[Birmingham Rain]

My daughter (aged 26 years) has developed a huge coffee-coloured splotch running across her entire abdomen lengthwise, and 4 to 6 inches from top to bottom. It in no way appears to be shingles.

When she was 13 years old she had one area, approximately 3 to 4 inches circular, on her abdomen exactly the same as what now has seemingly spread -- which, at the time, we all believed to be from too much exposure to the sun.

Also, the inside of her "belly button" has turned brown.

Last night, preparing for a funeral for today, I had her remove her top so that I could wash and condition her hair. The once isolated splotch has now spread across the entire length of her abdomen and there are now similar places on her left arm.

These areas are scaly but do not peel.

Where we are at the moment no doctor will be available until Tuesday after the holiday. I am worried sick and can't seem to find anything matching this condition on the Internet.

PLEASE. If anyone with ANY knowledge could give me a clue as to what this could be it would be greatly appreciated.

[starbase]

Sorry, I know nothing about these kinds of things.

[Shannon]

Can you take her to an urgent care facility or emergency room?

[Slings and Arrows]

GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM!

[pbmaltzman]

Is there any way you can get your daughter to an emergency room? I am only a medical transcriptionist and don’t know enough to give any kind of advice, but I’d definitely seek a doctor’s help ASAP.

[sageb1]

ping

[GOPrincess]

Could be a fungal thing, in which case it’s an annoyance but nothing to worry about. My daughter has been fighting “splotches” on her back and neck for a couple years now. She treats them with a special wash and a cream from the dermatologist, and they clear up for a while, but they keep coming back. They’re dark splotches which “migrate” from place to place.

My daughter’s dark areas are not scaly, however — just dark.

Best of luck to you!

[lastchance]

You should have an ER nearby where you can take her. Is your daughter developmentally disabled? I ask this because you mention washing her hair for her. Also if she is taking any medication find out if this could be a side effect of any of them.

[LdSentinal]

Did this happen suddenly?

It could be Acanthosis Nigricans

[onja]

I have no idea what it might be, but best wishes for your daughter.

[sageb1]

Is she having any pain?

[GovernmentIsTheProblem]

Go to the hospital - it could be a lot of things! See the URL below.

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/sym/dark_skin.htm

symptoms.

* Bruise
* Purple skin
* Blue skin
* Mole
* Malignant melanoma
* Seborrheic wart - also senile wart
* Freckles
* Cafe-au-lait spots
* Hyperpigmentation - and various causes of hyperpigmentation including:
o Sunburn
o Stopping the pill
o Radiation therapy
o Adrenal disorder
o Addison’s disease
o Liver disorder
o Intestinal disorder
o Malnutrition
o Vitamin deficiency
o See also causes of hyperpigmentation
* Pregnancy - causes the “mask of pregnancy” (a darkening of cheeks and forehead); also darkening nipples, genitals, and a line down the central abdomen.
* Chloasma - brown pigmentation on the face in pregnancy.
* Sun sensitivity - from various possible causes.
* Hemochromatosis - can cause a brown or “bronze” skin color
* Varicose veins - may cause ankle skin darkening.
* Venous ulceration - from long-term varicose veins
* Familial polyposis - causes darkening of skin of the gums.
* Acanthosis nigricans
* Erythema ab igne - red-brown discoloration from heat exposure.
* Dry gangrene (type of Gangrene)
* Mongolian blue spot - a blue/black spot on the buttocks or lower back region.

[See full list of 55 causes of Dark skin]

[familyop]

Get her to an emergency room.

[Slings and Arrows]

Let me elaborate on my previous post. From the sound of your description, it might be cellulitis or some other infection. Then again, maybe it's just some allergic dermatitis. Then again, you (and I) don't know what it is, and that makes it dangerous.

A couple of weeks ago I went to the emergency room with what I thought was a bad rash on my foot. I ended up being hospitalized for three days - my "rash" was a life-threatening infection. In the words of Larry Niven:

"If you don't understand it, it's dangerous."

So please, take your daughter to the emergency room.

[HardStarboard]

I doubt that an Emergency Room doctor is going to do much for you except to refer you to a Dermatologist - during normal working hours. Since this appears to be a slow spreading phenomenon, it doesn't sound like an emergency, but it needs to be looked at by someone that knows what they are looking at!

Talk to whomever you know in the medical community and get them to refer you to the best dermatologist around! Nurses are particularly good at knowing which Docs are on top of their profession...and usually don't have the reluctance to steer you away from a mediocre one that Dr's have.

Best of luck!

[HiTech RedNeck]

is there a doctor or nurse in the house?

[hole_n_one]

My daughter (aged 26 years)................

Last night, preparing for a funeral for today, I had her remove her top so that I could wash and condition her hair.......

Excuse me for asking, but, how is it that she can remove her top but can't wash and condition her own hair?

[Slings and Arrows]

Ping!

[NautiNurse]

If you can post a photo, it would help with the identification. If this is a slowly spreading condition, I would wonder how much sun/heat exposure your daughter has had. It may be something as simple as a fungus (e.g. tinea versicolor).

Without more information, it is impossible to provide a more educated impression.

[El Gran Salseron]

Ping. We need med help.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Has it been this size for a while now? If so,it seems that waiting until Tuesday would do no more harm than has already been done.

I don’t know anything at all about medicine, and I am not down playing the urgency of the situation. I’m just expressing my opinion, for whatever it’s worth.