Acanthosis Nigricans? anyone else have this?
 

In the first trimester of pregnancy I started noticing this brownish, velvety patches of rough skin between my breast and under my armpits. My Dr. said that it was a pregnancy symptom, so I let it go.. My daughter is now 9 months old and I still have these nasty looking patches and now my doctor tells me that it looks like a gunfus!!! after a lot of research I found out what is called and that it is not a fungus! It is related to high levels of insulin and other conditions..
Do any of you ladies have this? I am worried that it could be something else.
Thanks for reading!
Take care :wave:

yes, i have it. was diagnosed over 10 years ago. i was prescribed lac-hydrin lotion and when that didnt work, retin-a.
over the years it lightened up when i was at a healthier weight. basically iw as told to "live iwth it" and that there wasnt a whole lot. not exactly what i wnted to hear. i tried some skin bleaching cream in the area on my between the breasts, but it didnt do much. the best results were lightening of the skin, but no difference int eh texture.

I have the same thing...
 

Luisa,

Hi, just wanted you to know you weren't alone. I have the same thing. I have been told that it's yet another wonderful symptom of PCOS (like the hair growth and weight gain aren't enough?). Anyway, I've never really tried anything to get rid of it, it's something I've just come to terms with. I will say that it has lightened a bit and nothing new has appeared since I started on the metformin and low-carbing.

Take care, Jen

Thanks to both of you for replying to my post.
I have since gotten the horrible patches in the inside of my left arm :(
I went to the doctor and he did a bunch of blood test to see how my insulin is so we'll see!
Thanks again
:wave:

I think I get these.... they come and go
always under my arms (from the pits to half way down the underside of my arms.)
Mine do clear up and go away for months at a time (like right now, they're gone.) I just thought it was either chaffing from my arms rubbing my sides of the beginning of psoriasis (my dad suffered with this from age 20 until he passed)

Kara

I'm pretty sure i have a patch of A.N. on my back. It's always been there, but fades and then gets darker. It looks like someone threw a handful of sand at me and it stuck. It almost totally disappeared at the end of my pregnancy and for my first few post-partum months. I'm not sure if that's what it really is, or if it's something else, but i read a description of A.N the other day and i think it probably is.

I tend to have this. I have a dark ring around my neck that looks like I haven't washed it, and my armpits and sometimes my inside elbows as well.

The first time I was put on metformin they really lightened, especially the neck. But another doctor made me stop taking it. I'm on it again now, but the dark spots aren't budging.

Hi!
 

Thanks for replying to my post.
yes it does sound just like you are describing the nasty patches. I have them on the neack, inner elbow and armpits and between my breast. What I don't understand is why I got my test result for the glucose and it's normal. then why do I have this? I am worried it could be something else. I am going to see a dermatologist about it :confused:
well ladies thanks again

Hi Luisa-

Went to the derm too! said nothing we can do about it... like the others i have tried lighteners.. nothing has worked.. the derm md said nothing would work...

just a symptom of early diabetes/insulin levels out of wack!... even though glucose levels are normal.. (so are mine and they are going down even further since i started AD).

They came on for me when i gained my last 30 pounds...

MD said it would go away once I reached a "normal weight"??
I have it on the back of my neck, inside of my elbows and it was starting on my wrists... but since I started AD the wrists have cleared up!

It is kind of one of those medical triads... PCOS, Diabetes/Insulin and overweight...but if we can overcome the roundness and be a "normal-healthy" weight.. all of this should go away.

It is becoming very common ... now with so many people o/weight. And medical providers are seeing it more.

I know the feeling.. when i get my blood drawn.. I start explaining that it is a skin condition and NOT my lack of showering!! Ha! :o

Luisa, thanks for starting this thread and thanks for letting me write!

Take care, :wave:
M

Ring Around the Collar
 

I have always seemed to look like my neck was not washed good, even when I was a kid, and at a more normal weight. My mum would get so frustrated with me, admonishing me to wash my neck, and threatening to take me down and scrub me until I was clean! I have rubbed and rubbed and rubbed and rubbed and the dern thing is STILL there! My friend's nephew is only 4, but he is really overweight, and they were told by his dr. that the darkish ring around his neck was a precursor to diabetes... and sure enough, the poor kid got it. I decided to do some checking on it, and it sounds like what I have had on my neck all these years. It is embarrassing at times, because I love to wear my hair up, and it makes my neck look like I have been rolling in the dirt! I am not aware of it being anywhere else.

Miss Melis & Shadow Q
 

Thanks for replying :D . It is so annoying I have lost a few lbs since I started locarbing but they will not lighten up. the worst is between my breast :eek: . I got this while I was pregnant and now that I think about it my glucose was high during my pregnancy I almost had gestational diabetes. so I guess we're stuck looking dirty!! lol :roll:
Hey have you guys thought about making a journal? that way we can keep in touch and share our experiences! take care ladies!
:wave:

Well then, gals,
 

Clearly the best thing we could be doing to get rid of these darn skin patches, is exactly what we are doing: low carb, exercise, and medication if needed!

