To think my BF should go to the doctor? (Warning - pics included)

[BFE]

My bf has had these large red areas on his chest/back for around 4 months. He won’t go to the doctor, to be fair it’s not very easy for him to do that as he works 12 hour days. He finally went to the pharmacy last weekend and asked them what they thought it was, they said psoriasis and sold him some E45 itch relief cream and he also got some vitamin D tablets. But now it’s more irritated than ever and so I don’t think the cream is helping, it seems to be doing the opposite.

Is he going to have to take a day off work, or are there any medical types on here that could point us in the right direction?

That doesn't look good at all. He needs (in my opinion) to see the GP and ask for a referral to a dermatologist.

That looks like a fungal infection.

He should definitely see a doctor.

That looks like ringworm or some other fungal infection. A pharmacist can treat that if i am correct

It looks like a nasty case of ringworm to me. Get him booked in a at the GP. I appreciate you may not get an appointment for a week or so. In the meantime pop canesten cream on it twice daily. If it is ringworm, you will start to see an improvement.

Jeez!! What would actually make him feel the need to see a doctor??

Of course it needs to be seen, diagnosed and treated. Remind him in future that he has made this more difficult for himself and the doctor by allowing it to get so bad.

I hope it is sorted out soon.

Yeah looks like ringworm and it's highly contagious so doctors! We had our diagnosed by a pharmacist though so you could try that if he can't get to the GP.

Can he email these pics to his gp? At my surgery they can send you a link to upload pics. Worth asking!

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ringworm/

tell him to go back to the pharmacist. Its very contagious.

That needs a bit more than some E45 cream!

Remind him that if he had gone and seen a doctor at the beginning, it would never have got this bad.

Message those pictures to the GP. You may not need to go in person.

Seems like ringworm is the most likely then…although if it’s contagious it’s weird I haven’t caught it from him 🤔.

Its exactly that. My brother had exactly this... photos very alike. He was prescribed fucidin cream ...he ordered online as hes busy working too xxx

I have been telling him for quite some time to go to the doctor 🤦‍♀️

My brother had this for 8 month!! He never passed it onto his wife or anyone...and know for a fact they both sleep naked lol ... Don't ask 🤣

I actually have some fucidin cream! Would that be a better option than canesten? I also have canesten somewhere I think.

My DH was the same when he had ringworm until we (eventually) figured out what it was. We got some cream from the pharmacy and it went away really quickly. His wasn't as bad at your DH's.

I never caught it either and DH had it for well over a year.

Ringworm is usually much smaller circular patches and very unlikely you wouldn't have caught it. It defo looks fungal though.

Ooh ouch. I have psoriasis and it doesn’t look like this. I think it looks fungal and he needs GP input.

can you send an econsult to your GP?

ive never caught ringworm off the kids when they had it

Going to go against the grain here but it looks like my psoriasis when it flares (plaque psoriasis), he needs to see a GP.

Please make him see an actual professional rather than treat yourself. I imagine he’s go to need more than topical creams to treat such an advanced case of whatever it is.

In my experience pharmacists can be very hit and miss. I had a severe rash last year and the pharmacist suggested a new bra. The GP sent me straight to A&E!

Ringworm

The pharmacist will advise which cream is best,might need oral tablets too as it's a nasty case and been going on so long. Takes a long time to clear up so you have to be patient.

Bit of a complicating factor with the GP situation is that he recently sold his house, where he was registered with a GP, and works in a completely different city now where he gets accommodation with work, and I live nowhere near that city. So he probably could send photos to the GP but never goes anywhere near that city anymore.

No need to see the GP,see the pharmacist