Pruritic Uticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy
Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP), also known as polymorphic eruption of pregnancy, is the most common rash in pregnant women. It normally occurs in first pregnancies during the third trimester with an average onset of 35 weeks. Thankfully, PUPPP does not usually affect subsequent pregnancies.
The rash of PUPPP almost always begins in the stretch marks (striae) of the abdomen. It does not involve the belly button distinguishing it from other common rashes of pregnancy. The rash itself consists of small, red wheals in the stretch marks that grow together to form larger wheals on the abdomen. Sometimes the rash can include small vesicles. Over the next several days, the rash can spread over the thighs, buttocks, breasts, and arms.
The rash is very itchy, or pruritic, hence the name. This condition is harmless to mother and baby, but can be very annoying. It lasts an average of 6 weeks and resolves spontaneously 1 to 2 weeks after delivery. The most severe itching normally lasts for no more than 1 week.
The cause of PUPPP is unknown. It is not associated with preeclampsia, autoimmune disorders, hormonal abnormalities, or fetal abnormalities. Some investigators suggest that the rapid abdominal wall distension damages connective tissue and causes an inflammatory response. One study has shown that male fetal DNA can be found in skin biopsies of the rash. Since 70% of women with PUPPP give birth to boys, a new hypothesis is that male fetal DNA acts as a skin irritant.
PUPPP occurs in 1 out of 160,240 initial pregnancies. [HOW GOD DAMN LUCKY AM I?]
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Turns out, baby boys DNA seeped back through the placenta into my own bloodstream. My body didn't detect it as a foreign body til after he was born therefore it had been given the chance to spread all over my torso, legs, arms, feet and bum. Once detected my body expelled this DNA from my blood through my skin, making me welt and itch uncontrollably. The doctor was called out and I was prescribed an oil-based steroid ointment that once applied managed to further spread the rash from the small welts all over to large patched of horrendous blisters thatweeped and itched and eventually turned my skin to leather.
Apparently my blood couldn't control it's own temperature because of this rash and it over heated, causeing my skin to litterally BURN the oil-based ointment onto my legs and bum where I had applied it. Thus causing my PUPPPs to co-exist nicely as a burn aswel, just to add extra discomfort.
TWO WEEKS OF HELL!
The ONLY thing that helped in the end was Sudocrem and TubeyGrips.
I had not-a-ONE single bloody stretch mark until after this rash appeared, and now i've been left scarred for life. *sigh*
Oh well. Stretch marks and patchy skin means I now don't need a tattoo to mark me as a reminder of Samuel being born.
x
The rash of PUPPP almost always begins in the stretch marks (striae) of the abdomen. It does not involve the belly button distinguishing it from other common rashes of pregnancy. The rash itself consists of small, red wheals in the stretch marks that grow together to form larger wheals on the abdomen. Sometimes the rash can include small vesicles. Over the next several days, the rash can spread over the thighs, buttocks, breasts, and arms.
The rash is very itchy, or pruritic, hence the name. This condition is harmless to mother and baby, but can be very annoying. It lasts an average of 6 weeks and resolves spontaneously 1 to 2 weeks after delivery. The most severe itching normally lasts for no more than 1 week.
The cause of PUPPP is unknown. It is not associated with preeclampsia, autoimmune disorders, hormonal abnormalities, or fetal abnormalities. Some investigators suggest that the rapid abdominal wall distension damages connective tissue and causes an inflammatory response. One study has shown that male fetal DNA can be found in skin biopsies of the rash. Since 70% of women with PUPPP give birth to boys, a new hypothesis is that male fetal DNA acts as a skin irritant.
PUPPP occurs in 1 out of 160,240 initial pregnancies. [HOW GOD DAMN LUCKY AM I?]
---------------------
Turns out, baby boys DNA seeped back through the placenta into my own bloodstream. My body didn't detect it as a foreign body til after he was born therefore it had been given the chance to spread all over my torso, legs, arms, feet and bum. Once detected my body expelled this DNA from my blood through my skin, making me welt and itch uncontrollably. The doctor was called out and I was prescribed an oil-based steroid ointment that once applied managed to further spread the rash from the small welts all over to large patched of horrendous blisters thatweeped and itched and eventually turned my skin to leather.
Apparently my blood couldn't control it's own temperature because of this rash and it over heated, causeing my skin to litterally BURN the oil-based ointment onto my legs and bum where I had applied it. Thus causing my PUPPPs to co-exist nicely as a burn aswel, just to add extra discomfort.
TWO WEEKS OF HELL!
The ONLY thing that helped in the end was Sudocrem and TubeyGrips.
I had not-a-ONE single bloody stretch mark until after this rash appeared, and now i've been left scarred for life. *sigh*
Oh well. Stretch marks and patchy skin means I now don't need a tattoo to mark me as a reminder of Samuel being born.
x