Weird Rash/Bumps?

Posted , 6 users are following.

Hello all.  Several days ago I noticed a pink, shiny, itchy bump on my left arm.  Then I noticed several of these pink and shiny (and itchy) bumps on my left thigh and around my left knee.  Initially I figured the ones on my leg were just razor burn but I have never had razor burn like this.  Anyone have any clue what this is?  It's itchy and won't go away!  I have attached images of the bumps around my left knee, the bumps on my left thigh, and the bump on my left arm.  Thanks so much!

1 like, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    Have you, by chance, recently in a lake with warm water?  It looks like it could possibly be a bacteria from that. Here's a copy of what I'm thinking of:

     

    Swimmer’s itch, also known as lake itch, duck itch, cercarial dermatitis,[1] and schistosome cercarial dermatitis,[2]:432 is a short-term immune reaction occurring in the skin of humans that have been infected by water-borne schistosomatidae. Symptoms, which include itchy, raised papules, commonly occur within hours of infection and do not generally last more than a week.

    A number of different flatworm parasites in the family Schistosomatidae are what cause swimmer’s itch. These parasites use both freshwater snails and vertebrates as hosts in their parasitic life cycles. Mostly waterfowl are used as the vertebrate host. During one of their life stages, the larvae of the parasite, cercariae, leave the water snails and swim freely in the freshwater, attempting to encounter water birds. These larvae can accidentally come into contact with the skin of a swimmer. The cercaria penetrates the skin and dies in the skin immediately. The cercariae cannot infect humans, but they cause an inflammatory immune reaction. This reaction causes initially mildly itchy spots on the skin. Within hours, these spots become raised papules which are intensely itchy. Each papule corresponds to the penetration site of a single parasite.

    The schistosomatidae that give rise to swimmer’s itch should not to be confused with those of the genus Schistosoma, which infect humans and cause the serious human disease schistosomiasis, or with larval stages of thimble jellyfish (Linuche unguiculata), which give rise to seabather's eruption. Seabather's eruption mostly occurs in salt water, on skin covered by clothing or hair, whereas swimmer's itch mostly occurs in freshwater, on uncovered skin.[3]

    Since it was first described in Michigan in 1928,[4] swimmer's itch has been reported from around the world. Some suggest incidence may be on the rise,[5] although this may also be attributed to better monitoring.

    Good luck...check with your pharmcist to see if there's an over the counter product you could try.

    Frustrated

    • Posted

      Thank you so much for your reply! Very useful and interesting information. Sadly, I have not been in a lake or anything of the sort recently. rolleyes or swimming at all for that matter. I have only taken daily showers.
    • Posted

      I sure wish I could help you with anything.  Have you shown this to your pharmacist or druggist?  They do know a lot of the diseases and rashes etc...Hopefully, they can direct you in which way to go...either to a creme they carry or back to the doctor.

      Well wishes

      Frustrated

  • Posted

    Ok. First of all. Don't worry. I have similar patches like this on my legs. This is just a bit more sever razor burn and it may happen if you shave and then wear stuffy or hot clothing. It shoudnt be very itch but if it is tell a doctor. No clue about that other one though.

  • Posted

    Hi kagome_angel! I think I may know what you have: Keratosis Pilaris.

    (From the websmile

    Keratosis pilaris is a common, harmless skin condition. It causes small, hard bumps that may make your skin feel like sandpaper.

    The bumps are often light-colored. They usually appear on your upper arms, thighs, and buttocks, sometimes with redness or swelling. They can also show up on your face, but that's less common.

    Except for some itching, keratosis pilaris doesn't hurt and doesn't get worse. Many children and teens get it, and it usually disappears as they get older.

    Causes:

    Keratosis pilaris is caused by a buildup of keratin, the protein that protects skin from infections and other harmful things. The buildup forms a plug that blocks the opening of a hair follicle, but doctors don't know what triggers the buildup.

    If you have dry skin, you're more likely to have keratosis pilaris. It's usually worse in the winter months, when there's less moisture in the air, and then may clear up in the summer

    Look up pictures of keratosis pilaris, and you will see similar pictures to yours. So, basically you have some acne 😜

    • Posted

      I am glad to be reading this. I have the same issue. I have a all natural cream i made with coconut oil and natural oils. and sometimes it helps but sometimes it doesn't. I have tried all natural acne oils from Just Natural and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. It's on my buttock area now and sometimes on arms, and my thighs. Thought maybe i was allergic to the detergants and all options i could think of nothing has changed. This is something that seems to be what is going on with me. I'm going to be 30 and I dont ever break out, and my face started to break out i guess or get bumps. 

      I will ask my primary doctor about this and hoping this is what the bumps are and get something to help.

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.