Itchy lumps around scar tissue

[Pum]

I had a c-section 4 years ago and find from time to time my scar develops raised, red, itchy lump(s) that last a few hours then go away. Sometimes they are quite large and leave swelling behind. I can track it down to tight clothing sometimes, but not always.

I have a theory that it happens when I am fighting off a virus as I often get it a few days before getting a cold but my doctor raised his eyes when I mentioned that.

Has anyone else had this?

[Boonhound88]

I had been bit by a tick that carried Lyme and developed a rash. I was immediate with the Lyme treatment meds but the rash was persistent. Several dermatologists said this was the case occosiaonally. I had a biopsy done at the site of the bite and all Lyme/tick issue came back negative. I went on a strong Cortisone treatment to resolve the rash. It helped tremendously and there is a very minimal scar left at the site. However, it still itches regularly and with some clothing a rash will develop with raised legions as others have stated. I goes away almost immediately when I remove the clothing. I find it also might be temp sensitive? I was just in Hawaii for a week and it was like it never existed- no itch, no rash. Returned to CA and it resumed. I think it's just something I'll learn to deal with as I've learned this is common with scar tissues, etc...I typically ignore it but I just used Gold Bond and that worked wonderfully. Oh the joys of nature :)

[debbmcg]

I had abdominal laparoscopic surgery in 2017. One of the incision sites had delayed healing. During the healing process and for a couple years following, I would occasionally get small itchy hives around the small scar. Ice packs would help and they would go away within an hour or two. I eventually determined that when I ate nuts, especially cashews, that the hives would occur around the scar within a span of about 12 hours of eating them. Then in the summer of 2018, I was bit by a tick on my upper inner arm. It was there less than 24 hours and I did not develop any disease from it. However, that area got occasional small hives for about a year, and I determined that it often happened after eating nuts, particularly cashews. So I think I likely have a slight allergy to cashews but it only shows up, for whatever reason, on skin that has had some sort of trauma to it.

[Meredith79]

I was in a car accident a few months ago and I had a metal fixator around my leg with 11 pins, 8 smaller ones through my foot and ankle and 3 large ones through my shin.  It's been out for almost 5 months now but in the last few weeks I have been waking up with red welts around the pin sites in my shin... they look like bug bites, maybe mosquito bites, hives... sometimes there is only one or two, today it was worse, there were 7 or 8 of them, but they are only surrounding the areas where the scars are... nowhere else on my legs or body.  They clear up quickly if I apply hydrocortisone cream but I'd like to know what it is and what is causing it and I can't find anything... glad to know I'm not crazy though, seeing that others are experiencing something similar on this page...

[itchy_jake]

Did you ever find any answers to this problem? I too, am now 8 months after hip-surgery, and this past Saturday the itchy welts have started appearing on my scar line. They start without any warning, itch like crazy, and then mysteriously gone couple hours later. Has happened every day since, and on one day several at the same time along the surgery scar line. Interesting note.....i have had a few surgeries, but this itchy welt problem only occurs on just the one hip-replacement scar line. Is there any feedback? Has anyone figured this out.

[incolorado]

Thanks to everyone who has described exactly what I'm seeing!  I have a PICC site scar that is healed from recent IV antiobiotic therapy.  While the scar is fine, within about a half-inch of the scar I have been seeing welts rise up, itch (like a mosquito bite, but I don't scratch them), maybe get bigger (1/8-1/2") and turn pink, then fade away in a few hours...repeat once or twice a day in different spots around the scar.  This is not on the list of things I'm supposed to watch for, but if they persisted or got worse I would worry.  For now, I'm just going with 'weird'.  It's the only scar I have that does this.

[gerrigiraffe]

I have had many surgeries over the years, hips, knees, lipomas removed from the inside of both knees.  However, the only place that continually gets hives is the one right hip scar and occasionally a right inside leg scar.  I have dealt with these hives for years and no one can tell me why they appear.  I use a small amount of antiseptic that Johnson & Johnson does not make any longer and it immediately relieves the itch.  Thank God!

[badapple39]

I've also done a kidney surgery 2015 and the scares were getting better in about three weeks after the surgery, then on the third week I've seen few bumps on the scares and it spread all over my body and then the itchiness starts. Lots of bumps with liquid stuff in them, it's only keep getting more and more itchy and itcher, I don't know what to do. Does anyone know how stop the itchiness?

