Skin rash/hives for a month - no treatments helping

[pudgeisafish]

I recently noticed I had a small razor-burn like bump on my bikini area, and some red bumps on the rear, though they weren't like my usual razor-burns. Everything was on outer areas only. I found out my boyfriend cheated on me with multiple people, got tested for STDs, and came back negative for everything. It's been about a month and the bumps did not spread, hurt, blister, etc. They look like pimples but with nothing inside them- just raised skin. If I pop one, it bleeds for a few seconds and then stops and that's it. No pain, burning, or spreading. I went to a dermatologist who took a biopsy because he believed it was molluscum, but wanted to make sure it wasn't herpes because of the timing, and it came back negative for both. He said clinically it didn't present as herpes as well, but I'm mentioning it just to be safe.

After the biopsy, almost overnight I had hives develop over my entire body- legs, chest, stomach, etc. The only place they haven't spread is my face. There's absolutely no pain, no symptoms, nothing, except that it itches horribly and wakes me up every night. The dermatologist said the hives were an allergic reaction, that it's not symptomatic of herpes, and that it was different from the original rash. It's been about 6 days, and I've been taking medicine with no luck. The bumps haven't gotten better or worse anywhere on my body. Absolutely no pain or blisters. He said it wasn't likely to be folliculitis either, so I'm not sure what this is. Since STDs have been ruled out (and I plan to be re-tested in 2 months just to be safe), has anyone experienced something like this? What did it end up being?

I've never had an allergic reaction like this in my life. I haven't changed anything in my skincare/shower/laundry routine except my entire facial care routine, and that's the only place I haven't experienced anything. My scalp also occasionally itches, but again, no pain and no new shampoo. These aren't bug bites either. I have no swollen lymph nodes (I had mono in December so I would recognize it), no fever, no pain, no cough, etc. I have no food allergies, and moderate seasonal allergies (but no itchy eyes/runny nose so I don't think that's it). I've tried hydrocortisone cream, anti-itch spray, Benedryl, etc., with no luck.

The dermatologist currently said Zyrtec twice a day, Zantac once a day, and Triamcinolone cream twice a day. I only started the cream today but so far it hasn't alleviated the itching, and he said it should help within a few days. If it doesn't, he'll start me on a steroid regiment which would have some pretty negative side effects, so I'd like to avoid it if possible. He said another possibility would be that the original rash was eczema that spread after the biopsy, but I have no idea. It doesn't look like anything I've googled either.

Any advice or experience with something like this?

[Red_Star]

I've read Epstein-Barr virus (mono) is a possible trigger of hashimoto's thyroiditis.  I find that interesting since studies report that as many as 57.4% of patients with hives (urticaria) have the presence of thyroid antibodies.

A thyroid panel includes TSH, free T4, free T3, thyroid antibodies -  thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), and thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb).

[pudgeisafish]

Thank you! It actually finally started to go away after using triamcinolone cream so I'm just happy to be rid of it.