Huge papules on legs when hot and humid

Hello Doctor it's me again (sorry),

I've had this strange condition on my legs that would only occur during hot and humid periods.   They are very large papules with the a circumference of say 5mm to 10mm.  They swell up with pus and become incredibily itchy  (as a child I used to scratch all time during summer months).  They mostly concentrated on the shins and calves and are identical to mosquito bites (assuming you're allergic to them as I am).

I must stress that I hardly ever get them anymore nor have they left any scars even though I used to scratch like hell.

I was wandering what these are and if I get any this year what should I use on them?

Thank you again!!!
Cara

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Cara:

To be honest, I'm really not sure.  I suppose they could be folliculitis ("blocked pores"), which sometimes, though certainly not always, appear during hot and humid times.  My advice: keep cool, of you can, and apply a topical antibiotic like bacitracin or neosporin as soo as you get what looks like the start of one of these.  They always go away, but the creams may make them go faster.

Best.

Dr. R