Stress Related Rash: A Story From A Silicon Valley Tech Executive

A 36-year-old executive working for a tech company in Silicon Valley shared with us a story about dealing with his skin issues.

This is his story:

“One day I started scratching my hands and back. Later, I noticed some red bumps. It was very unusual as I do not have allergies and never had a rash before.

I called a doctor to make an appointment. It took me a while to search for a dermatologist because I had moved recently to California and did not have a general practitioner.

I used reviews by other clients of my insurance company to make my decision.

The appointment was in two weeks. I was upset that I had to wait such a long time to be seen.

By the time I got to the doctor, the rash was almost gone.
The doctor could not tell me much.

The rash seemingly resolved itself and I was relieved for a couple of months. Then I developed these big red bumps close to my ankle, I scratched so hard.

I had sleepless nights due to the itching and pain.

I decided to look for another dermatologist and this time, I went to one that had an opening in three days.

Unfortunately, I made a wound by scratching too hard, and the doctor could not diagnose the rash. He took a biopsy but the results did not show anything.

I felt frustrated and sad.

Overall, I took five days off work to visit doctors and had to pay 300 dollars for a biopsy. Co-pay for doctors’ visits resulted in 500 dollars out of pocket.

Later I went to a general practitioner and another dermatologist, had several blood tests and lengthy conversations. They both suggested that it could have been a stress-related rash.

Stress can affect your whole body by generating a chemical response (cortisol and adrenaline) in your body that makes skin more sensitive and reactive.

Many skin conditions look similar and at times, diagnostics and finding the cause is difficult but timely attendance can make all the difference.”

Ask a dermatologist today if you have concerns about your skin