Bullous Pemphigoid
What is Bullous Pemphigoid?
PLEASE NOTE: Advanced Dermatology does not treat Bullous P. at this current time. This article is for education and information purposes only.
Bullous Pemphigoid is a chronic skin disease that is rare. It causes fluid filled blisters that are very large on areas of the skin that flex. The fluid is clear, but could also contain some blood. The skin around the blisters can be red, but sometimes appears to be normal. The most common places are the upper thighs, armpits, and lower abdomen. It happens commonly in those that are over the age of 60. Skin can be very itchy. Blisters or sores may also appear in the mouth. Mucous membranes may become red and sore, but this is very rare. If the disease is not treated, it can last for months or even years. If a blister ruptures and becomes infected, one can get Sepsis, which is life threatening. This usually occurs in adults that are in very poor health and are older. It is a result of the immune system attacking a thin layer of skin that is below the outer layer of skin.
There are many forms of Bullous Pemphigoid. They include:
- infant form: Blisters on the skin that frequent the palms, soles, and face. About 60% of the cases will have generalized blisters. Blisters could also appear on the genitals.
- Nodular form: This is a rare form with blisters on normal appearing or nodular lesional skin. It resembles Prurigo nodularis.
- Generalized bullous form: This is the most common form of Bullous Pemphigoid. Tense bullae(multiple blisters) form on any part of the skin, mainly on parts that flex.
- Vesicular form: This form is not as common as generalized. Small, tense blisters will form, usually on a urtical or erythematous base.
- Generalized Erythematous form- This is a rare form that resembles psoriasis, generalized atopic dermatitis, or other skin conditions.
- Acral form- Commonly effects the palms, face and soles, it is associated with vaccinations.
- Vegative form- Not common, effects the groin, neck, and other infra-mammary areas.
Causes of Bullous Pemphigoid
Causes of Bullous Pemphigoid is not fully known. However, certain prescription drugs could be the culprit. Those medications include penicillin, furosemide, etanercept, and sulfasalazine. Radiation therapy can also be a cause, as can UV light therapy.
What if I have Bullous Pemphigoid?
If you suspect that you have Bullous Pemphigoid, you should see your doctor. He or she will examine the skin and may also take a sample for testing. If confirmed for Bullous Pemphigoid, your doctor will prescribe some medications for treatment. This might include corticosteroids. This could be in a pill form, such as prednisone, or a cream that you could apply to the effected area. Immunosuppressants could also be prescribed ,which will inhibit the production of white blood cells. Immunosuppressants are often used so one does not have to take as high of a dose of prednisone. Anti-inflammatories may also be prescribed to use alone or in conjunction with other treatments.
Should you be diagnosed with Bullous Pemphigoid, you will want to avoid exposure of the sun. If you must be out in the sun, keep the area effected covered. Watch the foods that you eat as well, especially if you have blisters in your mouth. Hard, crunchy foods will only aggravate the symptoms more. Skin is fragile due to not only Bullous Pemphigoid, but also from corticosteroid cream, so avoid injuring the area. Should you have a blister break, cover it with a dressing to avoid infection.
Bullous Pemphigoid can be fully treatable, and many manage just fine with it. In many cases, treatment is needed for many years. Flareups can occur, but if one follows the treatment plan by their doctor, a good outlook can be seen.
Everyone talks about how bad shingles is! I have never had shingles but I do have BP. The pain is excruciating at points. I have blisters on my effected area, and the skin itches. Currently, my Bullous Pemphigoid is under control. I had a flare up about 6 months ago that really laid me up. It hurt to wear clothes, and even move. I had to take over a week off work because the pain was so bad that all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball. I really am hoping that I never have that pain again. Trust me, having Bullous Pemphigoid is not fun at all.
It states as a precaution, do not eat hard, crunchy foods. I assume that this is only if you have the sores in the mouth. I am sure that salty foods would not be good for one either, as the salt could really irritate the sores too. If you have the sores in your mouth, how do you deal with the pain with this? Can you use hydrogen peroxide to cleanse the mouth? Or would baby teething gel applied to the sores help numb the pain?
For the itching, would a baking soda bath help? I know that soda water is very comforting, and that was the first thing that I thought of. To help with the infection, could hydrogen peroxide help? Are there any natural remedies that one can use to help deal with the discomforts of BP?
I was diagnosed two and a half years ago with Bullous Pemphigoid. I was given injections of corticosteroids. This really seemed to help. Later I was given a prescription for a cream. The cream did seem to make my skin fragile, but I liked using it because it did make my skin clear up. I would say that I must have had a mild case of it. I only have had one flare up and the itching was moderate, skin was a light red. I honestly hope that I do not have flare ups again, or if I do they are mild ones. I have not had any of the mouth sores, but I wonder if that is because I am very fastidious about keeping my mouth clean ( I do oil pulling twice a day with coconut oil, and I really feel that this keeps the mouth ulcers at bay, although I am not positive if this has any effect).
My aunt suffers from BP. I have read up on this and one place said that BP usually goes away within 5 years. My aunt has had it for 3 years. Does anyone know if Bullous Pemphigoid does go away? She is not one of those lucky people that have had no symptoms. She has itching that can be pretty severe. Her skin is red and she says that it always feels irritated.
My grandmother has Bullous Pemphigoid. She had a rash on her stomach, which covers about 40% of the area. She itches constantly, even with the help of an anti itch cream. Her doctor has prescribed her topical steroids as well. However, nothing seems to be helping. I am her primary caregiver, and am thinking that I need to take her to the doctor. I just do not want to see her suffer from BP!
Bullous Pemphigoid sounds very painful. I feel for anyone that is suffering from this disease. Does the itching make the BP spread? Is it contagious? If the blisters are popping, and get infected, that would be awful! I can only imagine how much that would hurt. I know what a small blister feels like. I had one pop and it got infected. I am sure that the pain would be much worse with the Bullous Pemphigoid blisters.
Im currently 17 years of age, and i’ve recently been diagnosed with BP, it wasn’t until the day of my 17th birthday my parents took much thought into the symptoms. Id like to describe the feeling of the blisters when they burst sort of like a burning sensation, though through my experience the pain was so bad i couldn’t lift my arm up or put my arm down because my underarm was covered in bursted blisters, i couldn’t sleep at night because the pain would irritate me to the point that every possible position was just too uncomfortable. Some nights i didn’t sleep at all because the pain was just so excruciating. I also experienced severe itching, on my legs where my blisters had burst and infected, i would constantly itch even the scabs would be itchy and the heat in Australia exacerbated the itching. I came to the realisation that my symptoms of BP and blisters were aggravated when i stressed and excessive sweating.
About 1 year ago now I was told I had bp but have had this condition for 4 years, it is so bad I get blisters over my arms legs belly and the back of my neck and they get infected witch is horrible. Bp stops me from walk stops me from sleeping just stops me from doing everyday stuff and every attack I get is worst then the last I have tried everything cream tables everything I have to lay on my back with cold packs all over me just to try and stop the burning I have even gotten to the point I want to just cut the affected areas off. Bp I just horrible and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone lead alone myself
Where do I get a doctor on Long Island ny that specializes in bullous pemphigoid ?