Itchy red bumps on abdomen

About 2 weeks ago I noticed itchy red bumps developing on my abdomen/chest. They are red, only slightly raised, the size of a mosquito bite and are itchy. They are only on my upper half (chest, back, abdomen and arms). None on my legs. Any thoughts on what this could be?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It is very difficult to confirm anything without examination but it can be swimmer's itch, scabies, pityriasis rosea or popular urticaria. Scabies is characterized by intense itching, usually at night and by small insect-type bites lesions on the skin. Diagnosis of scabies is made by scraping the skin and viewing the material under a microscope to see the characteristic mite or eggs.

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 dermatologist. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.