Clinical Pediatric Dermatology Open Access

Short Note on Acropustulosis of Infancy

Maggy Lessie^* Departmet of Pediatrics, University of South Alabama, Alabama, USA
^*Correspondence: Maggy Lessie, Departmet of Pediatrics, University of South Alabama, Alabama, USA, Tel: +12957856664, Email:

Received: 08-Dec-2021 Published: 29-Dec-2021

Description

Acropustulosis is an itchy, uncomfortable skin condition that most affects babies. Pediatrician may refer to it as acropustulosis of infancy. However uncommon, acropustulosis can develop in older children and adults. Usually, that happens after an infection or injury. Acropustulosis rashes flare up several times over a period of months, regardless of treatment. Most of the cases of acropustulosis of infancy typically disappear by the age of 3. This type of skin condition doesn’t carry with it any other complications or long-term health problems. An acropustulosis rash mostly appears just on the soles of the feet or the palms of the hands. The rash may looks like small, reddish, flat bumps. The bumps can turn into blisters or pustules. The pustules, which appear in clusters called crops, which causes itchiness. In most of the cases, acropustulosis appears during the first year of life. Often, clusters appear on the hands or feet within a few months after birth. Lesions appear less frequently on the sides of the feet and ankles, and on the wrists and arms. In older children and adults, acropustulosis appears primarily as pustules around the fingernails. It can harm the nails, and in the most of the serious cases, acropustulosis can damage the bones. Areas of skin with rashes may slightly darker long after the rashes clear up. Eventually, the skin should return to its normal color. The cause of acropustulosis is not known. At times it develops before or after a child has a similar skin condition called scabies. A child can have an allergic reaction to the type of burrowing mite which gets into their skin and causes scabies. Acropustulosis occur without scabies too. Children with a flare-up can go to their school or day care center. If there is a rash of any kind on your child’s skin, consult your pediatrician as because acropustulosis can be mistaken for other conditions, should consult with your doctor, rather than try to diagnose the problem at initial stage. Tests are usually not necessary to diagnose acropustulosis. Diagnose can usually be done with just a physical examination. An experienced pediatrician is capable to distinguish acropustulosis from chickenpox or other skin conditions. It can be diagnosed through the blood test, that can reveal whether a child has the antibodies for the chickenpox virus (varicella-zoster virus). Treating an acropustulosis rash regularly involves a topical ointment that includes a strong corticosteroid, such as betamethasone valerate (Betnovate). This might help reduce some of the skin inflammation and relieve some of the itchiness. A powerful antibiotic called dapsone (Aczone), which is used topically to treat severe acne, may be used for serious cases of acropustulosis. Both of these drugs have a significant risk of side effects and aren’t often used for children. Try to keep your child to avoid scratching their lesions. Excessive scratching may lead to scarring. Cover your child’s feet with socks to protect their skin from scratching. Soft cotton gloves can keep them from scratching or rubbing their hands too much.