It's a rare skin disease, no cure, non- itchy (usually) - just ugly. Looks a LOT like ringworm (doctors will often misdiagnosis as ringworm). Little kids often get it and it'll go away. Adults can have it a long time. I've had it about 30 years now. There are many variants of the disease - big circles, little circles, splotches (generalized, localized, etc). Both men and women can get it, goes away in pregnant women so is most likely an autoimmune disease. Could be worse.

Anybody else afflicted? If so, did you find a gluten free diet helped in any way?

I've never heard of it, but just looked up. Maybe that can explain things. I've been to three doctors for what looked like ringworm to me. They all said it wasn't and that that it was probably an allergic reaction and would go away eventually. I've had it now for two years. It's not itchy, not getting in bigger, but definitely not going away and ugly (fortunately it's on my back).

Hi Corinne,

A good dermatologist could probably diagnose you pretty quickly. If you don't mind the idea of a biopsy it could confirm it and if it is Granuloma Annulare - it sometimes goes away after the biopsy for some unknown reason.

It might be worth a trip to the dermatologist. I've only been to family doctors. I haven't done much about it because it hasn't changed.

I went gluten-free (and dairy, soy, corn, rice and legume free) a year ago and it didn't change anything.

Gosh, that isn't what I wanted to hear. I had hoped the gluten-free lifestyle would make the GA go away, but maybe it is what has kept yours down to just one spot?? I've never had it to the extent of some of the people I have talked to - mine tends to show up on bony areas such as my hands and feet and my joints - elbows and knees. Some peeps have it pretty much everywhere. It'll be interesting to see if there is a change in mine while on this diet.

Let me know if you see a dermatologist or if you want to read more about the disease. I used to run a message board (which no longer gets any new postings, but you can still read the old posts) and I can tell you where there is an active board as well.

I have GA as well and it started about 3 years ago under my arms. The circles are really large under my arms and I can't wear tank tops anymore. This year it started to show up on my torso and under my breasts and also in the growin area. It seems to be showing up mostly where a person perspires except the torso. I also have some just starting to show up on the top of my feet. It is very irritating. I went to a dermatologist and he is going to do a biopsy at the end of this month, January 2008. I am trying to find out more about this disease but don't know much as of yet. If I learn anything I will let everyone know.

Since I was nine years old, I was diagnosed with GA. I only got it on my hands, and it would get worse during the summer as the rings would emit heat and become very red. I tried the topical steroid route but it was symptomatic treatment not a cure. When I was 21, I stopped eating dairy completely after a homeopathic doctor told me I was allergic just by looking at me.I started to notice that every time I consumed dairy, it would be clockwork that it would show up on my hands within 3 days. Now four years later, I keep a strict dairy free diet and as long as I do not eat dairy, I do not get the granuloma on my hands. Two years back, I decided to eat a piece of cheese while taking some digestive enzymes, my stomach was fine for a few days but I looked down and my hands were covered in granuloma annulare!! Soooo, that was when I really saw the correlation . The reason enzymes do not work is because enzymes are directed towards the milk sugars (lactose) not the milk proteins!