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Dermatology (Expert Forum)
Red itchy bumps face, legs, arms...now itchy rash on abdomen.
Answered by
Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems
The Rockoff Dermatology Center
Brookline - MA
Welcome to the DERMATOLOGY FORUM! Questions in this forum are answered by Dermatologists from St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, under the direction of Andrew Alexis, M.D., M.P.H.
Red itchy bumps face, legs, arms...now itchy rash on abdomen.
by rainbow6, Aug 08, 2006 12:00AM
33/F Fair skin, freckles.
It all started this past January. I was in Arizona for several weeks. On they way home to the east coast, I noticed some red bumps on nose and cheeks. I thought it was adult acne and very strange for me. Also at the same time I had some itchy bumps on the side of right knee and some on other leg also. I thought the itchy red bumps on legs were from hiking: one day I was pricked by a prickly plant in Arizona. And I thought the bumps on face were something unrelated. About same time I had ithcy red bumps on arms (about 3 red itchy bumps per arm).
About a month(no more than) after I got home to NJ I went to see a dermatologist, because the bumps on face were not totally going away. They were red and ITCHY! no pus. I would put camomile lotion on at night and even take antihistamine. I put neosporin on and cleaned with alcohol. Wash face daily with Cetaphil(didn't use while in AZ). I still had ithcy remnants of red bumps on legs and arms. So went to dermatologist.
Dermatologist said contact dermatitis from cactus like plant in AZ. Dermatologist prescribed: Fluocinonide .05% Ointment. She said just put a little on bumps twice a day for 2 weeks.
And Cephalexin 500 mg capsule. 1/day for 2 weeks.
It did not clear up totally, as a matter of fact they were starting to fade when I saw that dermatologist so I am not sure if her prescriptions did anything.
Today it is August and I still get them. I have never gotten so many on face as when it first broke out, but I do still get, usually one or two bumps at a time. The first time there was probably 10 on nose and cheeks! Just several days ago I got an itchy red bump about 1 inch under left eye. (still there) Before that several on back of left arm. Before that several on left dorsal ancle toward calf. Right leg also. They last about 2 to 3 weeks each.
---NEW---About 2 weeks ago I started getting itching on my abdomen: above my belly button and below my breasts. It looks more like a very faint rash, no raised bumps, almost blotchy, but itchy!! I put some aloe on it. Related? I never get rashes until all this happened.
I have changed my body lotion from neutrogena (free of dyes and perfumes) to a more natural lotion just recently. I use Tide laundry detergent mostly. I switch my hair and face products regularly. I don't know of any food allergies. The only thing I was really allergic to is dust mites(tested about 11 years ago).
My husband has none of these symptoms.
I see my primary care doc tomorrow. I don't want to go back to that dermatologist, but will see a different one. I will show my doc my belly. I thought this may have to do with the nervous system. I have had some stress lately (but don't we all?)
I have low antibodies for Rubella, but mumps and measles show good levels of antibodies(recent titres done).
Could this be Shingles?? or some internal infection manifesting on skin???
Please advise..
Thank you
It all started this past January. I was in Arizona for several weeks. On they way home to the east coast, I noticed some red bumps on nose and cheeks. I thought it was adult acne and very strange for me. Also at the same time I had some itchy bumps on the side of right knee and some on other leg also. I thought the itchy red bumps on legs were from hiking: one day I was pricked by a prickly plant in Arizona. And I thought the bumps on face were something unrelated. About same time I had ithcy red bumps on arms (about 3 red itchy bumps per arm).
About a month(no more than) after I got home to NJ I went to see a dermatologist, because the bumps on face were not totally going away. They were red and ITCHY! no pus. I would put camomile lotion on at night and even take antihistamine. I put neosporin on and cleaned with alcohol. Wash face daily with Cetaphil(didn't use while in AZ). I still had ithcy remnants of red bumps on legs and arms. So went to dermatologist.
Dermatologist said contact dermatitis from cactus like plant in AZ. Dermatologist prescribed: Fluocinonide .05% Ointment. She said just put a little on bumps twice a day for 2 weeks.
And Cephalexin 500 mg capsule. 1/day for 2 weeks.
It did not clear up totally, as a matter of fact they were starting to fade when I saw that dermatologist so I am not sure if her prescriptions did anything.
