little red bumps.

[manddaa]

alright. so i started getting these little red bumps that look like mesquito bites, and also some that look like ring worm all over my legs couple months ago. they would come, and go away. i thought it was my lotion, so i bought special lotion but it didn't work at all!  they have spread everywhere and itch like crazy! they look so ugly i refuse to wear shorts in the 85 degree wether!  then they started spreading. All over my back, stomach, arms. it's very bad. My parents have not had the time to take me to the doctors. and i can't go to the dermatologist until july 1st. i want to be able to wear shorts and a bathing suit. i found out my father it allergic to grass, and usually they pop out after being outside, and i almost always lay or sit in grass. so i thought oh, maybe that could be it. But i went tanning outside the other day in my bathingsuit. and my back and stomach are very very bad. but i wasn't in the grass. so maybe sun poisning because i always get burnt badly! please heeelllpppp?!?!?!??!

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Your symptoms are suggestive of hives. Hives (medically known as urticaria) are red, itchy, raised areas of skin that appear in varying shapes and sizes.

The mainstay of treatment of hives is antihistamine which may be necessary for prolonged periods (in excess of 6 weeks). Double conventional doses of these non-sedating antihistamines such as Cetirizine, Loratadine, Acrivastine and Fexofenadine may be needed to get symptom relief. Sedating antihistamines such as Chlorphenamine or Hydroxyzine are used at night to get urticaria control. Short courses of oral cortisone or steroids are taken for short periods (one to three days) to settle more severe symptoms.
You may take Vitamin C along with the prescribed treatment. Vitamin C is a general anti-allergy supplement. It helps stabilize mast cells so they are less likely to release histamine.

If the symptoms persist, then you can consult an immunologist. He may start with immunosuppressive drugs.

If the hives don’t go after 6 wks of treatment also, then it can be a case of chronic urticaria which needs further evaluation as it may be due to auto antibodies.

I hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts.Kind regards.

[jagesh50]

An antihistamine like cetizine 1 at bedtime for a week would be of great help.It may cause some sedation.External application of calamine is fine.A pic would help in giving a diagnosis,most likely -urticaria