[jiva34]

Gall bladder removed in 1994. the incision is right on the waist line. Everything has been fine for years but something I was wering irritated the scar. The skin all around it became bright red and I was sure it had become infected. What I usually do for infections is hot water treatments. So I ran very hot water on the site for 10 minutes at a time. Just hot shower water like I would normally take if I wanted a  hot shower. It increases the circulation and seems to flush attacking microbes out. the infection went away. But left a dark brown patch that itched for weeks. I thought oh, just healing. But it has been 2 years now and the itching does not go away. The dermatologist is a jerk. Big puffed up plastic surgeon that comes along with my primary care doctor. He laughed why I was concerned and proceeded to talk about my "nice" bone structure. What an ***. The scar seems fine it is the skin around it on one side. It gets red also. Something going on there. Soooo am in the net googling..

[LoveLiv46]

Since we're all sharing stories, this happened to me too! I had surgery a year and a half ago, and there is like a 5 inch scar on my neck from it. It's gotten 2 super itchy lumps. They flare up the more I scratch them and look like mosquito bites. It's been a while since my surgery- I don't understand. I know this isn't a good idea, but I really want to poke them with a needle and see if there is fluid or something in there. Does anybody know why yet? I think I'm going to see my doctor because it is almost unbearable sometimes.

[SunnyFL88]

I have a dime size scar on my inner forearm from basal cell removal back in 2008. Every once in a while, a small bump resembling a bug bite forms on the scar and itches like crazy!! It only lasts a few hours and my scar swells up, then it fades way. Drives me nuts!! I don't know what causes this. Found this forum, and I'm glad to know I am not alone!  I consider going to the doctor, but it's always resolved quickly. Still a mystery though!

[cddavis]

Try massaging castor oil and/or honey on the affected area. yep its thick and sticky, but just put a bandaid or patch over it for a few hours then clean it off. both castor oil and honey have natural tissue-healing and antimicrobial properties and there is no risk involved (unless you have an allergy to either one). Ive had 2 abdominal surgeries and my massage therapist highly recommended castor oil to me as a way of scar tissue healing. I found this thread because I randomly have a rash on my scar around my belly button after 4 years (1 surgery was 4 years ago, the other was 9 years ago..)..strange. but castor oil helps! here's another recipe for honey & cinnamon for skin irritation: http://www.livestrong.com/article/109376-use-honey-cinnamon-cure/

[Msdaisy7]

ME TOO!!

[Casper45c]

We are also relieved not to be alone about these mysterious bumps, my husband had hip replacement and now its been a year and those bumps still come and go. The Doctors we have asked don't have any answers. We take pictures often because the bumps varie in size. I hope someone can help him.

[PamDmz]

http://www.ehow.com/way_5318111_treatment-old-scar-itch.html

Came across the above. If you have an infection (virus or bacteria) that is able to infiltrate skin cells than that could be causing it. If like me, you are undergoing antibiotic treatment and feeling better but have these itchy bumps around your scars from time to time, it could be because your cells are healing (growth). If no infection, it could also be caused by cell growth caused by other things like weight changes or it could be an auto-immune like dermatitis reaction to the scar cells.

[PamDmz]

I have lyme disease (rather than a virus) and hives were a symptom. Basically, my skin has always shown anything and everything wrong with me. But my hives went away almost immediately with antibiotic treatment. On my 4th month of meds. Occasionally over these past few months, I have gotten strange hive like itchy bumps near scars on my body. One looked like a blister but itched and hurt, even went to the derm to get it checked for the cyst melanoma type, but by the time I got to the doc that afternoon it had shrunk down in size. It dissapeared that night. Here is my theory. First, folks like me with sensitive skin that reacts to anything that is wrong with your body elsewhere, are more likely to get this. I feel it is an autoimmune like reaction to the damaged cells. If one has a virus or bacteria infection, that triggers autoimmune responses. So older scars could then "come back to life" so to speak, as far as these itchy bumps are concerned. It's inflammation but I bet there is an autoimmune link as well. Disclosure: I have absolutely no medical training and basing this on a hunch!

