What does this rash look like to you?

[flameprincess]

My household had covid back in November (may be relevant, may not) and since then me and my son have had this reoccurring skin infection that so far the doctors have been unable to diagnose or treat effectively. We've had it 3 times now, and the only thing that gets rid of it is antibiotics. Once we finish a round of antibiotics, it returns. We have it on our face and body.

It starts as a small inconspicuous spot (shown in pics... and left untreated quickly grows and it's like the skin is peeling/burning away. It's not itchy but the burning sensation is painful. It weeps, when healing (on antibiotics) will dry up.
It resembles ringworm/fungal infection in that it heals in the center first but doesn't respond to any anti-fungal creams.
We have been prescribed the following and none have had an effect:
Hydrocortisone (made worse)
Daktarin
Lotriderm (clotrimozole)
Terbafine

Nobody else in the house is infected, just me and DS2. Im breastfeeding him so unsure if it's something passing through my breast milk or skin to skin contact.

During this third flare we've had skin scrapes taken at the doctors and are awaiting results, won't be until next week but in the meantime just wondering if anyone has seen anything like this before? Unfortunately it shares similarities with soooo many skin conditions I have found via Google

Looks like Psoriasis to me.

Oh that looks really painful!

Have you been referred to dermatology?

If not, ask the GP for a referral

What happens if you cover it at the very first sign of it re appearing? It's behaving like impetigo.

The only thing I've seen vaguely like that is

Staphylcoccus scalded skin syndrome (Ritter's disease)

There is a poster on here that got psoriasis after a covid jab so could be that as sometimes side effects from jab are similar to actual Covid

Not been referred to a dermatologist no, I think they are waiting to see what comes back from the skin tests maybe.
And yes it is painful I had to use wound dressings when it was at its worst because clothing touching it was agony. My poor DS is 16 months and being a trooper but if you go near it he cries.

I have psoriasis and it doesn't look like that to me. You certainly both wouldn't have it at the same time.

Hopefully you will get some answers soon OP, the skin tests should at least rule a lot of things out and whether it might be bacterial or fungal or neither

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor have tried this covered with a plaster when I had first spot of it the 2nd time. It still randomly appeared on other areas of my body and face. My eldest son had impetigo when he was little and it didn't behave like this and also responded to cream so I don't think it's that :-/

@willingtolearn my DP suggested this and I've looked at pics online it looks even worse than what we have but the symptoms of burning/peeling skin deffo similar, and it responds to antibiotics so a possibility.

I asked doc if could be a staph infection and they said perhaps but not sure why the antibiotics didn't shift for good in that case and are just working temporarily.

I also thought maybe ringworm and have had our cats checked at the vet. But again ringworm would respond to anti-fungal cream and this isn't.

Looks like impetigo to me have you tried topical cream from the chemist.

Hi - my only experience with it is only in newborns, where we had to cover them in vaseline every few hours (very slippy) whilst they had IV antibiotics - poor little mites.

I hope you've got a dermatology referral - it looks so sore.

OP is may be worth also posting this in the covid chat too. Looks really painful, hope it gets better really soon.

I think I'd want a referral to a pediatrician for your DS after this amount of time. Then you'd also know what was bothering you.

Thanks for advice guys I am definitely chasing up with doctors at every opportunity. This round of antibiotics we are currently are on are slowly clearing it again but I know it will just come back again so I'm not letting it go!

Maybe erythema multiforme? Worth a look

There are different types of erythema too

Bullous impetigo

Ow ow that looks so sore. Poor both of you. I think definitely push for a dermatology review ASAP

I would stop breastfeeding, express the milk pump and dump. See if that helps one of you in case you're giving it to the toddler. Push for a referral. My GP after two breast infections in six months got me referred urgently. You may need different drugs, the infection analysed for the consultant to know the best way forward

Did you ever get an answer for your skin condition my son has this just now with more and more patches appearing! Waiting on dermatologist and already had swabs doing and doctor unsure. It’s such a shame and heart breaking.

thanks in advance