Itchy, red bumps on legs/ankles

[AzureStars]

About a week and a half ago, I noticed the bottom half of my calves were covered in small red spots(they were barely bumped up, if at all). Then, last Sunday I woke up with incredibly itchy bumps(so bad that it's actually woken me up at night) on both of my ankles, and at this time the other spots were gone. Now, I still have the itchy bumps(which don't seem to have gotten any better) and the small red spots on my legs have returned.

I've pretty much ruled out allergies, since I haven't been in contact with anything different than normal. Same with bug bites, especially since they don't appear to look like a bite at all. I'm completely puzzled...any help?

Pics: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y211/xostarshinexo/legsores.jpg

[zyphoid]

You need to see a dermatologist, or your regular doctor. Your spots look a lot like vasculitis, which can be from an allergic reaction to something or a medicine (especially if you've taken a new medicine recently, or something different than normal - even ibuprofen, etc.), or sometimes caused by something more serious - or, like me, a case that affects the skin only for no reason. It does definitely need to be looked at and monitored by a physician, if only to identify the cause if there is one. Please be sure to have it looked at right away if you haven't already.

[candygoth87]

ok i have been reading these all night and no one can help me, i haven't been swimming, or had new medicine, and my allergies aren't acting up, but i have these little mosquito like bumps that started on my feet, then spread on my legs, thighs, arms, back, shoulder, and ankle they itch very badly, and some look almost like pimples but are not, the only thing i have done differnetly is been walking to work(about 7 blocks) in the sun, but im wearing a polo and jeans (uniform) they are growing worse and worse everyday and i'm strarting to freak out because no one knows what it is please help someone, i just need to know if its serious or if i can just take some benedryl to make the itch go away and maybe the bumps will too...

[Peppie423]

I just went to the beach this past weekend and i have similar bumps on my calfs... every one in my party has the same... and the only thing we can figure is some type of sand mite or something... the bumps have been itching for days now and it all started we two of my friends were digging and sturring up the dirt... ***@****

[sylvia6204]

i have the same problem. I woke up in the middle of the night with these small, red, ITHCY bumps along the top and sides of my feet, around my ankles, and going up my legs/calves sporadically. Rescently went to a high school football game with flip flops on. My whole family went, but I;m the only one affected by this. Chiggers maybe? No. I don't think so. They are not fluid filled. But the itching is driving me crazy!!!! Please help.

Itching in Arkansas

[jabh]

I have this too; off an on for years.  There is nothing visible, it itches like crazy usually at night, then it looks like bites.  All around my ankles and a few up my calves.  They itch like crazy then scab over. Any answers?

[llk09]

i have the same thing and i have nooo clue what it is. Mine act up at night also like you said and thats usually when its worst. Maybe its dry skin??? I have no clue

[hulagirl429]

I have atopic eczema and I have had it all my life.  I found that when I do go out into the sun for a long period of time, at night I am itching like crazy.  It happens to be heat rash around the sensitive areas, like my stomach, around my bikini line and around my arm pits.  I found to take a shower after the beach or being in the sun and after the shower I lather my body with baby oil to trap the moisture and then I put cortizone on the really itchy areas.  IT is very annoying and uncomfortable, but it usually goes away in a day or two.  My dermatoligist said I am pretty much allergic to everything.

[suzziebaby]

i have had these itchy red spots on my feet,ankles and legs,they are driving me crazy...... i started a job as a carer about 3 months ago and first doctor said scabies they didnt clear up with treatment,then 2nd doc said athletes feet thet didnt clear up then 3rd doc said flee bites....it still havent cleared up i have tried all sorts of cream but nothing working ...i goto go to 4th doc next week but i dont think they will know what it is...im going nuts scratching especially in the night,anyone know what i have got???   B....

[biged44]

I too have had really itchy pimples around my ankles.  It started several months ago with one and know have two or three around each ankle.  They are itchy for a week or two then subside leaving the skin darkened where the pimple was.  I think that they may be caused be resulting from a bacterial or fungal infection.

[skrilla]

I too have the same and my skin has gone exceedingly dry also.  I have just moved to London ( v cold) so my skin has  gone quite a bit drier.  Once I moisturise (use Shea Butter formula) the itching goes and they seem to subside.  I think it’s a reaction to temp which can affect people with sensitive skin.  Just moisturise and exfoliate twice a week to get rid of excess skin and it will help heaps.

[woblesox]

Have had these very itchy bumps on the upper surface of the foot, ankle and lower calf.   Usually only in the winter months, but the most unusual symptom (along with some of the other posts) is that the itching occurs at night and has woken me on occasions.   Sometimes the scratching will severe and cause surface abrasions.  

Also as biged44 describes, when the bumps stop itching the bumps fade to dark spots.   Whereas I don't know for certain what the cause is I HAVE FOUND A CURE.   After washing with soap or after  a bath rub Nappy cream containing zinc oxide all over the area.   You'll find you get some relief on the first night.  Wash and reapply every day for a week and you should be OK.   Then if it recurs do the application of zinc oxide cream straight away and the bout of inching will be minimised.   Post back on this thread if it works please.    

That would make you think it is a fungal infection, but the way it happens at night sounds a little like Demodex mites.

[MalVirus]

Errr.. weird, because I only have red bumps on my right ankle and slightly above it, and near my hip [right side].
I noticed I got them when I was walking around in the street for a couple hours, then coming home and noticing them when I took my socks off. [I was wearing shoes that day too.]
I only noticed I had some on my hip a few hours later. I haven't gone to the doctor yet since it was only recent, so should I or will it just fade away overtime?