I have had AN for 17 years. I weighed 138lbs till 5 years ago. So I know my weight wasnt a factor. But it is a sign of high insulin. Since I have been on glucophage it is disappearing , plus the weight loss helps too ;)

Exercise, dieting and glucophage will take care of it ;)

.... thanks April S....

... we are on the right path..... ;)


take care, :wave:

M-

No problem ;)

Im glad to offer my experiences to help others :)
Yep we are definitely on the right path :)

Hey! I just noticed this morning that mine is way lightened!

The neck ring is lighter, and my armpits are just plain flesh color now! No brownishness!

Woo!

I haven't lost much weight - but this is so thrilling!

Ybella!!!

that is great!! :thup:

like i said... it went away around my wrists too ... something is working!!!!

take care, :wave:
m_

Me too
 

Yes, I have this too. Anywhere on my body that seems to have the most body heat, under the arms, brests, upper-inner thigh. I am lucky that mine is very light, not too noticable. I do not know what I would do for it. I have a big group of freckles in the same dark areas, too. I am glad to read your post, now I at least know what it is. It is nice to read what all of you wright and to know that I am not alone. Sometimes I feel so hopeless about the whole PCOS and obesity deal that I could just break down. All of you sharing helps so much, thanks. :roll:

I had never heard of this before today and just chanced to read about it in a news item I was reading about obese kids. Wow, and I thought I had a weird reaction to the gold necklace I always wear (despite the fact that 3 months of not wearing it didn't clear it up). No longer will I scrub furiously at my neck! It is a pain (in the neck :) ) because it prevents me from wearing my hair up, so it gets pretty hot in the summer!

I shall watch with interest if it fades as I continue the journey DOWN!

i'm with you...
 

Hi ladies,

In a horrible way, it's nice to know that others are suffering through the same thing. Makes you feel less alone. I'm not sure whether I've got PCOS yet because I haven't done all the tests, but my doctor said she thought it was likely, and I've got all the ugly symptoms - the weight, the hair - and yes, the skin darkening. I've had that ring around my neck for as long as I can remember, definitely since I was 12 or 13 (which is when I really started putting on weight) possibly since before - since I started my period, maybe? Also my armpits and my inner thighs. I hate it and am very conscious of it. I've been low carbing for over a year and a half now, and I haven't really seen any of it lighten, although sometimes I think the neck has a bit. But I have lost 55 lbs so far, and my periods have gone back to normal, probably because of that. I actually went to a dermatologist about something else once and asked him whether the neck thing was AN and he said he didn't think it was, but I have to say, I think he's wrong. It just makes so much sense. I know I'm insulin resistant, I've almost definitely got PCOS, low carbing has worked and removes my cravings in a way nothing else ever has, and why else would I have that skin thing. I certainly wash too! Maybe it'll start fading if I continue to lose weight. I certainly hope so. Has anyone here gone on PCOS medication that's helped with the weight loss and/or the hair? I'm not trying to get pregnant right now, so it's the aesthetic aspect I'm more concerned with. And being so sensitive about the way I look, I hate going to a doctor if I don't absolutely have to. Knowing that people have been diagnosed with PCOS and then given something that helped them with the symptoms might encourage me to do the deed and get myself properly diagnosed!

Thanks

Deborah

pcos and dark skin
 

I haven't diagnosed with pcos but I have all the symtems
including the dark skin around the neck and elsewhere.
I got rid of it when I started to bleed for over 3 months
and my doctor put me an anti-androgen called cyproterone
acetate in a birth control type called Diane -35. It regulated my
period tho still heavy, most of the beard,and the dark skin.
I can't seem to lose weight, but Now I have HOPE!!! :yay: :cheer: Thank you

I was diagnosed with PCOS 20 years ago (when I was 17)... but it was just last year that I first noticed dark patches in my arm pits. Had read somewhere once that this often occurs in women w/ PCOS, so once I noticed the dark patches I was able to link it to the PCOS (although I didn't realize how it correlated with high insulin levels - thanks for the info!!)... anyway, I didn't worry too much about the patches since few people actually get up close and personal with my pits :D ... Now for the good news - I just read this thread this morning...and I thought "Wow, so many other people have this, too! Interesting. " Soon after, I took a shower and decided to check out my dark patches - and to my surprise they're almost gone!!! :yay: I couldn't see any evidence of the patches under my right arm... the patch is still there under my left arm, but it's very faint. I couldn't believe it!! I think this is a true testament to how well this diet is working to get my insulin levels under control. I've only been doing the diet for a very short time (3 weeks), but already it's made such a difference for me! Anyway, just wanted to share my "dark patch" story with you. Thanks so much for bringing up this topic and sharing info!!

I have AN and I just figured it out after 33 years
 

I thought i was the only person in the world with a "dirty" neck. I remember vividly my two aunts scrubbing my neck in disgust with alcohol(I still feel my neck burning from being rubbed raw). I felt like they thought I had not bathed when I was perfectly clean. I will never forget that feeling of shame.

