tiny itchy blisters on arms & legs

[twilightburl]

Shamefully, for almost 8 years I have been getting very small itchy blisters on various spots on my arms and legs.  The small blisters develop and immediately itch intensely, which is how I know they're there.  They have a clear fluid inside, with no puss.  When I scratch them in my sleep or when they break, they often weep a little  amber colored liquid.  Also, when I scratch them, more tiny blisters will develop around the original blister, signifying an infection.  These broken blisters often leave  (little open sores) which can be difficult and slow to heal.  These outbreaks seem to come in waves, as I'll often go weeks or even a month or two without a sign of blisters, itching, or infection.  I have never had any white puss or swelling redness around these troublesome blisters/vesicles, which isn't like any normal skin infection I've ever had before.  Can anyone help me diagnosis this problem please?

[GHIntolerent]

You need to check this out:

MOST of you have dermatitis herpetiformis. NO it is not herpes. It's named that because it LOOKS like herpes. It is actually gluten rash or celiac rash caused by gluten intolerance. You may or may not have celiac disease. These things are not contagious. When you scratch you do not spread the rash it is just breaking out farther. How do I know? Because I have it. Yes, I had misdiagnosis by Dr. How did I find out what it was? I found this site months ago & wrote down the name of every malady proposed on this thread & then checked each one out systematically. Google it, you will find tons of sites & photos too. The photos are toward the extreme so you may not quite look like those. What is the cure? Eat gluten free. Totally gluten free. Be careful, there are many "hidden" glutens out there. I found it in russian dressing & chicken bouillon. Learn the names of glutens. NO BEER. Wine has to be made in the USA. Read all the ingredients on labels & know what may be a gluten. Do your research. It isn't easy but I did it. I am now gluten free (totally) for 3 weeks. Yes, I still get itchy blisters. Why? Because you have to be gluten free for a minimum of 6 months before you are guaranteed they won't come back. If you screw up & eat gluten they can come back. This is what the Dr. will tell you too. The cure is NO gluten. There is a drug to help with the rash called dapsone but I choose not to use it because IMO it has too many dangerous side effects & your blood has to be monitored every 2 weeks. Steroids (some of you have mentioned) will make it go away temporarily. When I was misdiagnosed they put me on them & they made it go away. But you can't stay on those things & within weeks of quitting the rash comes back. Antihistamines may help too. I had those too but the minute you quit it all comes back. I am severely gluten intolerant. You may be less so or more so. There is a guaranteed fix for those of you who are gluten intolerant. Go gluten free. Period. I know your pain --- I am suffering too. I'm getting better but may have a full fledged outbreak as I said for the next 6 months or maybe even longer (Gads, I hope not!). But this is what we have to do.        

[Xaandi]

i have been suffering from rashing, blisters, tiny sores and scaling for months. it started at the begining of winter and has never gone. it recedes every now and then but i always am itchy. this is driving me nuts. i'd had them for about 2 months when my husband started getting itchy too. now my 2 youngest children also. i have been tested for scabies with a biopsy but the result was negative. was told it was "contact dermatitis" only thing is there is nothing new in the house and why would my family get it many weeks after me? i get it on my hands the worst, but it started on my buttcheeks like a big mosquito bite, it then went to my belly, my nipples would get scaly, then go away, then it spread to my arms slightly and now my hands so bad i can no longer wear my rings. it also started scaling on my fingers near my knuckles so bad i was loosing feeling there. moisteriser seemed to help not with the itching but the scaly stuff. it went away and feeling came back.
my 2 youngest got it on there scalps, and the weeping was so bad i ended up having to shave their heads short just to stop the horrible sticky matting of there hair. i found Betadine during the day to dry it out and Lucus's Pawpaw ointment at night to put some moister back into it worked wonders. please, if anyone has any idea's on what the hell this thing is, post something. i have tried everything from change in diet, dropping food groups altogether, changing shampoo's and other things and also laundry liquids. i even washed our bedding every single day on the hottest temp i could and if anything the itching has gotten worse on my hands.

[Nikkilee123]

I have these itchy blister looking thing on my hands that are starting to spread up my arms. I have noticed a few around my breast and stumic area aswell. And now I have noticed one on my daughters finger. Pleade help I have no idea what these things are but they are veru itchy...some have a clear fluid that comes out of them

[GHIntolerent]

MOST of you have dermatitis herpetiformis. NO it is not herpes. It's named that because it LOOKS like herpes. It is actually gluten rash or celiac rash caused by gluten intolerance. You may or may not have celiac disease. These things are not contagious. When you scratch you do not spread the rash it is just breaking out farther. How do I know? Because I have it. Yes, I had misdiagnosis by Dr. How did I find out what it was? I found this site months ago & wrote down the name of every malady proposed on this thread & then checked each one out systematically. Google it, you will find tons of sites & photos too. The photos are toward the extreme so you may not quite look like those. What is the cure? Eat gluten free. Totally gluten free. Be careful, there are many "hidden" glutens out there. I found it in russian dressing & chicken bouillon. Learn the names of glutens. NO BEER. Wine has to be made in the USA. Read all the ingredients on labels & know what may be a gluten. Do your research. It isn't easy but I did it. I am now gluten free (totally) for 3 weeks. Yes, I still get itchy blisters. Why? Because you have to be gluten free for a minimum of 6 months before you are guaranteed they won't come back. If you screw up & eat gluten they can come back. This is what the Dr. will tell you too. The cure is NO gluten. There is a drug to help with the rash called dapsone but I choose not to use it because IMO it has too many dangerous side effects & your blood has to be monitored every 2 weeks. Steroids (some of you have mentioned) will make it go away temporarily. When I was misdiagnosed they put me on them & they made it go away. But you can't stay on those things & within weeks of quitting the rash comes back. Antihistamines may help too. I had those too but the minute you quit it all comes back. I am severely gluten intolerant. You may be less so or more so. There is a guaranteed fix for those of you who are gluten intolerant. Go gluten free. Period. I know your pain --- I am suffering too. I'm getting better but may have a full fledged outbreak as I said for the next 6 months or maybe even longer (Gads, I hope not!). But this is what we have to do.        

[studboro]

I have this rash now.  I was in the Philippines and China for 3 months, travel hard and fast and not as clean as I should have been.  I also had a women with me.  I have used fungal spray that will stop the itching.  I got antibotics, they seemed to help some.  Hydrocortisone creame works a little.  I am using an expired anti-bacterial cream that seems to work very well.   I also spray isoprophl alcohol and or voldka on my rash areas.  I believe at the moment it is bacterial.   Side Note:  My mother is gluten intolerant, and this possibility is interesting, because the first time I had an outbreak, I thought it was insect related, but it did not itch . Clear puss and swelling off a bump like acne or insect.   Just like this rash thing.  I had eaten poorly that day, only candy licorce made of wheat flour and palm oil.  I also would have had a lot of food cooked in palm oil in China and the Philippines.   I know that my razor was not kept clean during my trip.  My worst problem is on my chin.  I also shaved other areas that became "infected"  therefore I am pursueing the bactrial problem.  I loves to spread an inch away.  Fortunately for me it does not spread big as some people have suffered.   The hard part is that it seems internal and external symultaneously.    

[nyitching4321]

I am thinking it is a viral infection spreading...