Dermagraphia

[Sharon]

I've just been diagnosed with dermagraphia (symptomatic)
which explains all my skin hypersensitivities: redness, burning, itching, swelling, "allergic" reactions, rashes...
Anybody else been diagnosed with this skin disease? 
Treatment is with antihistamines but I can't take antihistamines without losing all the saliva I have and developing mouth sores.
How do you treat this condition systemically without antihistamines?

[Jasper]

I have Dermagraphia.

My understanding is that Dermagraphia (skin writing) is a condition where rubbing, scrapping, or pressure will cause the skin to form welts or raised red marks.

I will get these marks from scratching, from, resting my arm on a table edge, from the seams of jeans pressing on my skin, from sheet folds against my skin, from running my fingernail across my skin, etc.

I don't think Dermagraphia is the cause of your skin hypersensitivities. I think your skin hypersensitivities and your dermagraphia are the result of some underlying cause that affects the mast cells and histamine. The Dermagraphia is just a manifestation of that underlying cause.

I don't treat it. I just try to avoid things and situations that give me Dermagraphia.

I do have a lot of allergies and my skin is very sensitive. Again, I don't take anything. I just try to avoid anything that will exacerbate the sensitivities.

I think the following link gives a pretty good synopsis. I know it is wikipedia, but I think it actually explains it better than the Mayo web site:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dermatographic_urticaria

[Sharon]

Thanks Jasper,
I'm certain you're correct about it just being just another manifestation of mast cells gone wild.
The skin doc who diagnosed me decided to blame all my dermatological woes on dermagraphia.
I think it's just proof of how hypersensitive my skin has become.
Do you know if this has anything to do with the SJS or if it's a completely unrelated skin disease?

[Jasper]

 I have had Dermagraphia most of my life. I don't know if it is related to Sjogren's or not. I do think it is related in some way, but maybe not specifically to Sjogren's. It may be more related to autoimmunity in general. Perhaps whatever is causing our autoimmunity is also causing our hypersensitivities. Maybe our ramped up immune system (from the autoimmunity) is causing us to be hypersensitive to things.

Does your face turn red when you cry and then stay red for hours? Mine does. Well, it did when I could still cry, LOL. I have not had tears for years so I don't have this problem anymore. But I used to have it. Interestingly enough, my mother had the same problem. If she cried, her face was red for hours. She did not have Sjogren's Disease, but she did have severe crippling Rheumatoid Arthritis. She also was very sensitive to everything and allergic to many things.

If I hammer, my arm will start to swell. If I use a shovel to dig, the arch of my foot will swell from the pressure of the shovel edge on the arch, even though I have shoes on. I break out from all sorts of things and/or start coughing and/or get dizzy and head achy from various scents and cleaners as well as many environmental things like pollen, grass, newspaper print, dust, mold,  etc.

I don't see how the Derm doc can say all of your skin problems are due to Dermagraphia. Dermagraphia is just one manifestation of the underlying problem which is causing all of your dermatological problems. If he is saying your Dermagraphia is the cause of your hypersensitivities, then he either does not know much about it or he is just telling you something to placate you. But his explanation is incorrect. It is backwards. Sometimes I think doctors try to oversimplify things to shut us up or else they just don't understand the real problem.

[jazzlover]

I have it as a part of MCAS.

[jazzlover]

I don't see how the Derm doc can say all of your skin problems are due to Dermagraphia. Dermagraphia is just one manifestation of the underlying problem which is causing all of your dermatological problems. If he is saying your Dermagraphia is the cause of your hypersensitivities, then he either does not know much about it or he is just telling you something to placate you. But his explanation is incorrect. It is backwards. Sometimes I think doctors try to oversimplify things to shut us up or else they just don't understand the real problem.

-
Exactly.

[eija]

So we're back to MCAS...

When I described my symptoms to my former GP, she said "pressure urticaria".

I can't "write" on my skin, but I have what Jasper said, "marks from scratching, from the seams of jeans (or belts or bra or anything) pressing on my skin, from sheet folds against my skin". Especially from tight clothes I get huge welts that stay there, sometimes a couple of days even, and itch like crazy. But I don't know if I'd be diagnosed with dermatographism if I went to see a derm.


My skin is also very sensitive in general. Itchy, sometimes even painful to touch, weird rashes. Like this summer, I seem to have developed "permanent goose pumps" on the sides of my wrists/forearms.


edit: corrected the font size

[Sharon]

Yes Jasper, I have everything you mentioned.
Looks like we're indeed back to MCAD.
Sometimes I wonder if MCAD is causing all my SJS symptoms as well....?

[irish]

I have this on occasion depending on what I wear, lean on or whatever. I don't treat it unless the itching gets too bad cause then I know that it will just keep on. I use another antihistamine that my immunologist gave me years ago. It is called Xyzal 5 mgm and it is a second cousin to benedryl but doesn't cause sleepiness. I don't notice much dryness either. It can be spendy so I would check with your insurance company or pharmacy to see what you will have to pay.

Sometimes people with buy the OTC benedryl in capsule form and then open the capsule and pour out aout 1/2 of the powder. This way you are getting about 12.5 mgm or half as much benedryl. This can still help with the symptoms but the side effects are less. Good luck. Irish

[susanep]

I experience this all the time, but didn't even know there was a name for it.

susanep

[Sharon]

Very good suggestions irish!
I've actually been reading that Xyzal is the ONLY antihistamine that causes less dry mouth side effects!
I really want to try it but it's not available at all in my country.
I'll try to find a way to get it. Unfortunately it's prescription-only. 

[jazzlover]

see the section on cutaneous mastocytosis:

http:// patient.info/doctor/Mastocytosis-and-Mast-Cell-Disorders

[Sharon]

The link doesn't work

[Linda196]

@ Sharon, because the site in the link is a commercial one, offering product for sale, Jazzlover has posted only the information to the link, not a direct link. If you copy and paste the url to your browser, you can find the page.

[Sharon]

Yes Linda, I know, but when I copy/paste it  I can't get the site.
I get a notification that the "webpage cannot be displayed".