My skin is getting super dry and flaky on my elbows and knees

I’ve been noticing for quite some time now that the skin on my elbows—and especially my knees—is in pretty rough shape; it's red, cracked, and feels inflamed quite frequently. At first, I didn't think much of it, assuming it would just clear up on its own. Since it hasn't gone away—in fact, it's been lingering for a while—I’ve been trying to use various creams, though without much luck so far. Over the last few days, the skin on my left elbow has actually started peeling. Does anyone have any idea what might be causing this, or what steps I should take? And please, don't bother suggesting I see my primary care doctor—I already have an appointment scheduled with a dermatologist, likely sometime next week.

Gregory Turner71 said:Anyone have any clue what this could be or what I should do about it?

Seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, an allergic reaction... honestly, it could be anything. My advice? Don't try to DIY this. Don't go slathering random stuff on it. Just get to a doctor ASAP:

You don't need to tell me to see a doctor. I've already got an appointment with a dermatologist next week.

What is there left to hope for? 🙄

Gregory Turner71 said:What am I even supposed to hope for? 🙄

Look, whatever they end up finding, you can "hope" ( 🙄 ) to spend forever hunting down the right shampoo, soap, or whatever else won't wreck your skin. Maybe some diet tweaks or switching up your clothes will help too...

But honestly, it all depends on what the actual issue is. I'm just hoping you don't have anything serious going on, or if you do, that it's something easy to deal with so you don't have to "hope" for much at all. 🙂

If you’re dealing with any of the conditions urbansailor68 listed, just hope it stays that way for the rest of your life. Honestly, pray you don't have them, because they are a lifelong headache...

I'm crossing my fingers it's just some minor inflammation or heat exhaustion from being out in the sun.

Thanks
*Runs out of the house looking absolutely terrified*

So, there I was at my doctor's office. After about thirty minutes of poking, prodding, digging through my medical history, and basically running every test imaginable—it felt like she was trying to solve a complex puzzle—she finally reached a conclusion. Turns out, she has absolutely no clue what’s going on with this issue, so she just prescribed some cream and told me to come back for a follow-up in three days. We'll see how that plays out.

Hannah Scott69 said:I’m just crossing my fingers that it’s nothing more than some minor irritation or maybe just a bad sunburn.

And here I was, under the impression you were actually studying medicine. 😵

magic said:And here I was under the impression you were a med student 😵

IBM... I don't really get the point of this question.