Hi, a week ago I had my left distal biceps tendon repaired. Post-op, the incision sutures were covered by a thick gauze pad, my arm was wrapped in a layer of cotton, braced with a fiberglas half cast and then wrapped with an elastic bandage. Within a few days my arm started to itch. Initially I just moved the elastic bandage apart, worked my way through the cotton and lightly scratched/stroked the skin to calm the itch. But the itching just got worse and worse. After another couple of days, I just couldn't take the itching any more. I put my arm on the counter, careful to keep the 90 degree bend the cast had been holding it in, and gently unwrapped it. At first I thought the itching had come from the hair stubble where the nurse had shaved my arm, but although that was part of it it wasn't the main problem. I found there was a very pink, bumpy, and very sensitive area of skin surrounding the incision site. I noticed that the area was the same size and shape as the gauze pad that had been covering the wound (3" x 4"). After letting my arm "air out" and calm down I re-wrapped it as it had been, but the itching returned with a vengence. I unwrapped everything again and have been keeping it in the sling I was also given. At times even the cloth of the sling has proven too much of an irritant, so I have been using the sling neck strap by itself (around my neck and around my wrist) to hold my arm in the necessary position. This has proven the most comfortable, but the rash has stayed about the same. I just started to apply hydrocortisone cream to the the area and it feels like it may be helping a little with the itching/inflammation. My main question is - does this sound like a simple case of heat rash or could I have an infection?