93 yr old granny suddenly has really bad dermatitis /crusty - moles appearing. Photos

[Hungrycaterpillarsmummy]

She told me the other day she was ready to go as she can't stand the itching any more. It's come on in the last couple of months. She showed me this warty looking on on her arm and whatever the raised bit is got knocked off in her sleep last week and now this new one has grown. (It's a bit smaller than the first). However this isn't the bad bit. She said her back is absolutely covered in these things. Her head also has then sprouting up. And then these patches of red raw skin on her arms and legs too.

What is it? Is it just generic dermatitis or could it be something totally different?

She has a Dr appointment tomorrow to be seen after the first cream she's been prescribed hasn't worked. But I don't think they'd even seen her when they prescribed the cream. I feel so sorry for her :(

Is it all on one side?

My Mum have some thing similar on her face and it was skin cancer but it was only one. It was easily and effectively treated despite my Mum being generally very unwell.

No it's all over her body. She says her back is covered in them like a scaly dragon she said.
She was itching her arms a lot whilst I was there.
She's sitting in a warm house with multiples warm layers on - I said that probably won't be helping it. Wondered if I could get her a humidifier her bedroom or something to easy the itching

How much cream is she putting on as her skin looks very dry?

I find a lot of people use 'sparingly' when actually a big 500g tub should be used up in a week. This would be the first step in managing any itch.

However no idea what the warty lumps are and if they are sprouting up even more then it's back to the GP - needs face to face to see the lumps which will probably generate a referral.

Not sure exactly how much cream but she told me she's putting it in every morning and night. Not having a hot shower any more etc etc.

Yeh guess just have to wait to see what Dr says I was just interested to know if anyone had experience similar with the elderly relatives.
Granny's Dr said it was linked to old age and nothing they could do really. I would feel so bad for her if she just had to put up with it
.

I don't like to say this but some skin cancers present like this- my GM had one on her face

That's what a pp said too - however, she says she has it all over her back so would it come up so fast all over? And what about the dry skin on her leg - wouldn't that more equate it to be dermatitis rather than cancer?

It doesn't have to be all one problem. All over her back suggests seborrheic dermatitis which is 'just something you get when you get older' but the lump in the photo and the itchy leg are entirely different.

She could easily have more than one skin issue at the same time.

Yes ok, understood

Oh I hope she's ok. Apart from this she is so good for her age!

Not sure about the warty stuff but the other pic looks like it could be shingles?

She mentioned shingles to me. But more in a way of "you're mum had shingles and I think I'd prefer that over this"!!

Oh and she definitely isn't using enough emollient. While it might not fix the problem, she should be using an egg sized amount so that her skin doesn't look dry anymore, even later in the day.

I think this would solve part of the problem but there are still mysteries.

Skin cancer & Scabies

The description of her back sounds like seborrheic keratosis but agree with other posters definitely worth getting checked!

Also does she have any other non skin symptoms? Eg fever or a flare up of arthritis etc?

She has been ill. She had a really funny turn a few weeks ago where my dad just happened to visit and she came out of the bathroom all wobbly then vommited a lot.
She has had a bad cough and my aunt came to stay with her for a week and a half until granny got a bit of strength and went to stay at my aunt's for a few weeks.

When she came home I went to see her last week and asked how she felt - she said "I'm just not right, I don't have the same oomph as I did before"

Scabies spring to mind, especially when its all over her back. Can you ask/check her armpits and groin as it will be quite pronounced in those areas it is is scabies.

@Hungrycaterpillarsmummy apologies I missed the second picture which looks more like dermatitis- it could be a combination if things that aren't connected- but I don't like the look of the wart thing- especially if she has lots- I would have thought the doctor would want a specialist looking at that- or maybe it's common and someone can correct me - its just I've just never seen any old person with loads and loads , and I was a student nurse for a while yearsago

The scaly warts are most probably sebhorreic keratosis, very common in older people. I’m 76 and have loads of them, especially on my back. They can sometimes itch, but not usually. Not much can be done for them, unfortunately. The itchiness could be due to the warm room and clothing layers, I am sometimes itchy once the heating goes on in winter, so lots of moisturising would help. Maybe a trip to her GP would be helpful too.

Sounds like pityriasis rosea to me. It's triggered by a viral infection then an itchy scalp patchy rash develops.
Look up the symptoms and treatment options, insist on someone looking at it properly and taking a full history ( including her episode of being unwell).
It seems to go away by itself but antihistamines help with the itching.
While waiting to be seen You could ask the pharmacist if it's ok to take antihistamines if she's on any other medication and try them if the pharmacist says it's OK .