Sudden skin rash

[mav]

I'm a 20yr old white male.  In august of last year one day i noticed what seem to be a large red patch (lesion about 1.5 inches wide) on my back that was red, slight raised, not itcy.  At the time i was quiet worried because i was sexually active (including oral), but practicing safe sex.  Well after a few days all these tiny small red dots that looked like chicken poxs began to pop up all over my torso, chest and upper arms.  These small rashes began to pop up more and more over my body but not growing in size (around 1/4 inch).  Hardly any of them itched and none of them swelled, crusted over, or had liquid in them.  They continted to multiply for a couple of weeks....then hung around for a couple more then finally dissapeared after 5 weeks or so.  At the time i checked into all kinds of things on STD's and none of my syptoms fit because there was never any liquid from the patches, no itching, and no crusting over.  Also, i thought it might have been some kind of reaction to my new cat (even though i had been around cats before) and then my body adjust.  So i was fine with things until last week when in a matter of a few days the whole process began again but this time without the large beginning patch. This time the rash has spread to my lower arm region and hips... while still concentrated on my torso.  Also each time these patches dont seem to grow much where any body hair is or in tanned reagion.  I also squeezed a few of them and it look as though a bunch of blood just collected in one spot.  Also same as last time they dont each except here and there or whenever i get hot.  I also know that this is not contageous because no one around me has even shown any of the the other signs of these symptoms and i live with four other people.  I dont really have enough insurance to go to the doctors or have drugs filled out so i was hoping for some direction from the clues given.  
Thank you.

[elite_boy]

I had a very similar thing happen to me a couple of years ago.  The first doctor I went to told me I had a fungal infection all over my body.  After completely rejecting that diagnosis, I went back and saw someone else who immediatly diagnosed me with Pityriasis rosea.

Good luck.

[EvieDC]

I also experienced the same type of rash.  Consulted this board, but did not see a dermatologist anticipating that nothing significant could be done.  The rash went away on its own, leaving no scars.  I do recall it appearing when I was working long hours at work and under medium-to-high amounts of stress.  Perhaps, just a weird skin virus that I was more suseptible to during that time.

[nownap]

Dear Dr Rockoff
Yes my wife has had the same symtoms that MAV discribed. The only difference is that she did consult her family doctor and her doctor and his assistance were baffled.  Then they sent her to a dermatologist which they also were baffled ,so they took a skin byopsy of the rash. The results came back negative with no indication of allergies or symtoms of takeing medication. But she is consern that this started after tking glucaphage for her diabities. Monday she will see the dermatologist again we'll see what he says. thank you for your attention to this matter

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I agree that the rash you describe does not sound like any STD or contagious condition.  At the same time I can do no more than guess at what it might be.  I suppose that eczema could look like this, producing itchy patches and bumps that come and go. There is usually no specific cause for this, but it is still possible to treat the symptoms with good success.  If you want to know what you have and how to treat it, I think you will need to make the time and spend the money needed for a visit to a dermatologist.  Otherwise, you will just guess and worry.  

Best.

Dr. Rockoff