Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Granuloma Annulare

I have... granuloma annulare...

It's not a serious problem... Just one that people often ask me about when they notice the strange skin discoloration on my hand.














It started quite a few years ago (perhaps 10 or 15) - a reddish smudge on a knuckle of my right hand that made me think I must have (unknowingly) burned myself taking a pan out of the oven. The reddish spot resembled a burn. But then it grew into a circle. At this point I talked to my doctor about it, and he reassured me that it was "nothing." But to be on the safe side, he sent me to a dermatologist to confirm his diagnosis. The dermatologist did a biopsy which confirmed that nothing serious was wrong.

It will go away in time, he told me. Don't worry about it.

And it did. After several years, the mark - spread across my right hand - disappeared. But about that time, a similar one started on my left hand! It slowly grew and eventually spread across my hand. It's been there for several years now, too.















And today, I noticed something on my right arm, just above my wrist... A darkish smudge that looks like a birth mark or a burn...

Is that another one starting on my right side again? That is what they look like when they start.

Only time will tell.

11 comments:

  1. Does this rash produce a bumpy raised texture to it? I have developed what looks like a burn on my thumb about 4 days ago but it doesn't burn, itch or hurt in any way. When I was googling it your post came up. Mine is the same color throughout. You input would be appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The rash looks like a burn or red scar tissue. The rash on my right hand (in photo above) never did develop into granuloma annulare. But the one on my left hand is less noticeable - but I see another spot developing. Over time they change. I read somewhere that the rash often lasts about 3 years. In my case, at that point, it changes location and shape.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I forgot to answer your question! It is bumpy and raised (and red).

    ReplyDelete
  4. Is there any way I could send you a pic of mine? Mine is not bumpy just red. Was yours bumpy when you initially thought it was just a burn? I apologize for all these questions.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sure. Send me a picture digitally at teacher_marlene@hotmail.com
    I'm not a doctor - I'm a retired teacher. But I can tell you if it looks like mine.
    I was worried when I first got mine, so I had it checked out with a dermatologist. If you are concerned, you should do the same.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I just looked at the photo on the Mayo Clinic website - a site I trust - and it looks just like mine. Look at that one, if you haven't.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/granuloma-annulare/multimedia/granuloma-annulare/img-20007492

    ReplyDelete
  7. Maybe it would be easiest to describe mine and see if it sounds familiar. It is on my thumb and light red oval shape. It looks just like an oven burn in my opinion. There are no bumps and when I run my hand over it I cannot feel a thing. It also blanches to normal skin color if I pull the skin around it. Does that sound like how it starts? Your a gem for answering my questions.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I sent you a pic, although after looking at mayo clinic I don't think that's it. I have no bumps or raised areas. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Granuloma annulare is difficult to spell but it’s actually a type of skin condition which usually occurs on the feet and the hands. Granuloma Annulare Natural Treatment all relatively cheap, mostly convenient and very natural so why not give one of them a go.

    https://www.herbs-solutions-by-nature.com/blog/granuloma-annulare-natural-treatment/

    ReplyDelete
  10. Mine disappeared without any medical intervention a year or so after posting this.

    ReplyDelete
  11. There are numerous herbs using  Natural Remedies for Granuloma Annulare  that can recover skin issues such as oak leaf extract which has remedial properties for skin, aloe vera and green tea extract have antioxidant and remedial properties, a warm washcloth soaked in malva tea can support swelling and a poultice made up of chaparral, dandelion and yellow dock root can also benefit a rash.

    ReplyDelete