Is this a spider bite

[spiderbite]

I have some photos that I would like to send to you, but do not see any place to do so.  1 wk ago started with 2 little bump like zits, then went to approx 1" diam with dead red skin in the middle with white blister like bumps surrounding.  Dark red dead skin in the center.  I have 3 of these and they are on my hands and wrists.  Have major itching sensations and the white blisters are popping with clear liquid. Keeps getting larger. Moisture brings out the white blister like bumps.  Water does the same. Thought it was ring worm, treating with Lotrimin AF. Have photos, is there any way to send them.  Need other treatment options. These resemble the pictures of the jumping spider bites that was found on the internet.  That address is - www.surviveoutdoors.com/emergency/spiderbite_recluse.asp. Please advise asap.
Thank you

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

They do sound like bites.  Spider bites are a possibility, but it doesn't matter that much.  Treatment for such bites is just keep them clean and to apply an antibiotic ointment like bacitracin or neosporin twice a day.  By this point, systemic toxicity--which isn't very common anyway, even with spider bites--does not seem to be a concern.

Please see a doctor in person to confirm these impressions.  In cases like yours, diagnoses cannot be established by internet research.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[FixitGuy]

My daughter had the same thing. What you probably have are boils. They look almost exactly like a recluse bite. The difference is that a boil will develop a white sack that surrounds the infected center portion of the red spot. Look real close when the spot starts to swell and ooze clear fluid, blood, or redish fluid. If the red swollen area is really tender and painful, and you can press a couple fingers on either side of the raw spot to try to force out some of the fluid. If you can get some fluid to come out and the pain of the pressure buildup eases up, chances are it is a boil. Especially if you can see traces of a very white substance(the white sac)coming out. The white sac may be visible surrounding the raw area. I use a handheld vacuum pump with some clear tubing to seal over the raw spot to gently suck out the fluid. If you do this, the sack will become visible if it is a boil. Also, boils have a tendency to reoccur around the vacinity of the original outbreak. Boils are very contageous. My daughter got them after babysitting my nephew that had them. Go to the drug store and ask the phanmacist for boil cream and bacteriacide. This is my own situation. You may or may not have a boil. It may be a recluse or yellow sac bite. They are very similar. Your doctor will be anxious to give you an antibiotic. I am personally against it unless you know for certain that it IS a spider bite. Topical application of the afore mentioned drugstore stuff will give you great relief in short order, if it is a boil. Do some research on boils as well as spider bites.

Been there, doing it.

FixitGuy

[ahaynes]

My child had a place to come on her upper thigh, Christmas was two years ago. I took her to the doctor they said spider bite gave her antibotics sent her home. Since then she has had three more places to come up on the same leg. She has now seen five different Doctors and none can tell us what these places are they come up with a blister, sore to the touch, fever, swells her leg and then after a week they burst and they always leave a brusied area. This accurs every two or three months. Have any of you every heard of anything like this. The Doctors said that it was not staph.