Itchy Lower Legs/Inner Thighs

So I'm almost 18 years old, lived in CA my whole life and have been having this problem with my legs for about 6 years now since I was in middle school. I've been to a couple doctors but they just misdiagnose me with having Celiacs (I completely cut all wheat out of my diet for 9 months and I kept itching) and Folliculitis (I took the antibiotics he prescribed me with for 2 weeks and all it did was make me feel nauseous). It happens when I take a really hot shower so I try to take lukewarm showers now, and usually at night or if I'm wearing tight clothes. I just moved up to Northern California so I have to layer and my legs kind of prevent it.

When I'm sleeping I can wake up and scratch my legs to no end, I end up having tiny white scars all over my legs and inner thighs and I end up scratching so much that I start bleeding, and the areas where I'm bleeding are usually small and circular and raised. I use lotions and hydrocortisone but it won't stop the itching. For a while I had it on my inner arms and I was prescribed a mild topical steroid which thins the skin, but it cleared up my inner arms, but didn't do anything for my calves.

I'm ready for this to be over, and after I scratch I notice my body temperature goes up and then the skin of my legs becomes very sore and painful, but doesn't itch anymore until the next day.

What do I do now?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It can be due to cholinergic urticaria. It is a form of chronic hives that is caused by an increase in body temperature but can be idiopathic also. Take some antihistaminic like Benadryl or Claritin and apply some calamine lotion on the hives. If the symptoms persist then please get it examined from a dermatologist.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.