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Erythroderma, or red man syndrome, causes inflamed, red, and flaky skin and can be a symptom of a larger problem. Treatment varies depending on the underlying cause, and corticosteroids are often prescribed. It can be life-threatening and is more common in men over 40 with a family history of skin conditions.
Erythroderma, also known as red man syndrome, is a condition that typically causes the skin to become inflamed, red, and flaky. It can be a symptom of a larger problem, such as a drug allergy, lymphoma, or psoriasis. Occasionally, doctors are unable to find a cause for the syndrome. Treatment for the condition can vary depending on the underlying cause.
The most common symptom is redness of the skin. The affected areas will typically become dry and flaky, sometimes peeling off. Inflammation and thickening of the skin is common during erythroderma. Fever and chills might also accompany the rash-like symptoms. Unlike many other skin conditions, erythroderma usually becomes extremely painful and can sometimes lead to death.
In most cases, the infected skin will spread over almost the entire body. Depending on the cause, erythroderma comes on suddenly or symptoms may come on gradually. Typically, the skin will begin to flake after two to six days of other symptoms showing up. As the disease spreads, hair often begins to fall out and nails may thicken or weaken.
A third of erythroderma cases have no known cause, but the rest can be attributed to an underlying medical problem. Sometimes this can be an advanced case of psoriasis. Although most cases of psoriasis are not serious, erythroderma psoriasis often becomes life threatening. It can increase the heartbeat to an unhealthy rate and deplete vital fluids or proteins that the body needs to survive. Those who already have psoriasis could trigger erythroderma by changing or stopping their medications or getting severe sunburn.
Red man syndrome can also be a sign of life-threatening conditions like Hodgkin’s disease or leukemia. About 74% of patient deaths involving this syndrome begin with another serious illness. For this reason, a doctor may want to schedule a series of tests, including a lymph node biopsy, if symptoms of erythroderma appear and an obvious cause cannot be found.
Corticosteroids are often prescribed to treat red man syndrome. This medication is applied topically to the affected skin areas. Many times, corticosteroids are just a temporary fix until your doctor can diagnose the cause of your erythroderma. Eliminating the cause is the most effective method of defeating red man syndrome. Sometimes treatment can be as simple as changing a medication. Red man syndrome resulting from a drug reaction has the fastest turnaround and the highest chance of recovery.
Although erythroderma is a rare condition, some patients are more likely than others to experience this condition. Men are diagnosed twice as often as women, and most cases occur after age 40. Those with a family history of skin conditions are also more susceptible to erythroderma.
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