Bumps on thighs, sometimes appear on arm etc

[adam2000]

About two weeks ago i was sitting around and the top of my thigh started to itch. I started scratching and noticed a bunch of raised red bumps scattered on the thigh. After scratching they started to show spots of blood as if i punctured them. Some later appeared on my other thigh, and i occasionally get a couple on my arms. On my face around my cheekbone/lower area of my eye sockets it looks a little red, and my face in that area always feels hot, as if it were sunburn or something. I also had a bad breakout one evening after shaving, this never happens. The bumps have been randomly appearing here and there (nothing in pubic region). The area where the bumps started on my thigh have mostly disappeared, although there are some left that look like they scarred over. The itching comes and goes. Is this serious?

I was using rhinocort daily for nasal congestion and noticed this 'seemed' to start not long after my daily dosage increased. Not sure if the this corticosteroid may have sparked something?

Thanks for your input,

Adam

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

The symptoms don't seem to add up to much.  Unless you're feeling bad overall (fever, etc.), my advice would be to let things ride for another week or two, and leave the spots alone to heal by themsleves.  If they're still present in two week,s you should show them to a doctor.  But you probably won't need to.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[adam2000]

One more thing I forgot to mention...for a while now i would also have these episodes where, when I stretch the palms of my hands out, it looked as if there were hundreds of white bumps under my skin. This would come and go, sometimes, the skin would peel and/or my hands would get itchy. I also notice that my hands are more 'wrinkled' with lines, if that makes any sense...

Thanks for the advice,

Adam

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I believe you are looking at yourself a bit too hard, and noticing minor variations of no real significance.  My original advice stands.

Dr. Rockoff

[adam2000]

You're probably right, i need to find a hobby! :)
Thanks for your time, i appreciate it,

Adam

[sweetskin]

It sounds like Keratosis Pilaris which is extremely common. The rash is most often on the legs (thighs) and the back of the upper arms. It can be quite itchy at times. The best treatment for this is a cream that contains any sort of acid, like retin-a, and you should try the new cream by Nivea the skin smoothing one, it is specificly made for "bumps". READ THIS:

How Can I Get Rid of Rough Skin?

How can I get rid of these patches of rough, bumpy skin?

By Nelson Lee Novick, MD, FACP, FAAD
  

Aug. 21, 2000 -- The "chicken skin" you describe is a common, harmless skin condition known as keratosis pilaris. These rough, goose-bumpy, sandpaper-like patches are usually seen on the backs of the arms and outer thighs but can show up anywhere hair grows.

Sometimes keratosis pilaris is confused with pimples or ingrown hairs. But whereas the bumps in such conditions vary in size, shape, and arrangement, keratosis pilaris is uniform. The lesions are generally the same in appearance and form a regular pattern.

This condition is caused by rough follicular papules -- in other words, the top layer of skin where the hair emerges is jagged and upraised. It is often associated with atopic dermatitis (also called eczema), which is characterized by red, itchy skin patches, but it can also be seen alone. Keratosis pilaris tends to run in families and most frequently occurs in children and teens. Most people simply grow out of it in their late 20s or early 30s.

You're on the right track with the lotion and loofah sponge, but those won't get rid of the problem. What's more, vigorous scrubbing may make the area more inflamed. Follow these steps to minimize the appearance of the bumps:


Purchase a urea cream (like Carmol 20) and ask your pharmacist to mix it with 2% to 3% salicylic acid. Carmol 20 is available over the counter at your pharmacy.

After showering, gently pat the skin dry, leaving the affected areas slightly moist.

Rub the cream on the affected areas and gently buff with a loofah for five seconds.

If your skin shows no sign of irritation after a week, increase the buffing time by five seconds a week until you reach 20 seconds per area. Don't exceed the recommended buffing time, as it won't make the condition go away faster and could cause further irritation.

Once the bumps are under control, you can reduce the buffing to once or twice a week and use plain urea cream, without the added salicylic acid.
If the condition doesn't diminish or gets worse after following these instructions for a few weeks, see a dermatologist.

[starb]

i have been having the same bumps on my thighs for about 4 years now and i have already been to a dermatologist about them and she gave me this cream which did not help at all. a matter of fact it made them even worse. i'v been trying different creams since and none of them seem to work. i still have about the same amount of bumps as i did when i first got them. i don't know how they started and they are really embarrising i don't even go into public with shorts or a skirt on anymore. i wish i could get rid of them before my summer starts in a few weeks.
    Thanks for helping,
             star

[jim84]

I also have itchy bumps on my inner thigh it started out about a week ago. U thought i was bit by a spider or something. It started out wit three bumps on my left inner thigh then like 9 in the same area then i noteced it traveling up my thigh and on my other thigh. It hasnt infect my genitals or anything but it is really anoying.