Today it is August and I still get them. I have never gotten so many on face as when it first broke out, but I do still get, usually one or two bumps at a time. The first time there was probably 10 on nose and cheeks! Just several days ago I got an itchy red bump about 1 inch under left eye. (still there) Before that several on back of left arm. Before that several on left dorsal ancle toward calf. Right leg also. They last about 2 to 3 weeks each.
---NEW---About 2 weeks ago I started getting itching on my abdomen: above my belly button and below my breasts. It looks more like a very faint rash, no raised bumps, almost blotchy, but itchy!! I put some aloe on it. Related? I never get rashes until all this happened.
I have changed my body lotion from neutrogena (free of dyes and perfumes) to a more natural lotion just recently. I use Tide laundry detergent mostly. I switch my hair and face products regularly. I don't know of any food allergies. The only thing I was really allergic to is dust mites(tested about 11 years ago).
My husband has none of these symptoms.
I see my primary care doc tomorrow. I don't want to go back to that dermatologist, but will see a different one. I will show my doc my belly. I thought this may have to do with the nervous system. I have had some stress lately (but don't we all?)
I have low antibodies for Rubella, but mumps and measles show good levels of antibodies(recent titres done).
Could this be Shingles?? or some internal infection manifesting on skin???
Please advise..
Thank you
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, Aug 09, 2006 12:00AM
, Aug 09, 2006 12:00AM
No, not shingles. Not internal infection either.
I can't think of a way to connect all these symptoms. I'm not at all sure your new outbreaks have anything to do with the original outbreak, or with each other for that matter.
Whatever this thing (or these things) are, they aren't from lotions and they aren't at all likely to be serious. I suggest you relax, leave them alone, and see a dermatologist for definitive diagnosis and treatment, if needed.
Take care.
Dr. Rockoff
I can't think of a way to connect all these symptoms. I'm not at all sure your new outbreaks have anything to do with the original outbreak, or with each other for that matter.
Whatever this thing (or these things) are, they aren't from lotions and they aren't at all likely to be serious. I suggest you relax, leave them alone, and see a dermatologist for definitive diagnosis and treatment, if needed.
Take care.
Dr. Rockoff
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The red itchy bumps (face, arms, and legs) have been recurrent since trip to AZ in January '06 to present. The faint itchy rash on belly is only thing that is new.
Thanks for your help.
Sometimes they get so bad they start to ooze w puss, but that's only the ones around the scratches.
I usually put on a VERY light, unscented lotion I get from the Health Food Store just to moisturize the skin, or calamine lotion just to relieve the itching. I dont like to use cortizone bc it will just make my body dependend on it. As long as Im not itching, it usually goes away in 1 or 2 wks. Keep a glove or sock around your fingers at night to prevent "night scratching" and keep the calamine lotion safe at bay.
good luck. happens to the best of us.
Lori L.
I've had chicken pox 2 times already so I didn't agree and asked for an alternative. He gave me an antibiotic for chicken pox and an antibiotic for a skin infection. I was asked to stay home untill the spots scabbed over. I did that and all week my head akes got worse. I started to get a fever and ended up sleeping from Sat. through the next Tuesday, waking up on and off again for more meds, lotion and a little food and water. I felt horrible. My temp was at 102' for 3 days.
That Tuesday I woke up with a raised rash all over my body. My husband had to take me to the Dr. because I couldn't even get out of bed. When I got there they sent me stright to Emergency Dermotoligy. That Dr. said I was having an allergic reaction to Sulfa in the Antibiotic that I was given, and he asked me to stop taking it and see how I feel. When he looked at my chicken pox he didn't think they were diagnosed correctly. He is doing tests on me now, but we haven't found a cause for the itchy bumps. I'm still having head akes but the raised rash and feaver are gone.
Today ~1 week later the bumps have multiplied and are now on my shoulders and behind my knees. What the hell is this stuff?
It itches like crazy and is grossing me out. I'm 24 year old, fair skined Female and live in AZ. Is there a small pox virus going around or something we don't know about? Please help me also. Thanks :)
(I also had a cold-like symptoms prior to getting this obscure rash)
Hopefully as it says it will go away in 1 to 3 months.