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Can mold on the walls cause allergies and rashes?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

Last year, I moved to a coastal area to go to college. I moved into an older house that had really poor ventilation. As a result, when it was warmer inside than outside, I had condensation on my walls and water beading down. So, soon after I moved in, mould grew on three of my bedroom walls. I had to clean the walls every week with bleach. During this time, I began to get rashes and eczema on my hands and on my legs. They were constantly dry and itchy, and I unconsciously itched them until they bled. Seven months later, I also had extremely dry, red, and itchy skin around my right eye. I unconsciously rubbed the area, which caused it to become inflamed and swollen to the point that it affected my vision a bit.

To treat my rashes, I applied cream to my legs and hands every few hours. For my eye, I applied cream every hour and got eye drops. I also tried Triamcinolone Acetonide Cream 0.5% on my hands. I had a rash from poison oak previously. This prescription cream prevented the itchiness but caused it to dry out enough to start peeling, cracking, and bleeding. So, I stopped using the prescription cream and just used a regular cream for all my rashes.

After about a week of using the cream, the skin around my eye returned to normal, but I still had to apply the cream to ensure it did not dry out and peel. The problem is that I still have a huge rash on my hand and up and down my legs. It has gotten extremely bad as I constantly have scabs or bleeding wounds on my legs from itching, or they have pus oozing out. For the past couple of weeks, I have been waking up five to six times before my alarm to find I am itching my rashes. Now, the rashes seemed to have spread as well. They began on my lower legs and have since spread to the entirety of my legs. My hand rashes started small, the size of a penny. Now, it is the size of a dollar coin. It also seems to have spread up to my wrist and may have started on my other arm as well. I thought of many things that could have caused my rashes, but I do not have many ideas.

  1. Could it be an allergic reaction to the mould on my walls because it started during this time? But I still have the rashes almost a month after the mould had stopped growing. The mould spores could still be on the walls or the environment.
  2. Could I be allergic to the cream? I have used this cream for the past two or three years.
  3. Could I be allergic to the shampoo or the soap? I have had the same bottles for the past nine months, two months before the rashes started.
  4. Could I be allergic to bed sheets? I have had the same bed sheets for the past seven months.
  5. Could I be allergic to food or milk? I cook all my food and have not had any steady foods that I had not already been eating before.I thought maybe I could be lactose-tolerant. Of note, both my parents are, and it started around the time they were in college, so I cut out dairy for two weeks, but nothing changed.
  6. Could it be allergies to pollen? I thought maybe I was allergic to mould in the winter, but now that it was spring, I was allergic to pollen. But I have no symptoms of allergies other than the rash.
  7. Can it be due to dirtiness? I normally shower once every two days. I tried showering daily for two weeks, but no change in the rashes.
  8. Am I allergic to the new place? I went back to my old place for spring break. The week I came back to the new place, my rashes had stopped itching and seemed to be healing completely. The rashes returned in the second week when I was back.
  9. Can it be due to dryness from heaters and the winter weather? The heaters were always on in the winter, and I had to moisturise all my skin more often. The weather is now much warmer, and heaters are not turned on anymore, but I still have the rashes.

I have now had the rash on my hand for six months. I have had dryness around my eyes for three months. I have had rashes on my legs for almost seven months. I plan to go to see a doctor, but I have to wait until I return home. Attached below are three pictures: my eye when it is dry and peeling, my hand rash, and the back of my knee, where it usually itches the most.

Can you please tell me what I could do to help fight these rashes?

Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Jyotisterna Mittal

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Jyotisterna Mittal is a seasoned General Practitioner with a specialization in Dermatology, Venereology, and Cosmetology, and extensive experience in the management of AIDS-related skin conditions. She holds an MBBS and an MD in Dermatology from Baba Farid University of Health Sciences. With over 15 years of clinical experience, Dr. Mittal offers expert care in both medical and surgical dermatology, addressing a wide range of skin, hair, and cosmetic concerns. She is currently practicing in Amritsar, Punjab, India, where she is dedicated to delivering comprehensive, evidence-based dermatological care.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have read your query in detail and do understand your concern.

Judging from your description and the attached pictures (attachment removed to protect patient identity), I am quite sure you are suffering from a kind of eczema known as atopic dermatitis. Involvement of the eyes, the back of the knees. Dry skin and a history of allergies in your family go in favor. Other allergies like lactose intolerance, excessive sneezing, hay fever, etc., may sometimes be associated with this condition. You can take antihistamines like tablet Levocetirizine 5 mg in the morning and Hydroxyzine 25 mg at night. Consult your specialist doctor, discuss with him or her, and with their consent, take the medicines. In severe cases, your doctor may put you on a short course of oral steroids. Moisturizers that are specially meant for such conditions, eg, Cetaphil Restoraderm Body Moisturizer, should be applied twice daily. You may also apply coconut oil or olive oil to your body. Avoid using soap on your skin. Use a medicated soapless cleansing lotion instead, eg, Cetaphil Cleansing Lotion. Do not scrub or bleach this area. Wear cotton clothes. Stay away from allergens like pets and dust. You can use steroid cream like Triamcinolone for the face, Mometasone, or Clobetasol for your body to tide you over severe itching phases.

I hope this will help you.

Thank you.

Medically reviewed by Dr. K. Shobana
Published At June 6, 2018
Reviewed At November 7, 2025

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Jyotisterna Mittal is a seasoned General Practitioner with a specialization in Dermatology, Venereology, and Cosmetology, and extensive experience in the management of AIDS-related skin conditions. She holds an MBBS and an MD in Dermatology from Baba Farid University of Health Sciences. With over 15 years of clinical experience, Dr. Mittal offers expert care in both medical and surgical dermatology, addressing a wide range of skin, hair, and cosmetic concerns. She is currently practicing in Amritsar, Punjab, India, where she is dedicated to delivering comprehensive, evidence-based dermatological care.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Education:

BDS

Professional Bio:

Dr. K. Shobana is a Dental Surgeon specializing in oral health and dental care. She is skilled in preventive dentistry and provides oral hygiene education. She can do restorative treatments such as fillings and crowns. She can handle periodontal problems such as gum diseases and periodontitis. She can do root canal treatment.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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Mold and Skin Companion

How it works

Mold on your walls might be doing more than looking bad. Here is what the connection between indoor mold and skin reactions looks like, and what to pay attention to.

1🧬

What
Is It

2🌬️

Why Mold
Triggers It

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Signs
To Notice

4🔬

How It Is
Diagnosed

5🏠

Managing
Your Home

6🚨

When To
See A Doctor

About your situation

The patient in this Q&A described itchy rashes with dry skin, involvement around the eyes and backs of the knees, and a family history of allergies. They also live with mold on their walls. If your situation looks similar, the details in this companion are especially worth sharing with your doctor.

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Jyotisterna Mittal is a seasoned General Practitioner with a specialization in Dermatology, Venereology, and Cosmetology, and extensive experience in the management of AIDS-related skin conditions. She holds an MBBS and an MD in Dermatology from Baba Farid University of Health Sciences. With over 15 years of clinical experience, Dr. Mittal offers expert care in both medical and surgical dermatology, addressing a wide range of skin, hair, and cosmetic concerns. She is currently practicing in Amritsar, Punjab, India, where she is dedicated to delivering comprehensive, evidence-based dermatological care.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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