[triplegoose]

hi about 8 months ago i moved to my cousin's house and have noticed  
that my arms started to itch alot but didnt pay much attention to it ,and it wasnt just a normal itch i would have to scrath it alot of times cause i had went away then came back but anywways ...after about 3 weeks of this i remember that my neck would itch and a few minutes later tiny red bumps would appear then go away ,if i didnt scracth them but i would say it was very hard not to scratch them..so one day i woke up and my cousin had like hives all over her legs i mean a bunch of hives like her whole leg was covered with thme but i didnt really pay much attention to them .now its been 6 months since i ve left that house cause now im living with my mom and the ithcing hasnt stopped ot got worse it was december when i moved in and every night i would itch really really bad all over the back of my head my neck arms and legs someytimes on my butt and wherever the i scrathed bumps would appear like a hive type of bump ...it is june now and ive noiced that the icthing isnt as intense as before but have not gone way i just woke up from this itching on my arms both on the outter area bumos that look like insect bites and also my arms sorta felt like they were burning the bumps are going away at the moment it has stopped itching alreeady
.......can anyone help me figure out what is happening to me?and also i would like to add that my cousin well i dont know for sure but i heard that she had herpes and her husband had ecsema (eczema) ,o and my aunt she too had some kind of itch she was taking medication for it could it be possible that i caught something sitting on the toilet?cause these were the ppl i was living with when i had first got the itch

[triplegoose]

hi about 8 months ago i moved to my cousin's house and have noticed  
that my arms started to itch alot but didnt pay much attention to it ,and it wasnt just a normal itch i would have to scrath it alot of times cause i had went away then came back but anywways ...after about 3 weeks of this i remember that my neck would itch and a few minutes later tiny red bumps would appear then go away ,if i didnt scracth them but i would say it was very hard not to scratch them..so one day i woke up and my cousin had like hives all over her legs i mean a bunch of hives like her whole leg was covered with thme but i didnt really pay much attention to them .now its been 6 months since i ve left that house cause now im living with my mom and the ithcing hasnt stopped ot got worse it was december when i moved in and every night i would itch really really bad all over the back of my head my neck arms and legs someytimes on my butt and wherever the i scrathed bumps would appear like a hive type of bump ...it is june now and ive noiced that the icthing isnt as intense as before but have not gone way i just woke up from this itching on my arms both on the outter area bumos that look like insect bites

[triplegoose]

hi about 8 months ago i moved to my cousin's house and have noticed  
that my arms started to itch alot but didnt pay much attention to it ,and it wasnt just a normal itch i would have to scrath it alot of times cause i had went away then came back but anywways ...after about 3 weeks of this i remember that my neck would itch and a few minutes later tiny red bumps would appear then go away ,if i didnt scracth them but i would say it was very hard not to scratch them..so one day i woke up and my cousin had like hives all over her legs i mean a bunch of hives like her whole leg was covered with thme but i didnt really pay much attention to them .now its been 6 months since i ve left that house cause now im living with my mom and the ithcing hasnt stopped ot got worse it was december when i moved in and every night i would itch really really bad all over the back of my head my neck arms and legs someytimes on my butt and wherever the i scrathed bumps would appear like a hive type of bump ...

[triplegoose]

i would like to know if someone has the same problem i have or had this ..well i just woke up from an itching all over my forearms the outter part they felt like they were burning little insects bites is what they looked like ....everynow and then i would get hives from this itch they used to be worse b4 i had the itching all over my body and after i would scrath bumps would appear can someone help me find out whats happening to my body?

[triplegoose]

i would like to know if someone has the same problem i have or had this ..well i just woke up from an itching all over my forearms the outter part they felt like they were burning little insects bites is what they looked like ....everynow and then i would get hives from this itch they used to be worse b4 i had the itching all over my body and after i would scrath bumps would appear can someone

[koh868]

ive had these bump like things on my legs like everywhere. But they dont stick out or anything like bumps it looks like dots everywhere and when i get out of the shower without putting lotion on my legs my legs look like a dessert. ive tried dead sea salt and exfoliaters but they're still there. Ive had these bumps for like 8 years now. I also have these dry white spots on my upper arm and im very tan please help

[uyenlauren]

A related discussion, Confusion was started.