Carpet beetle rash?

[Chena17]

I woke up about 3 weeks ago and noticed tiny bumps all over my stomach.  After a couple days, they began to get itchy, then a rash developed under my breast and my left arm pit.  I started to think that they were bed bug bites, but the exterminator found only carpet beetles.  I have always been allergic to bug bites and I was the only one in getting bitten.  It started to go away over the past few days, but the rash then started to spread onto my neck, my lower back, the center of my back, and across my shoulders.  It is extremely itchy, and I do not have insurance to go see a Dr.  The rashes on the front of me have started to go away slightly, but my armpit is getting worse, inflamed, and surrounded by small red spots.  They look like small zits.  

I have looked up different types of rashes, and aside form the severe itching, I have tried hot water, calamine lotion, witch hazel, rubbing alcohol, vaseline, and a few other things, but nothing makes it heal faster.  I am going on three weeks and it is starting to freak me out.

[anna 41]

Its from the Larva, They have sharp hairs that pierce the skin. Trust me I have been fighting these devil spawn for a month now and its a battle. My back is covered in these itchy red bumps. Try using olay mint strawberry soap and Vaseline. Even if they crawl on you it can cause an allergic reaction. Sometimes static can pull them into your clothing which feels like a needle prick. HORRIBLE CREATURES

[AddieMae]

You have my empathy!  About a year ago my husband began to experience a rash; it looked like a couple of spider bites at first, then more like a contact dermatitis.  It worsened alarmingly and the lesions did look like bites.  We discovered that we had varied carpet beetles in our home and for whatever reason, my husband had a severe reaction and I did not.  My understanding is that it is not that they are biting you, but that the larvae are covered in stiff hairs.  These will fall off and may get stuck in your clothing or bedcoverings, stinging your skin.  As you scratch it, it worsens.  I've heard some say it also helps to run a humidifier and/or steam the clothing to soften them, static will make it worse.  My husband only got better with several months of topical treatment and about a 3-month closely supervised steroid burst and taper.  We have now moved and a couple weeks ago I noticed my husband had the lesions starting again!  At first I thought the rash must have a different cause...then I saw the first couple of bugs.  I swear I think I will lose my mind if we have to go through this again.  I just can't!   At any rate, anyone wiht these symptoms must be evaluated by a physician in order to obtain proper diagnosis and treatment. If the pest control people can't help us then I don't want to live. What we went through, that wasn't living.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
These can be insect bites, viral rashes, contact dermatitis or folliculitis (although less likely). Use a mild cleanser with moisturizing properties like Cetaphil. Also use cotton clothes and change the clothes twice if there is any increased sweating. Try keeping the skin free of sweat as far as possible. If the symptoms still persist then you can apply mild steroid like dermacort. If there is any itching antihistaminics like Benadryl or Claritin can be taken.
If the symptoms persist then get it evaluated 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.