I have been so embarassed by the discoloration on my neck for so many years. I am a light-skinned half African American and Native American female so the discoloration really is distinct. I wear my shirts buttoned all the way up to the neck(which is quite hot in the summer time). I only just figured out what I had by searching the net---I was shocked and relieved at the same time. You know, it finally had a name. I was only discouraged by the hoplessness of the treatment or cure---none really. Losing weight COULD help---or some acne medicine called Differin might lighten affected areas slightly--I just want someone to tell me that there is something that can be done to "free" me from this prison. I just want to wear a nice necklace, or a tee-shirt for goodness sake. Help.

Hi, I'm an aesthetician (skin tech) and I'd ask you to see a dermatologist or plastic surgeon to see if the latest in skin resurfacing lazor treatments would get rid of the problem with the patches of brown skin. I'll almost bet it will. Good luck!! :)

kimnq4eva,
You talking about your aunts reminded me of being 12. My mom and great uncle used to harrass me and tell me to go scrub my neck, that I had missed it!!! No I hadn't, actually I was very aware of it and often tried to scrub it myself. There were a few times I remember having them tagteam scrub my neck. I was crying inside, even though I would never let them know. :(

I have found that the use of Vitamin E cream can help soften the patches a bit, but it has to be used daily for a few weeks before you see much change. :idea: I see it help more on my neck, but it also helps keep me from chaffing in the armpits during the summer.

:q: My question for everyone is do any of you who have this darkening of the skin have skin tags? I have been told so many different reasons why I have them. So they go away after you LC for a while? Or with meds? I have noticed that they are popping up all over lately. It was one of the main reasons I decided to return to the LC lifestyle. I figured even if it just stopped new ones that would be good. I have them on my neck, between my breasts, and the worst place is the armpits. They are so thick I can't shave my pits. So I have been cutting my pit hair with scissors when it is long enough. I feel so uncomfortable with this that I hate to wear a swimsuit or anything else that may show any of my arms near my pits! These are gross. To top it off the dr told me to use some toenail clippers and clip them off. I can't-I'm not into self inflicted pain!!!! My aunt has tried to use the electrology machine to shrink them, but it took a LOT of heat. Any suggestions????? :q:

Hi everyone! I am so glad that I started this thread, noone in my family and noone I personally know has AN and so it's nice to know I am not the only one, not that I am happy that so many people have it!! of course not, but at least I feel like I am not a freak!. my patches begun to lighten when I started lowcarbing and I was doing great, but as soon as I fell off the wagon they started to get worse and now they are getting really bad :( so I know that the lowcarbing can help. I have started to lowcarb again but this time is really difficult for some reason. I just need to stick to it!
good day ladies! :wave:

Does anyone out there have any before and after pictures of their success with Acanthosis Nigricans through low carbing and weight loss?

One of my sisters and I (and possibly another sister... ) have this - when I was younger, Mom would make us scrub till our necks turned bright red and occasionally bled lightly from all the scrubbing. She even tried using rubbing alcohol on our necks.

And although I've been trying to tell her for years that it isn't our faults,we do scrub, etc... she didn't believe me.

UNTIL...

she gets diagnosed with diabetes, the doctor takes one look at my younger sister and say... "That dark patch is probably from insulin resistance. You need to watch her for signs of diabetes."

The next time I went over to visit Mom, she told me to watch myself for diabetes and related the doctor story.

I've had AN since I was about 8. Its mostly around my neck, armpits, and groin. My mom kept telling me to quit being lazy and scrub myself..only I was. As I got older, I've used all kinds of methods to get rid of those ugly "dirt marks", from exfoliators to metal scouring pads to the point of drawing blood. I really don't know what else to use in short of removing the actual skin. I read that its related to obesity and insulin resistance. i wouldn't really consider myself obese, nor has any of my family ever had diabetes. its really frustrating bc i always have to wear my hair down and turtle necks to cover my neck, not to mention NEVER being able to wear those comfy tanktops. Can anyone recommend any Overthecounter drugs to take for it? or does laser surgery help? I'm so glad to have found this site where I have so many people to relate to!

hi again,

well my last post to this thread was about a year ago. since then i've lost another 20 or so pounds, and i have to say that i was just looking in the mirror this week and thinking that my neck has really lightened a lot. to the extent that i'd almost think of putting my hair up totally - it looks fine around the sides, and only a little bit discoloured right at the back. whereas before i'd only put my hair up a bit at the front and only if i was wearing a necklace etc so that my neck wasn't too visible. only thing i'm doing different is continuing to lose weight, so maybe it really will disappear entirely once i lose all the weight?

bluberr18 - at your height you're right that you're not *that* overweight, but maybe that doesn't really make that much difference with AN? i don't know, i think it's a sign of insulin resistance and you can have insulin resistance early on, before you put on a lot of weight. i know that i've had this discolouration since i was very young and before i put on all that weight.

i don't know. i still hate it, and it's still there. but maybe it will lighten more - or else i'll just have to put up with it. sigh.

deb