Resolved question:
I main lined heroin twice once into either arm in 2007, and had blood test done in 2011 with clean results. Though since I took the drug I have had a few white spots on each arm and one spot above my right knee. Could this be due to a bad mix? Can I do anything to get rid of the spots? I have no intentions of trying the drug again and would like to know of any information you may have to share on this issue.
Submitted:
4 Days
Category:
Dermatologist
Hello,
Thank you for choosing DoctorSpring.
The white patches on your arms and knees would not be related to your heroin use and could be coincidental. Please can you give me more information about the patches.
Do you have itching at the site of the patches? are they increasing in no or in size? Did they all appear at the same time?
Also could you upload few images of the patches on your hands and knees so that I could give you a more definite diagnosis as to what it is and what you should do.
Please reply as a follow up with the uploaded images.
Thankyou
Dr. Kruti Jobanputra Banodkar,
Weeks after the drug taking a dot did appear on my right arm, the arm where the needle poked by accident not deep though. I do think it itched then and know the only dot seen always is above my right knee. The dot above my right knee seems to feel like it wants to push out of my skin and is not painful. Please suggest and any advice that may get rid of the dot/ dots the ones on my arm are seen usually if I'm cold temperature wise.
-Thanks,
Arthur
Hello,
You seem to be having a hypopigmented patch which could occur due to the needle that might have been injected in. We refer to it as post inflammatory hypopigmentation , which means that there is reduction in the normal skin pigment following an inflammatory stimulus, in your case could be the injection.
The treatment to regain the color back would be application of tacrolimus ointment twice a day for two weeks on the affected areas.
It will take a few months to regain the color back.
Please let me know if you have any queries.
Take care