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UNEXPLAINED Itchy Rash Phenomenon... HELP!!!

It started three days ago on the nape of my neck one morning when woke up, at first it was mild itching with tiny pink bumps... and then the itch got worse and worse... then similar cluster appeared on my left upper arm--along with the same type of rough pink reddish bumps. My right upper arm is not affected (at least not yet).

A couple of hours later the itchy bumps appears on my upper back with pink reddish rough hard bumps all over... then later the itch on the upper back and nape of my neck stop--but all the bumps remains the same.

Shortly afterwards, a small 3 inches patch of reddish itchy bumps appeared on my right chest area right above the armpit. Hours later the same exact thing happened to my thigh and lower back area. That same night new reddish clusters with reddish bumps appeared on my inner tighs and buttock area, both are inflamed and extremely itchy on and off.

The itchy bumps are random in shapes (no puss, no water content, no blister), each bump is hard and it does not contain any liquid... and NO- the bumps don't have uniformed patterns like "chicken skin" (or Keratosis Pilaris). This whole ordeal is extremely disturbing and traumatic because my skin had always been flawless until 3 days ago! I've never even had any pimples my whole life!

I consider myself a pretty healthy female; I never smoke, I have zero soda intake, no alcohol, no drugs... although I admit I've been living an unhealthy life (not enough bottled-water, sleep deprived, sometimes no food/water for days in a row)

*My dietary intake is usually random: raw kale, cabbage, brocolli, beets, avocado, cilantro, garlic, onions, tomato, parsley, eggs, tea with Splenda only (lots of Splenda but no regular refined sugar), plain non-fat yoghurt, very rarely eat meat, very rarely eat fruits (due to its sugar content).

This crazy rash is now spreading all over my body in different sizes, small medium and large. The bumps seem to raise in size only when I scratch certain itchy area (*It's so itchy there's no way to handle it without scratching so the bumps instantly resize on and off whenever the itching sensation return to certain area)

The other reddish bumpy areas remain highly visible eventhough the itching sensation in those area temporarily disappeared, on and off within hours.

I have never had any allergic reaction to anything before. I had been exposed to heavy tanning in the past (both indoor and outdoor) but that was several years ago, and none of that recently.

*Lifestyle changes: I do not have any lifestyle changes recently. No changes in laundry detergent - clothes -fabric - soaps - shampoo or anything like that. No bug bites (at least not that I know of).

*Medications: I don't like taking medications. I have never been prescribed any meds or even the smallest dose of antidepression in my entire life. (I do get depressed from time to time during PMS cycle but nothing too severe, I'm also used to live in high stress and high anxiety environment)

*Personal hygiene: I always take a shower at least TWICE a day (it's a habit since childhood). Bathroom is always highly disinfected with Clorox and such. I do not wear latex product, pantyhose, tight clothes. I hardly ever sweat.

To combat the extreme itching sensation I am currently using topical analgesic ("clear formula itch relief" similar to Caladryl purchased from CVS pharmacy). The result is very helpful but it only provides "temporary relief" (1-2 hours max) -- in certain area the cluster becomes light pink with somewhat disappearing bumps (the bump flatten a little) when the itching sensation slows down -- in other areas such as around the nape of my neck and my upper back the clusters remain bumpy when less itchy (*the itchy bumps and the reddish/pink spot has not disappeared permanently)

I've cut all my finger-nails EXTRA short from day one to prevent skin ruptures, bleeding and/or scaring during scratching. Whenever I scratch the itchy area I always make sure to "massage" the area in circular motion only, most of the times I "scratch" the area using my knuckles-- but somehow in "some" area the cluster pattern showed up in strange shapes like thick criss-cross "lines" with tiny raised bumps precisely lining up on each individual line!) -- in other area such as on my upper arm (the outer part of my left bicep) the tiny reddish bumps look like some thick diaper rash with scattered bumps with no "lines.

The clusters got more red and very warm when the the area is very itchy!

TODAY, there is a new itchy reddish cluster with tiny bumps in the middle of my mid-back section, my left and right under armpit area, right ankle... AND a small cluster on my forehead! I am really terrified if it spread all over my face!!!!! :'-(

Just like the first clusters on the nape of my neck, upper back, and upper-arm... those recent raised itchy bumps also showed up before I "scratch" them... then, just like others the bumps flatten a little when the itching sensation temporary subsides and raised again when the area starts to get very itchy again within hours.

I am so sorry to rant and ramble on and on about my rash... they are not super gross looking and they don't have blisters or puss or anything like that... but the reddish patches are traumatic and the itchy sensation is INSANE!!!!!

I really don't know what to do with this... I saw online people with similar symptoms like mine also have been extremely frustrated with this unexplained phenomenon... almost all of them got misdiagnosed by Dermatologists...

I've been researching online and found a bunch of articles, but none is really "dead on" accurate with the symptoms that I am experiencing:
Polymorphic light eruption?
Keratosis Pilaris?
Urticaria?
Systemic Lupus?
Celiac Disease?

Doctors have been blaming my symptoms on "stress" and medical centers would instantly prescribe temporary relief with steroid injection -- which I am really trying to avoid.

PLEASE HELP ME... I don't know what I have... I'm so scared, it attacked all over my body parts and I am going crazy!!!

Any insights and advice are greatly appreciated. Thank you very much in advance.
3 Responses
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563773 tn?1374246539
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,
Hives (medically known as urticaria) are red, itchy, raised areas of skin that appear in varying shapes and sizes. They have a tendency to change size rapidly and to move around, disappearing in one place and reappearing in other places, often in a matter of hours.

Many cases of hives are "idiopathic," meaning no cause is known.
You can also apply 1%hydrocortisone cream on the effected area. Try taking Vitamin C along with this treatment. Vitamin C is a general anti-allergy supplement. It helps stabilize mast cells so they are less likely to release histamine.
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.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you so much for your comment. I really appreciate your genuine concerns.

I haven't gone outside my house for 2 weeks prior to the rash attack (*not even gone to grocery-shopping...)

No Yard Work
No Poison-Ivy
No Oak
No Alcohol
No Wine
No Beehives anywhere nearby
No strange food or change of dietary (in fact, during the last week prior the rash attack I was actually fasting with completely zero food intake, only tea and water)

The itchy migrates from one clusters to another. Some areas have just little hard reddish-bumps all over (no pus, no liquid, no exposed wound). Strangely, the rest of the clusters have visible crazy lines in random criss-cross pattern. They are all prickly, stinging and very itchy!

I have tried multiple solutions I found online:
-- Benadryl (*helps a little since it just knocks me out!)
-- Loratadine (*not very effective, temporary relief)
-- Oatmeal bath powder (zero effect)
-- Dr. Booner's Peppermint liquid soap (it feels so good after shower, but after 20 minutes the itch comes back with the vengeance because the soap stripped off the skin moisture)
-- Coconut oil (it helps moisturize the dry skin, but it won't get rid of the rash, plus it's hellish trying to scratch oily surface, painful and very uncomfortable!)
Helpful - 0
563773 tn?1374246539
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,
It can be due to hives which are mostly due to allergic reaction. 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.
Helpful - 0
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