Any idea what this is? Confused

[AnxiousMummy91]

Hi,
This is my first ever post of be patient. Not even sure I've posted in the right place!
My 2yr8mth boy has had this on his face for about 2 weeks. Started as 5 spots with yellow heads, looked exactly like a zit. Then they each swelled up then popped, scabbed a yellow scab and now just look like this. It feels quite dry, but doesn't seem to bother him, not itchy etc. He doesn't have them anywhere else on his body, just this patch on his cheek.
Had some fusidic acid cream in which he had as a baby for an infected thumb. I have been applying twice a day and it has got better, it is now less red than this but flares up throughout the day more red depending on how hot he is etc.
We are awaiting an appt. at the allergy clinic for frequent hives and itchy tongue/tongue ulcers. He is on cetirizine twice a day until we see them. Was wondering if its another allergy thing, or maybe eczema? I do suffer and he suffered as a baby, and suffers if different laundry stuff/anything not aveeno.
Any advice welcome!

I would try first a moisturising cream like Cerave, it was advised to us by a pediatric dermatologist for dry skin. Cream and not lotion!!!

If this doesn't help, you can also try a bit of 1% hydrocortisone cream once a day. It won't make any harm and you can find it at supermarkets, at pharmacies or on amazon!

Good luck!

I forgot to mention that my 2 year old DC has eczema since birth. What helped was a lots of cream, satin sheets at bed, no perfumes etc.

I don't know whether what he has is eczema but I am sure the products I mentioned above will do the trick and won't do any harm!

Please don’t put hydrocortisone cream on it without medical advice!

Could it be impertigo? I'm sure that goes yellow and scabby. I'd definitely take a pic and send it to the GP (unless you're lucky enough to get a face to face appt?).

And further to my post, if it is impetigo, then cortisone cream will make it worse! As per …
www.nhs.uk/medicines/hydrocortisone-skin-cream/

Could it be a coldsore? That is often characterised by a cluster of spots that scab over. I would see a GP just to check! Main thing is it isn't bothering him 🙂

Thank you. Impetigo has crossed my mind, but it doesn't look like pics when I've googled it or from what I remember as a child. I am going to continue with the fusidic acid as it is an antibiotic cream, and tbh if it is impetigo nhs website says treatment is just that, and call GP on Monday. I've tried to get in the GP the past 2 days! 😣it is looking much better this morning though! I should also mention that we wash his face twice a day (on non bath nights) with a flannel and warm water and use aveeno moisturiser. I use hydrocortisone on myself when my eczema gets really bad, but I'd never use it on DS without GP advice.

I appreciate that it’s best to consult a doctor first! Our doctor prescribed to our 5 month old DD 1% hydrocortisone because of her eczema and it was the only thing that really helped the persistent rashes.

Of course, speak to your doctor first, but I am only saying that we were prescribed it from a very young age and it didn’t do any harm, only helped her.

If it has responded to fusidic acid cream, it must be a bacterial infection. (Impetigo?) Does he go to nursery? It’s also known as school sores for a reason. The symptoms you have described sound pretty typical of a bacterial infection. Fusidic acid is an antibiotic cream. I would go with that. If you want further clarification, you could try taking him to the pharmacy. They’d know for sure.The photos on my phone aren’t very clear, so I don’t want to commit entirely.

Thank you all. Yes definitely not going to be using hydrocortisone. Still going with the fusidic acid. Tried to get into the GP again this morning, tried for 55 mins from 8am only to be told there's nothing left 😡the GPs has a non urgent portal that you can put things on, so I tried that middle of last week to be told "call at 8am" 😡been trying every day since! He does go to nursery, and they have notices up on the door of what is going round that week but I haven't seen impetigo. That's not to say it isn't there though! He has a bit on his chin too but I think that it more likely dribble rash because he is very dribbly due to afore-mentioned oral allergies. It is definitely less red now but more dry and scaly so going to keep moisturising it too. And pray I can get in at the GPs soon! I dont know what I'm doing wrong!

P.s. Sorry about the pic quality, he just does not stay still long enough to get a really clear pic! However you'd not notice it from a distance now, it's almost skin colour. I've tried to get a clearer pic this morning.