be upfront and state the facts before it's raised by being proactive
Cover up/wear make up
Put up with the questions
Become a hernit

It's shit having conditions, but equally shit being immunosupressed and terrified of someone with cp and the implications it has...

Oh I feel for all of you. I have Lichen Planus and it affects me to the point that I am always covered up, trousers in the heat of summer etc. I won't even lie on a beach, even though 2 weeks sunbathing would clear it up, till it comes back after losing the tan.

I've tried everything. So fed up. Makes me avoid relationships too.

Busylizzie61 spouting her weird views again I see. I doubt everyone avoiding OP is immunocompromised.

I’d get a badge printed that says that OP! I have a skin condition that looks horrific at times. I’ve even had a doctor tell me I should stay inside when it flares up as it’s not nice for other people to look at! I also have another condition that can be fatal and when that comes up I have to reassure people it’s not contagious.

I tend to just be upfront about it all. In your scenario I’d walk in and say loudly, good to meet you, before you ask, I don’t have chicken pox, it’s ....... how are you doing?
It’s always easier to get things out of the way than wait for people to whisper behind your back.

I don't think that's a really a weird. There will only be so many people willing to suspend their disbelief and assume that the person who looks as though they have chicken pox doesn't have it - simply on account that of the fact that it would be highly irresponsible to be in a room full of children if she did.

That's asking a lot of people. I'd mention it to the group leader and a few of the people you get chatting to know straight off the bat and carry on attending.

I agree - the badge actually sounds a good idea.

Each lesion starts as a raised red bump or blister thats v itchy then within hours it’s an open sore most are 2-3 mm but I get bigger some up to 6 mm
They get infected and bleed a lot and scab over and do look awful. I’ve had biopsies and treatment and it just looks so like c pox

It’s on my antenatal notes - I’d explained it was a skin condition they clearly didnt believe me - let me stay yet recorded c pox on notes ! I had actual c pox (badly) as a child.

I’m so fed up of it it’s sore. It looks awful. People stare 😞

@romdowa

I've psoriasis and urticaria and 100% understand it when people think you are contagious. My psoriasis are just tiny dots and mixed with the chronic hives I suppose can look like some kind of chicken pox. Thankfully through a change in diet mine cleared up.

Can I ask what you tried ? I’ve cut out dairy and egg but no change yet I might try gluten free I just want it to get better

@BusyLizzie61

I understand your feelings op, but sadly due to chicken pox being so contagious and a risk to babies and young children, those who are immune scompromised and pregnant, I think that it's entirely understandable why people are concerned. As I see it you have a few choices: Be upfront and state the facts before it's raised by being proactive Cover up/wear make up Put up with the questions Become a hernit

It's shit having conditions, but equally shit being immunosupressed and terrified of someone with cp and the implications it has...

I was quite shocked that it was suspected at my antenatal appts yet they allowed me to stay ??!! Theyd asked what it was and I explained then they’d put in my notes chickenpox anyway !!

One doctor suggested I try a low histamine diet and it actually worked so well. It's a pita but it helped my stomach issues as well as my skin. I get the odd hive here and there but I no longer look like someone diseased

Feel for you OP.

People can be dicks and have no manners!

I'm 100% sure you are not disgusting. You are beautiful, hold your head high and be open about your condition if you feel able. Carrying a card with its not chickenpox etc may be helpful.

V shocked at it being incorrectly recorded in your medical notes! Does the condition have a name ie. Do you know what it is?

Has dermatitis herpetiformis been considered? From your descriptions of your symptoms I would have thought it might have come up, but if you've not tried a gluten free diet I guess it hasn't. I think it may be more commonly seen in older middle age and beyond so could have been overlooked so far as a possibility.

I'd talk to your GP about it before trying a gluten free diet, because it may be properly diagnosable

@stackemhigh

Busylizzie61 spouting her weird views again I see. I doubt everyone avoiding OP is immunocompromised.

I disagree. The OP mentions being at baby groups/antenatal appointments so its not just a case of immunocompromised people, the OP has been around high risk groups. It is perfectly understandable that high risk people - including young children and pregnant women - would be cautious around someone presenting with chickenpox who wasn't addressing it in any way.

In those situations I don't think it is unreasonable to either inform the organiser ahead of time for organised activities (so that they can deal with any other participants concerns) or be upfront in the first conversation that it is not chickenpox.

I had cellulitis in my leg a few years ago. It was treated and I suffer no long term effects from it, but it has left large patches of skin on my leg a darker colour and it looks like I have multiple half healed bruises. I used to be really self conscious about them and always wore trousers/tights as I felt people were staring but then realised I was making myself miserable (and hot) for other people.

When I started wearing skirts/shorts/dresses people would often be concerned - thinking they were bruises - but a simple and breezy "Oh thanks for the concern but they're not bruises I have a skin condition ... anyway, did you see Corrie last night?" addressed it directly without making it an issue.

@jellyfishinatent

V shocked at it being incorrectly recorded in your medical notes! Does the condition have a name ie. Do you know what it is?

No and I’ve been under the care of a dermatologist for a long time! They currently gave me on daily antihistamines and using creams and steroid cream.

I was a bit upset last appt as they said I must be picking the lesions (they don’t heal for weeks they seem to have a cycle) but I don’t pick them at all

@Pythonesque

Has dermatitis herpetiformis been considered? From your descriptions of your symptoms I would have thought it might have come up, but if you've not tried a gluten free diet I guess it hasn't. I think it may be more commonly seen in older middle age and beyond so could have been overlooked so far as a possibility.

I'd talk to your GP about it before trying a gluten free diet, because it may be properly diagnosable

Yes they said it’s not that and did coeliac screening although I still am considering going gf in case it’s some kind of intolerance? I’m not sure I just really want it gone.. My biopsies showed ‘inflammation’ but not any cause

@jellyfishinatent

V shocked at it being incorrectly recorded in your medical notes! Does the condition have a name ie. Do you know what it is?

No but it definitely has a ‘cycle’ Each lesion will start as an intensely itchy red dot or blister the skin literally breaks itself and then it turns into an infected sore often yellow and green and red edges for a couple of weeks then it will scab (but a v dark scab) which comes off easily in clothing or when showering and they bleed a lot, then a couple of weeks later rapidly heal and leave a scar

I do have weirdly 3 larger ones which have remained ‘active’ the whole time

Also they often appear in clusters not alway but more often so if anyone has any ideas what it could be I’m desperate its really affecting me

Bless you that sounds awful. My friend suffers with bad psoriasis and I’ve seen the comments and stares she gets it’s not fair. I will apologise though as being an immunocompromised person if I saw you and i didn’t know it wasn’t chicken pox I would avoid you. Chicken pox could put me in the hospital. I think a badge Sounds a good idea personally.