Red itching spots?

RumanaB

Hi,

I've recently come back from holiday (from Portugal where the weather was quite hot) and sudden red patches have started to appear all over my body. First there was a couple but now it's increasing. If I scratch them, they become like little bumps. Does anyone else have this problem or know what it is? There is someone at work who has had this problem for 2 weeks now. And also my manager said her daughter has this too.
Thanks

jeannieblue

Could be prickly heat.. if it is, either apply natural yoghurt or take anti histamines - but really best to see GP first.

Codswallop

When you say bumps, do you mean tiny little blisters that you can see liquid in or harder ones? How big is each bump (size of a pencil end indentation? Larger? and how many of them are there? Are they clustered together, if they are, do they form a shape?

I'm not a doctor but the likely causes may be: something that's irritated the skin that you've come into contact with i.e dermatitis, bites from an insect, a fungal infection or more rarely a reaction to something that you've eaten or something viral for example chickenpox.

Do not scratch!!!!!! It will spread any infection. None of them should be hard to cure if you see your doctor, internet diagnosis is not the answer! There are dermatology sites where you can view photos of skin infections, not very appetising but it may provide a clue but you really should see a nurse or doctor to be on the safe side.

RumanaB

These bumps are more like spots...like end of pencils size. Some of them are clustered together but most are spread out. And each one is round. I've already had chicken pox...can it happen twice?
I have gotten a cream from Boots to stop the itching and it has helped. But there seem to be more spots appearing daily. Just on each arm alone there must be about 10. It's quite annoying because I can't seem to focus at work and I can't constantly keep applying cream to new spots that have suddenly appeared.

I will go to the doctor but I'm sure by the time this happens my problem will have gone away...that always seems to happen.

Thanks for your help.

jeannieblue

You could have something infectious. May not be wise to be at work, I advise you go to your GP and get checked out.

belfastgirl23

sounds like prickly heat to me too but I'd pop in to the local pharmacy to be on the safe side...

ravylesley

It sounds to me you've got what my little girls and many others in this town have been suffering from.According to the dr its an allergic reaction to a virus but I'm not convinced as is an allergic reaction contagious?But anyway it does go away in about a week and try piriton to ease the itching as it eased my daughters and if truly desperate there is always calamine which is available in cream form now

Lesleyxx

jeannieblue

The spots sound too big to be prickly heat. Hope OP has been to the doc's.

I'm curious to know the outcome.

Puddingpie_2

If someone at work had them 2 weeks ago maybe its something contageous?

What about scabies? Is it on your hands?

RumanaB

My manager made me go to Boots the other day to get something for the itching. The guy at the counter had a look at the spots and recommended Benadryl Skin Allergy Relief. I have been applying this every day and the spots on my arms are starting to fade. But there seem to be new spots appearing on my legs now and even with the cream on they still itch so much. They seem to be larger than the others as well...one of them is about 1cm!

I have got about 2 or 3 spots on each hand.

I have made an appointment to go to the doctors on Monday after work. I can't really afford to be off work at the moment because my manager is leaving in 1 weeks time.

Codswallop

Keep us updated with what your GP says RumanaB. I have a morbid curiosity in skin complaints! The fact that they've now appeared on your legs since you've been back from Portugal seems to suggest that either something you contracted there is spreading (fungal possibly) or that you may have been unwittingly been bitten here. Do you have a carpet at work? Are you all sitting quite close together? There may possibly be fleas/mites/bedbugs living in the carpet there or it may be that your clothes have become infested whilst abroad. Check your suitcase too, I once read a report on the insanitary conditions of lugguage loading rooms in airports, unlikely but you never know. I'm sure your GP will have a very good idea and put you out of your misery.
Good Luck.