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Have Red Itchy Bump On Arms And Legs. How To Treat This?

Posted on Mon, 6 May 2013

Question: Hi, I have these red itchy bumps on my arms and legs that comes and goes, at first they started off small then into welps and now they are the size of an egg. Plus they're starting to hurt like kind of sore but no skin is broken. What could this be?

Answered by Dr. Hema Yadav (2 hours later)

Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
You are most probably suffering from urticarial rash or allergic dermatitis which can occur due to contact or food allergy or exposure to any medication or chemical product.Occasionally sun damage could be the cause if the lesions are only on sun exposed areas. Due to itching and scratching the skin inflammation worsens and soreness can be felt .
The next best step would be to consult your dermatologist who can evaluate and confirm the diagnosis , rule out the potential causes and start treatment accordingly.
The basic treatment would be application of soothing lotions like calamine , avoiding harsh chemicals , sun exposure or any new product( suspected allergen) and oral anti allergic medications like fexofenadine or cetrizine .
This would also decrease the itching and hence allow the inflammation to decrease, however sometimes steroid based creams like hydrocortisone might be needed for quick relief.
Apart from this depending on the cause the curative treatment can be started.
So please do not worry but nevertheless do seek prompt consultation with your dermatologist / physician .
Hope that answers your query.
Please feel free to ask any further queries.
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Hema Yadav (17 hours later)

I also forgot to mention that the bumps don't appear until well after I start scratching my arms or legs, and then the small bumps seem to spread becoming like welps, and then into XXXXXXX hot tender to the touch sore red bumps. They are very irritated, and when they come back it's in the same spots, like they haven't gone away fully.

Answered by Dr. Hema Yadav (1 hour later)

Hello,
Thanks for the follow up.
Yes , that again would be indicating the allergic rash and my answer would remain the same. You definitely need prescription oral anti allergic medications to stop The itch scratch rash cycle.
Hope that answers your query.
Wishing you a speedy recovery .
Regards

Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar