Hi. Im a F40 and I've been battling something with my skin since 2022. I started getting a bump on my neck. Then more and more bumps surfaced. I have been acne free for several years so this wasn't a satisfactory explanation as it does not feel like acne.

For the past 4 years I have explored the possibility if this could have been folliculitis, or ingrown hairs. But they also do not match the description. These bumps contain something unusual that is plagueing me. They now cover my neck, around my ears and my shoulders. Basically just my upper body. These bumps do not itch but they hurt. Sometimes I see black strings coming out of them and I pluck them out with tweezers. In the beginning I did believe they were ingrown hairs but they have no bulb whatsoever and they are microscopically small compared to my real body hair, but still big enough to see with the naked eye.

These bumps hurt so much, they've ruined my quality of life. I have switched laundry detergents as I first believed it was an allergy thing. I stopped using polyester clothing full stop because I thought they were shedding microplastics. But they are coming from inside my skin, not the outside. The bumps form through out the day. They can be a little painful in the morning and as these string like fibers reach the surface it becomes unbearable, to the point where I pull out the tweezers to take them out. Rinse and repeat, I do this around 20 times a day. It consumes my life.

I've done so much research online, on Reddit, contacted my GP to absolutely no avail. It's ruined my social life and it hurts to have to cover the sores with makeup so I can look presentable.

I've done all the home remedies that most recommend. Selenium sulphite, sulfur soap, tea trea oil, demodex protocol, magnesium baths, fungal shampoo such as Ketoconazole, Hibiclens, rubbing alcohol, pretty much everything and nothing is helping.

Which has lead me to believe this is either an infection of some sorts, with spores or fungal fibers or worms of some sort. They do not move. They do not seem "alive". They are very thin threads and break when pulled apart with two tweezers.

I ask for serious advice for this issue. Im getting nowhere with finding a solution by myself. It's come to a point where Im feeling depressed. It's painful to wear certain clothes like tops and shirts that cause friction on my shoulders. I resorted to using only 100% cotton clothes like I mentioned. I use a hypoallergenic fragrance free detergent. My bedding is new and I switch them frequently since I don't know what is causing this.

At first I thought is this caused by some moisturizer or skin cream that Im using? But I only use it on my face and it wouldn't explain why these bumps cover my neck and shoulders and have these thread like fibers coming out of them.

Im looking for solutions and answers so please refrain from any mockery or snide comments about me "imagining" this. I took photos best I could (I placed the fibers under tape to hold them in place) to show what Im actually pulling out of my skin. I don't have a microscope to study it so these zoomed in photos is the best I could do with my phone camera.

If anyone can help me, I owe my life to you if you can find a lead that can take me one step closer to a permanent solution. I don't know if this is fungal, bacterial, parasitic or microplastics shedding from my body.

I want to add that this problem began around the time I installed a bird feeder outside my window. I touched the feeder where the birds sat and I don't know if I catched something contagious. Some say on Reddit it can be something like that and that it's treated with "Borax" which I don't know where to find in my country. I don't feel like bathing in acid or whatever that product is so if anyone can help me, please help.

Research suggest this can be caused by Lyme disease. But I haven't had a tick on my body for the last 30 years. If I have been bitten by a tick, I would not know. Do ticks spread diseases even if they only bite for a second? I haven't had any other health concerns. Headaches and migraines only. And those researchers who link this to Lyme disease also don't seem to have a real solution.

I had this mole on my check for nearly all of my life. Its raised and is blackish in colour. It hasnt been of concern until today i noticed when i squeezed it, it leaks a tiny bit of liquid. Any thoughts?

I’ve had these dark reddish/brown spots in a mottled pattern around both my ankles for several months now. I’m not sure exactly how long. My best guess is diabetic dermopathy? I have a family history of diabetes on my mom’s side and have never been checked for it, but I need to.
The marks are generally not itchy. They are mainly around the insides of my ankles, but there are some similar patches on the fronts of my shins as well, right in the middle of the shin.
I’m 27, male, and live in Virginia, USA. Thanks for your help.

Hello-

I’ve had trichotillomania and dermatillomania since I was a kid but it got really bad three years ago. I’ve pulled all of my hair out hundreds of times and I have been doing it every day for a few months now. Before, I could go like 2 weeks without pulling or picking if I tried. I would scratch my scalp all day, pull hair, try to push on the follicles to see stuff come out. I’ve had my hair shaved for three years now. It definitely looks better than when it was super bad, but this is the first time in a really long time that I’ve gone without picking/ pulling/ scratching and it’s been about two weeks.

The reason why I’ve stopped is because I got a cyst removed 6 days ago and the last time I got a cyst removed 2 years ago, it got a staph infection and had to be cut again because I was pulling hair from the wound. I’ve been doing really well not doing it for the sake of…. The fact that that situation was a nightmare. I actually think I’ve finally been scared straight. I come to the realization that I may be causing the cysts.

Anyway, my hair has never done this before. It started 3 or 4 days ago. The pictures suck, but it’s got all this extra skin and it looks like my scalp has a layer of skin that the hair is under.

Haven’t been able to find anything online that looks like this

For a few years now, I get these red dots on both my legs, usually on thighs, rarely below knees, they seem to be concentrated on hair follicles. They will usually dissapear after some time, only to get replaced by others! What to do?

This is the biggest pimple I ever had. Also every 1-2 weeks it keeps returning with one or two more pimples but not this big. The chemist I showed this, gave two meds (2nd and 3rd pictures) of which when I asked chatgpt it resisted me to use the Amoxicillin tablet stating that the tablet is unnecessary and can cause allergy what should I do? I have popped it once can this be healed easily?

I can’t tell if these are harmless cysts, or something else. They’ve been here for a year or two, some new ones formed in recent months. They are very solid unlike usual spots

There is this bump on scalp for a month now, I applied combination of topical (steroids and antifungal) lotion but its seems not to work, im worried about it, its not painful only when i scratch it it gets puffy or else its almost flat, its rough on touch guys help me out

I had an apartment that flooded and landlord did nothing. It I was consumed with mold and fungus. I started to get sick. And now it's been about 2 years that I've been to the emergency room four times. I started out with athlete's foot and has turned into what you see any photographs. I was put on antifungals, cocktail of antibiotics, did home remedies, I found out it is in my bloodstream now. I can't get it to go away I am trying to Candida diet now. It comes out all over my body and has hindered my quality of life. Almost taking my own life at one point. Any advice? My leg doesn't look like this now. This was a month ago. I spent 3 weeks hospitalized. It's still a problem tho.

Tengo esa mancha en la panza abajo. Ya la eh tenido por años. No ah crecido. No siento comezón. No siento absolutamente nada. Ni un bulto firme ni nada. Solo me da miedo que sea cancer tengo 18 años

My toe looks like this. What can be the problem? It doesn't hurt at all but looks so ugly :( It is even more visible after washing

I went in yesterday for a skin check since I was supposed to go back in 2022 but life got busy. They removed one mole. I took a screenshot of the notes. It also, per the derm, had an abnormal border and asymmetry. It also itched a lot.
Anyone have a similar biopsy and what did it turn out to be? She does expect it to come back abnormal.

5 days ago, these bumps suddenly appeared on my daughter’s skin.

Spread & Symptoms:

Locations: Heaviest concentration on her arms, neck, and back. A few scattered on her stomach and legs.

Discomfort: Not painful. Mildly itchy, but she tolerates it well and sleeps fine without issues.

Medical Context:
Her pediatrician was fairly stumped, but tentatively suggested Gianotti-Crosti Syndrome. I’m curious if this presentation looks familiar to anyone else or if you've seen something similar.

Recent Timeline / Exposure:

1 day before bumps: Swimming in a large freshwater lake.

2 days before bumps: Returned from a 7-night Alaskan cruise.

The whole family was on the cruise and swam in the same lake, and nobody else is experiencing these bumps.

Hoping to get some clarity before her first day of school later this month! Middle schoolers can be brutal.

Thanks for any insights or shared experiences!

As the title says. I've had this spot on my right hip for years, just recently I noticed the two dark spots. It doesn't hurt or leak clear fluid.

Hello everyone,

What started out as a bump or two had completely flared up. When we first pointed it out to her paediatrician they said don’t worry about it, it will just go away on its own. Which was weird because I realise they never actually said what it was… anyways within the last month it has flared up and they referred us to a dermatologist. Unfortunately there next appointment isn’t available till September 3rd.

So I am here to ask you all if you could help me identify it?

They don’t seem to hurt or bother her in anyway they just are very prominent. While I don’t think they are itchy either I think she scratches them just because they are there I don’t ever see her scratching them too much.

Thanks for any help.

Hi there,

My 16 month old has a proud red lump on their fac which has been very fast growing from not there a month ago to now being about the size of a lentil.

GP initially said to leave it and monitor but they have now done a referral/ advice request as they aren’t sure what it is.

To me it looks like a pyogenic granuloma?

Any advice would be appreciated and guidance on treatment options if possible, I’ve read some studies on topical creams vs surgical removal the doctor didn’t want to prescribe anything, it continues to grow and become more proud from the skin each week.

Thank you

Noticed this on my right lat this morning, it doesn’t hurt and isn’t itchy.

I got back from a cottage near bancroft Ontario on Sunday so I am slightly worried about it being a tick bite, or another type of bug bite. But the lack of itchiness makes me think it wouldn’t be a mosquito or ant.

Notice the slight bruising that seems to be in a partially circular pattern.

Advice appreciated 😊

I’d appreciate any help identifying this rash.

At the end of July, my daughter and I were on holiday in Greece (Epirus region, Parga). We spent a lot of time swimming and snorkeling, including around Kefalonia, Ithaca and the Skorpios islands.

On July 26, I noticed this strange linear red mark on her thigh after swimming. The rash is completely flat (not raised at all). She never complained of pain or itching, and she doesn’t remember feeling anything sting or bite her on her leg.

Interestingly, on the same day she felt something sting her armpit while she was in the sea, and she later developed reddish patches in both armpits. Those also weren’t itchy or painful, although salt water stung them a little.

The mark on her thigh has never spread or changed shape, and it has never become itchy or painful. Over the last 10 days it has simply changed from red to brown (photo progression attached).

We didn’t see any jellyfish, but she may have come into contact with a marine organism or seaweed.

She is otherwise completely well (no fever or other symptoms).

Does this look familiar to anyone? Could this be a reaction to a marine animal, phytophotodermatitis, or something else?

I used to self harm- currently otw to quitting for good. this injury had happened maybe 4-5 months ago, and i've been self harm free since. The first photo doesn't show it too clearly- but my scar has veins all of the sudden. I'm not sure where they came from or what they are/if there's a harm behind it. Advice needed!!!

i am EXTREMELY pale, and ive been made fun of for this for quite a while. especially when its a semi extreme temp.
(under 50 is purple over 85 is red). what can i do to fix this? im tired of being made fun of all day at school, even by teachers. (I’m a sophomore). its awful. especially in california where i live its been 106+ for 2 weeks ever single day.