hi found you this nice piece of info from <link> autoimmune progesterone dermatitis (apd) is a rare skin condition in women that recurs in a cyclical manner corresponding to their menstrual cycles. it is thought to be a response of the skin to the hormonal changes that happen just before menses. characteristically the skin eruptions occur during the luteal phase or the late pre-menstrual phase of the cycle. this is when the blood level of the sex-hormone progesterone rises. the skin rash happens as an autoimmune response to the body's own progesterone hence its name. within a few days of menstruation when progesterone level falls there is partial to complete resolution of the rash. it will recur during the next cycle. some patients have had previous exposure to external progesterone in the form of oral contraceptive pills. this is thought to pre-sensitize patients to react against their own internal progesterone. however not all patients with apd are exposed to previous hormone therapy. it has been postulated that these patients produce an altered form of progesterone that incites an immunologic response against it. in another theory progesterone is thought to heighten a patient's hypersensitivity response to another allergen. diagnosis. the diagnosis is usually made from the characteristic cyclical presentation. a skin-prick test with intradermal progesterone is helpful. positive tests with progesterone can be fairly rapid usually developing as urticaria within 30 minutes of inoculation or delayed with rashes peaking at 24-48 hours. provocative testing with intramuscular or oral progesterone can be performed as an alternative. skin biopsy alone is seldom diagnostic. a variety of histological features have been described. superficial perivascular mixed inflammation is the most consistent finding. treatment the skin problem is mild it may improve with topical steriod’s (for eczema) and antihistamines (for urticaria). severe disease may be treated with corticosteroids. the production of progesterone can be suppressed with hormone-based therapy. this includes the use of conjugated oestrogen (american spelling estrogen) ethinyl oestradiol (estradiol) tamoxifen and danazol. women with autoimmune progesterone dermatitis should try to avoid medications containing progesterone including the combined oral contraceptive pill minipill depo injections. the specific drugs to avoid include norethindrone norgestrel levonorgestrel. surgical removal of ovaries or oophrectomy has been shown to be curative in refractory cases. dop hope this helps you. good luck
underarm rash during menstrual cycle. every month usually a day or so before my period i develop a rash underneath my arms near but not in my armpit. its usually a cluster of red dots that sometimes itch. sweating tends to make it worse (the itching). i thought it was soap detergent deodarant or shaving cream. changed each one at a time to test and see. nothing changed. the rash usually goes away within a few days but is very embarrassing!