I have patches of white scales on my body. In my armpit they look red. I’ve had it for years and it comes and goes. What is it?
It is almost certainly pityriasis versicolor. This is a fungal infection of the skin that is very common in the tropics and becomes less common as you move south. It is unusual south of Queensland and unheard of in Tasmania.
This fungus can flare and settle, depending on the season, and produces the type of rash you describe. It tends to be chronic, and although treated in an apparently successful fashion, tends to recur in the next summer. The infection prevents the ultra-violet rays of the sun from reaching the pigment layer of the skin, and so in exposed areas you develop a tan that is covered in white spots where the infection is present, giving a polka-dot effect.
Curing the infection does not remove the white spots, because they are due to lack of a sun tan. In areas not exposed to the sun the infection produces red scale-covered patches.
Treatment involves lotions, foams and/or tablets from your doctor. The infection can usually be cured, but don’t be surprised if it comes back again next year.

I have been troubled with fungal skin infections since 5 years ago. It is always worse with the higher temperatures of summer. I have used numerous creams which settle it down, but it always recurs. Is there any cure for it?
I suspect that you are describing a fungal condition called pityriasis versicolor, which causes patches on the skin that spread steadily across the body, often worsening in warm humid conditions, and settling in winter. The patches are red coloured on white skin, but white coloured on suntanned skin, as the fungus prevents suntanning of the area of skin it covers.
There are numerous antifungal creams and lotions that can be bought from chemists without a prescription that control most of these infections, but if these are failing to control your problem, you should see your general practitioner.
Your doctor can confirm the diagnosis, and then prescribe stronger lotions, or tablets that can control the condition. Total cure is difficult unless you live in a cold climate, and many sufferers require a course of treatment at the beginning of each summer.

I developed a very itchy rash in my crotch area while recovering from a knee fracture. None of the anti-itch creams helped. The rash disappeared when the fracture healed. Can you explain this?
When you had a fracture, you would have been less active than normal, and certainly moving the fractured leg less than normal. You would also have been unable to bathe or shower yourself properly because of the plaster.
In these circumstances it is possible for the sweat to build up in the crease between your leg and groin, and with the heat of summer, the friction between your leg and groin skin and sitting down more than standing, the irritated skin in the area would become a prime site for a fungal infection. Technically, this problem is called tinea cruris.
Fungal infections will not recover with the normal anti-itch creams, but require specific fungus-killing creams for a cure. These are available from chemists and on prescription from doctors. Keeping the affected area cool, dry and clean is also important.
Once your fracture healed, you became more active, did not spend as much time sitting, and could bathe more easily—thus curing the rash.

I am 70 years of age and have developed a skin rash between my legs in the groin area. The rash is itchy after a shower, and all sorts of creams and ointments from the chemist have failed to fix it. They just seem to control it for a while, then it comes back.
The most likely cause of your rash is a fungal infection of the warm, moist skin in the groin area. Fungi are microscopic plants, rather like the green slime on stagnant ponds, that can infect the skin and gut. They like areas that are warm (under clothing), moist (from sweat) and irritated (by scratching or folds of skin).
There are a number of antifungal creams and lotions available from chemists and on prescription from doctors that can kill the fungal infection of the skin, but the condition often recurs if the source of the infection is not removed. The fungus can remain deep in the skin for some time after the rash has settled, so it is important to continue with the treatment for several days after the rash has cleared.
The other source of infection is the gut. Fungi live quite normally inside your intestine, but if excess numbers are present, they can come out the back passage, and infect the warm, moist skin around the anus. From there the infection can easily migrate to the groin. It is therefore sensible for a doctor to prescribe an antifungal tablet that will clear the gut of infection when a skin infection recurs repeatedly. Some types of tablets can also assist the creams or lotions in clearing the infection from the skin itself. You should see your doctor for further advice and treatment.