[itchielou]

HSV would swell up and the skin around the area would be puffy and itch, but yet sensitive to the touch as it  follows with a bunch of tinny blister, but most of what I'm reading is not and seemed to be the same thing I'm having witch is a small lump that  itches, anyway if it was HSV  it would take  around two weeks  to go away  after  the symptoms  I described above!  I believe it might have something to do with the way the nerves were severed in that area when the skin was cut! my lump that itches seems to be with the stitches came together and was tied off,  but why after all these years it still itches like crazy at times is beyond me!  Louie

[itchielou]

wow, I get the same thing and it itches me like crazy and I seem to scratch until it  bleeds.  I had surgery  from a cyst  in my neck back in 1985 and had a pretty long scar.  I have a little lump in the middle of the scar and it seems at times it itches so bad it drives me crazy and the more I scratch the itchier  it gets. this past week was the worst and I scratched it until it looks like a Hickey,  please if someone has the answer what this is let me know...  thanks Louie

[Kayla1218]

I saw my surgeon yesterday for my annual check up on my wrist, he has said that apparently this is a normal thing and tends to happen with all operations due to the scar tissue trying to heal, I still get swelling on my wrist and mosquito looking bites that itch like crazy! He also said as I am allergic to dis-solvable stitches that could also be a reaction. So get checked out if you have those type of stitches. Other than that...there going nowhere!

[AmoaDios]

Can you tell me what HSV stand for?

[TDSmith]

I had a breast reduction and a tummy tuck 2 and a half years ago. 2 weeks after my surgery I started breaking out with hives on and around my incisions. It got progressively worse. I had hives from my scalp to my knees, like I had the measles. My lips would swell and I had to be rushed to my doctor twice with hives in my throat and shortness of breath.  I had to start carrying an epipen with me everywhere I went. They aren't that bad anymore, but they show up frequently. The itching is driving me insane. I was sent to an allergy doctor when it first started and told him I thought I was allergic to the sutures or something from the surgery and he just blew me off, drew some blood, then called me to tell me I wasn't allergic to anything. I am at my wits end with this. I was told by a friend who is a nurse that she believes it's the dissolvable stitches, and that if I ever have surgery again and they use the same kind on me that my reaction could be much worse. That scares me to death! If anyone can give me some answers, I would appreciate it!

[TDSmith]

I had a breast reduction and a tummy tuck 2 and a half years ago. 2 weeks after my surgery I started breaking out with hives on and around my incisions. It got progressively worse. I had hives from my scalp to my knees, like I had the measles. My lips would swell and I had to be rushed to my doctor twice with hives in my throat and shortness of breath.  I had to start carrying an epipen with me everywhere I went. They aren't that bad anymore, but they show up frequently. The itching is driving me insane. I was sent to an allergy doctor when it first started and told him I thought I was allergic to the sutures or something from the surgery and he just blew me off, drew some blood, then called me to tell me I wasn't allergic to anything. I am at my wits end with this. I was told by a friend who is a nurse that she believes it's the dissolvable stitches, and that if I ever have surgery again and they use the same kind on me that my reaction could be much worse. That scares me to death! If anyone can give me some answers, I would appreciate it!

[catnus]

Has anyone found an answer to what this could be? I am experiencing the same symptoms. I am an eighteen year old female who had a hip replacement around 8 months ago and on my scar, almost in the same spot, I have gotten a mosquito bite-esque looking welt that itches like crazy. Had the same experience twice and it freaks me out every time, but disappears within hours. Any answers?

[catnus]

Has anyone found an answer to what this could be? I am experiencing the same symptoms. I am an eighteen year old female who had a hip replacement around 8 months ago and on my scar, almost in the same spot, I have gotten a mosquito bite-esque looking welt that itches like crazy. Had the same experience twice and it freaks me out every time, but disappears within hours. Any answers?

[itchy_jake]

Did you ever find any answers to this problem? I too, am now 8 months after hip-surgery, and this past Saturday the itchy welts have started appearing on my scar line. They start without any warning, itch like crazy, and then mysteriously gone couple hours later. Has happened every day since, and on one day several at the same time along the surgery scar line. Interesting note.....i have had a few surgeries, but this itchy welt problem only occurs on just the one hip-replacement scar line. Is there any feedback? Has anyone figured this out.

[cdnjan]

Happens to me too. Its bizarre Out of the blue I get a little itchy then I look and sure enough a welt is there. Reminds me of a burn bubble and mosquito bite together. Usually about fingernail size. Itches like a mosquito bite. It goes away in an hour or so. It comes at different locations anywhere along my recent bunion surgeries 2 scars. Wish there really was a medical explanation for this. I lucked out this time on my google search. Nice to know we are not alone.