[MalVirus]

Forgot to meantion, after I scratch them for a bit, they tend to swell very quickly then go swell down quickly as well. (Woke up scratching, whoops.) It went down in minutes.

[MattC25]

I have these bumps right now...I have had them before and my wife does not....This is all I have gathered: She works in the A/C and I was working in sun yesterday and it was 100 degrees. I didn't work long so I didn't think I was too dirty and ended up falling asleep before I could get a shower. She took a shower....Anyways I noticed my feet smelled pretty bad from that day and when I woke up most of these bumps were around my ankle, all of which had pimples on them and itched badly. My take is that this has to do with being dirty, sweaty, stinky and that is what is doing it. Now with that it could be (2) more things. There could be bugs that are hopping on during the day that could be microscopic and you don't see or feel them or it could be a reaction to the heat. In any case I suggest taking a shower at night before going to bed and wash around your ankles and feet especially!

[peykay]

There are posts about this all over the net.  I've been suffering from it for the last 6 weeks.  ankles and intenst itch everywhere during the night.  It's not scabies because my dogs don't have it.  It's not bed bugs because they're visible to the naked eye.  I also have it in the webs between my fingers.  It has been passing between my brothers and my father and myself with no apparent lengthy connection.  Just quick visits. It also seems to come from the couch for all four of us.   We are all treating it differently.  Tea tree oil, hydrocortizone cream and lindane lotion all seem to have varying positive effects with nothing substantial from any of them.

[rayna1616]

in may i got a few itchy red bumps on my right calf, they started spreading and when they healed the pigment in my skin was gone. in september they were still there so i went to a dermatologist and the piopsy revealed that i had a "fixed drug erruption". i had become allergic to something i had been taking. so i quit taking OTC pain reliever. after a few weeks it was still there, so i realized my multi-vitamins were doing it too. that didnt make sense until i talked to someone at pharmaca, he said i'm allergic to the fillers they put in generic pills, they add something so they can produce massive quantities. since i quit taking everything i havn't had any problems. hopefully this helps someone out.

[Todd333]

Are any of you Diabetic?

[SquigmanFraud]

I've had these same itchy bumps on my ankles off and on for the last 6 months or so, some times they itch and sometimes they don't.  I work in a shop 9hrs a day with no climate controls, and I wear leather work boots with tall socks.  I think it has something to do with dampness being held by the sock around your foot or ankle, however that dosent cover the people who were in sandals. What I have noticed like tonite, I was in my work socks/boots from this morning till 10PM working, when I took the socks off they started itching almost instantly.  This could be why it seems like it happens at night.  Most nights I'm out of them at 5PM and have showered.  The other thing is if they start itching don't scratch them, the will only itch more, raise up, and hurt.

[Bronze44]

It's real simple you have wats called chigers they get in the sand and at times in sertain bushes you can put nail polish on them and they suficate but if they are every where then go yo your doc and tell him you have chigers.

[dljm]

Yes, I think you're right about the vitamins/herbal supplement idea causing red, itchy bumps.  After I read about your experience, it hit home with me because I take a lot of vitamins and herbal supplements everyday.  As an experiment I haven't taken anything for 3 days and all my itchy bumps have disappeared.  (thank goodness!)  Now I will try gradually re-introducing these things one at a time in hopes of pin-pointing exactly the "bad ones."  Thanks!

[dljm]

Besides the idea that itchy rashes can be caused by vitamins and/or herbal supplements, here's another possible cause - when I changed detergents, my husband's under arms and lower arms started itching and showed a red rash - when I went back to the old detergent, his rash went away.

[mamabof3]

it's not chiggers. chiggers do not get under your skin as they are too big. they eat on your skin and the saliva that is left behind irritates your skin and causes pimple like bumps.  there is no cure except time. your body has to get rid of it on it's own. if you itch it spreads it causing more bumps. you can use an anti itch cream to help but finger nail polish does nothing except remind you to not itch. you can get rid of chiggers by taking a warm soapy bath and cleaning anything you have been in contact with,  like clothes or blankets,  as there could still be some chiggers on it.

[malia86]

Im having them right now.they are big and they appear on both of my feet and undernieth my right knee. My boyfriend is having them  *** well,but only on one foot on the back of it. I cant help but  to scratch them ( unfortunatelly;(( ) and afterwards they become kinda swollen and little holes become to appear in them.They ar enot single bites. Its 3 to 4 very close to each other. Have no idea where we could get them from. we are not allergic to anyhing,havent been taking any herbal etc. stuff... Im so annoyed with the look of them bumps and at the same time worried that i got bitten by sth more dangerous...

[atechristinamage]

I have these red itchy bumps on my legs for almost a year now. It started when I migrated here to Canada. They come and go, come and go all of a sudden, with or without me putting topical cream for temporary itch relief. Once a bump disappears, another one appears. During winter, the bumps are only in my legs. Now that it's summer, there are bumps all of a sudden in my shoulders and even in my armpits. They itch really crazy during the night. When I scratch, it makes the bump swell easily and even spread out and become a bigger bump --it's itchier!!!! It's not a bite, it's not bleeding. During summer, I seldom go out so it's not caused by heat from outside. Our house is pretty air conditioned. When they do heal, they leave dark scars. The bigger the bump is, the bigger the scar is too. That's also annoying. I've used 3 creams so far but they're not effective at all in treating the itch most importantly. Please help.