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

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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?

As others have said that looks alot like ringworm so needs fungal treatment.

Looks very similar to when I had discoid eczema but you really need a Gp to have a look.

Please do not start slathering fungal cream on until you’ve seen a medical professional.

Construction? Hot and sweaty and probably wears the same clothes for a few days running and doesn't air them dry (assuming he doesn't have someone in his digs or wherever he's staying to wash them every night). Same with towels.

Looks like ringworm to me. Try an anti-fungal cream for a week. If there's an improvement you have your answer.

My DD's ex worked at a big project construction site where they stayed in digs together. It was known as 'Canesten Central' by all the lads working there for good reason.

My DD never caught it off him but they didn't share towels.

Not armchair quacks, just people with a raft of different experiences trying to be helpful.

I think E45's shite, too, but it works for some.

Send these photos to an online pharmacist. I did for my fungus and stuff I have has stopped it completely.

If it's orf it's viral not fungal. Not something for guesswork and home treatment anyway.

My dh has psoriasis and it got infected with a fungal infection so it could actually be both psoriasis and fungal. It looked exactly the same as that.
He saw a dermatologist from the gp referral. She gave him one tablet to take which killed the fungal literally overnight and then a prescription cream. It never came back.
He needs gp and most likely a dermatologist.
The pharmacist will be no good to him, its gone past that.

I had something like this on my hands.

First pharmacist said it was dermatitis and gave me a steroid cream. Had no effect.

Second pharmacist said it was ringworm, gave me anti fungal cream. Had no effect.

I used other home treatment like general emollient, anti histamine, canestan - cream and tablet, Betnovate. None had any effect.

The itching woke me up in the night. I went to the GP, they were baffled but gave me another cream. Not sure it worked that well, but the rash did go eventually. I got it again about a year later, not as bad though, and used that cream again.

My point is - three professionals looked at it and all came to different conclusions. It's very difficult to diagnose these things and you can't take account of online suggestions really. Whatever it is, it's quite extreme, so it is definitely time to see a GP face to face I'm afraid.

This. My husband had something similar but smaller scale. He put canestan or athletes foot cream on it and it cleared up so it must’ve been a fungal thing.

It's ringworm I think

Yes he does have his work clothes which tend to only get washed at weekends. And he works constructing - in his words ‘shit tanks’, he’s a concrete shutterer and for the last few years his contracts have all been at sewage works making new shit tanks. They get ill quite a bit, lots of gastrointestinal problems which I’m sure are caused by the fact they are literally working around shit all day every day.

Did it start as smaller patches that grew and merged into those larger plaques? Or was it one patch that grew to that size?

Whether it is psoriasis or ringworm, E45 cream and vit D aren't going to clear it up. That just keeps the skin moisturised.

@agent765 yes armchair quacks - I highly doubt any posters are clinicians with dermatology experience.

The OP seems sensible and as he’s had it since Christmas I suspect it’s not going to kill him to wait a few days to see a doctor.

However the medical advice on Mumsnet is incredibly dangerous at times. Yes it may be well meaning based on experience, but it has the potential to delay access to appropriate treatment while OPs take advice from posters who have never assessed a patient in their lives.

Yes that’s how it started.

I think it is fine to say "it looks like..." . Obviously no-one is making a diagnosis and it could be something else. Most posters on here have said talk to a professional. OP/OH are following advice and he is finally pulling his finger out.

I mentioned earlier about the exorex cream. Gastro issues are common with psoriasis ( if it is that) as psoriasis sufferers have a weaker immune system. My husband also has colitis. They often go hand in hand .
Hope you’ve seen a dr by now and can get treatment.

Multiple small patches that merge into big patches is very much a psoriasis thing. It's how mine behaves. Takes many months, but I eventually end up with massive plaques like that. He needs something with an active ingredient in it. Usually a corticosteroid. In the meantime, clean the area with an antifungal wash because it is possible to have a skin infection as well as psoriasis.

Yep pretty sure it is psoriasis, the diagnostic website we checked earlier came up with psoriasis, eczema and ringworm as the most likely things, but for various reasons according to the website info, ringworm and eczema can be likely ruled out. He does also sometimes get dry, flaky skin on his face and scalp, although very small areas and not red like the photos I posted.

Still waiting for a call back from 111 re an appointment.

I looked at the first pics and thought this was ringworm but when looking at other pics I’ve edited post as it’s likely psoriasis with maybe additional autoimmune condition, as some posters said it could be more that one thing, poor soul please keep us updated OP

That was my dh exactly.

HCP here, I would put money on it being mycosis aka fungal infection.

Might sound strange but what are his toenails/finger nails like?

I have no idea what it is but I’m a very long term eczema sufferer and am allergic to E45 so that might be why it got
worse - neither me or my sister can use it.

I second the previous poster about Exorex. I've just discovered psoriasis on my elbows, been using it a fortnight and it's clearing up slowly.