Help with Rash?!

[MKCP5]

My 15 yo DS has a rash under his armpits. I switched him over to a deodorant for sensitive skin and it is better, but it is still a problem as he says the itching is driving him crazy! He can't just wash and go without as he is a 15YO smelly boy!!! Any odeas? Soothers? Solutions? What has worked for others?

Thanks so much

 

[clarabelle]

Is he using an antiperspirant or a deodorant.??
I would try switching to just a deodorant and see how that goes.

Also at night you may want to put some kind of anti -itching cream on there.

 

[amid chaos]

Probably not the deodorant. Use an anti fungal cream and see if that helps.

 

[lovemygoofy]

What kind of deodrant anti-persparant is it? gel or solid? My husband has very sensitive skin and has to use the anti-persparant that is solid, not gel. He cannot use something that has smell to it. Is he using something like axe right now? He could also be allergic to something like that.

I wonder if he has heat rash from the sweating. Clear up the rash he has now and have him put on a bit of powder on when he gets out of the shower before his deodrant.

 

[minkydog]

If this rash continues for 7 days or more, you might want to take him to a dermatologist. A rash under the arms can be many things--allergic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, yeast infection. They're all treated differently so you might need a professional to get the right treatment for it.

I know what you mean about him not using deodorant. We call our DS14 "Goat Boy" (not to his face--jeez).

 

[MKCP5]

thanks for the thoughts guys. We are trying an antifungal at noght to see if that is the problem and will see someone if it doesnt clear in a week or so

 

[3boymthr]

As a quick test on the fungal infection front....If you put cortisone cream on it and the itching become infinitely worse then it's definitely a fungal infection. Found that out the hard way when I had a funny red patch on my forehead and the dr told me to put cortisone on it. Turns out cortisone will feed a fungal infection. The itching will intensify exponentially within an hour or two. Uh huh, yeah, who knew, not my doctor. I was complaining about how the rash was getting worse and that my dr didn't know what the problem was and a co-worker told me to put athlete's foot cream on it. That did the trick.

If it is a fungal thing do the antifungal treatments twice a day to clear it up and don't use any other products while you're using them (yup he's gonna get stinky) as they may feed the fungus. Continue for six weeks or it will return (like antibiotics there's that cleaning up the resistant microbes thing - found that out the hard way too - the rash came back twice because I didn't continue past the it looked gone stage - when I did it for six weeks it never came back). Clean with a non-soap/non-residue cleanser during treatments (again don't want to potentially feed the fungus). It's amazing how fast it will clear up if you do. If he won't fuss too much have him trim/shave his pits to help clear up the infection as the hair will help the infection stay in place and a lack of it will help eliminate odors.

 

[AustinTink]

Try Tom's Natural deodorant. It works well for my son, who rashes up with everything else.

 

[golfgal]

DH can't use anything with antiperspirant in it, only deodorant or he breaks out. It is somewhat difficult to find just deodorant too.

 

[arminnie]

I had an itchy rash at my waist band. A dear friend's son is the Chair of the Dermatology Department at a major medical school. She indisted on making me an appointmentvwith her son.

He came into the room followed by a whole bunch of residents whose job is just to follow the big guy around.

His first question to me was "I see you are here for a second opinion, who gave you your first opinion?" to which I answered 'Your Mother" and the room cracked up.

I think he was secretly thrilled to prove his mother wrong. It was a fungal rash and cleared up almost immediately once I stopped the other stuff.