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What Causes Recurring Itchy Rashes On Body?

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Posted on Wed, 24 Dec 2014
Question: I keep having an on and off again rash/bumps on all parts of my body for about 3-4 months now. For the most part it is itchy. The bumps appear on different parts of my body but not at the same time. Now today I woke up with a just a red rash with no bumps between my breasts. Though..I was very hot and wearing many layers the day before. I have written on here before but am still very nervous. I went to the doctor and he ruled out scabies. I am scaring myself that it could be HIV or something else. I also suffer from anxiety and bulimia. I even hope that could be the cause. I am worried because it was brought on so sudden. A little brief overview of how it came about. It started with just my body being itchy..mainly on my breast. I then had the breakout start on my thighs and stomach, then arms/hands. I now have a few marks on my back. What is odd about the rash is they look different depending on the area of the body it is on. I have attached pictures to help. I had blood test taken when this first came about. Everything came back normal except a little protein in my urine sample. My hands have been very cold and I feel like my circulation is poor. I also feel like my vision is a little off. The Doctor also said my thyroid felt prominent but the blood test and sonogram both came back fine. Please let me know if you have any idea what this could be and sorry for this being so long to read.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (45 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Kindly send few good resolution pictures of the affected areas.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Welcome and thanks for posting your query to the forum.

I can understand your concern for the rash and its related issues.

In view to help you best I request you to kindly send few good resolution pictures of the affected areas. For the same you have a feature on the right side of the page. Or else you can send your photos at:

YYYY@YYYY

With attention " Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia "

Also kindly tell me :

- For how long does the rash remains- for few hours or remains for multiple days. It is really very important to know how log the rash remains. So kindly guide me the exact time the rash remains.

- What is the severity of itching - mild /moderate or severe.

- What is the severity of itching at night.

Hope to hear soon from your side.

With regards,
Dr Sanjay Kanodia
MD-Dermatology & Sexually transmitted diseases.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (7 hours later)
Sorry I thought I attached the pictures. It was very itchy in the beginning but notas much anymore. The rash will last a day or two and will come back.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (9 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Your condition is simple hives or medically known as Urticaria. Relax !!!

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Welcome again to the forum and thanks for posting important details along with pictures so that I can now guide you best regrading your present condition.

Let me first and foremost reassure you that your condition is not at all related to HIV or any serious condition.

After analyzing the complete details and the pictures with diligence I can guide you that you have the condition which is known as "urticaria" or simply known as "hives". Before I proceed further let you understand about your problem.

To tell you Medically - Our blood contains multiple type cells including red blood cells and white blood cells. Specifically these white blood cells provide immunity to our body which are of further multiple types. Whenever anything in body is not suitable or offending to body then the number of white blood cells increases transiently.

Particularly these cells which increase are eosinophils and basophils which are also known as mast cells. These cells contain granules which have a specific chemical known as histamine.

So as soon as any offending factors come in contact there is bursting of the mast cells. There fore this histamine is released and we experience variable degree of itching and the kind of bumps which we can see in yourself.

The bumps can remain for a very transient period to upto multiple hours to up to 1-2 days. It can remain for more than 12 hours too depending on the intensity of the offending factor. I can see that you have scratched it at certain places which actually causes bit lengthened appearance of redness due to scratching.

Now the type of offending factor are innumerable including our food, environmental factors including temperature variation, heat, humidity, cold, dust and even simple of fragrances in air and multiple of other related things and very importantly stress too.

In your case as most probably it may be related to stress factors. You check out for any change in all the factors during preceding last two hours before the bumps.

For the treatment part - it is quite simple and treated with drugs which inhibits the histamine release also known as Antihistamines.

I myself prefer Des-Loratadine (Claritin) in my patients as it is very simple medicine without any side effects of sedation. In my patients I start with 2-3 tablets/day, as soon as good effect is maintained then reduce to one to two in few weeks and then alternate days in next few weeks.

Once there are no lesions/bumps for few weeks then taper off to 2-3 tablets per week for few months and then stop it. In general urticaria may remain for few months to upto a year period but sometimes it may progress even longer than that too. In most of the cases as our immune system and body get adjusted to that particular offending factor so it then self subsides.

To reduce all the medical illness I suggest you to do Yoga and Meditation which is most helpful in your kind of situation. Keep yourself busy and do not sit alone.

Talk to yourself and give positive suggestions to your own internal self. I am fully confident that you will take care of your stress and will come out of all of your health issues.

I hope these information will help you in dealing the condition better. If you have any further queries I will be glad to help you.

With good health wishes,

Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
MD - Dermatology & Sexually transmitted diseases.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (6 hours later)
Thank you so much for your help. My mind is at ease and I definitely feel better .
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (11 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
I reassure you fully that your condition is simple

Detailed Answer:
Hello young lady,

Welcome again to the forum and thanks for your further follow up.

I am really happy to know that you are relaxed to know the simple facts regarding your concern.

I again reassure you that your condition is not at all related to anything serious and is one of the most simple condition seen in my daily clinical practice.

I will be glad to guide you any further or if not then can close the discussion and rate the answer.

With regards,

Dr Sanjay Kanodia
MD-DERMATOLOGY & Sexually transmitted diseases.
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
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Answered by
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Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia

Dermatologist

Practicing since :2002

Answered : 4165 Questions

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What Causes Recurring Itchy Rashes On Body?

Brief Answer: Kindly send few good resolution pictures of the affected areas. Detailed Answer: Hello, Welcome and thanks for posting your query to the forum. I can understand your concern for the rash and its related issues. In view to help you best I request you to kindly send few good resolution pictures of the affected areas. For the same you have a feature on the right side of the page. Or else you can send your photos at: YYYY@YYYY With attention " Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia " Also kindly tell me : - For how long does the rash remains- for few hours or remains for multiple days. It is really very important to know how log the rash remains. So kindly guide me the exact time the rash remains. - What is the severity of itching - mild /moderate or severe. - What is the severity of itching at night. Hope to hear soon from your side. With regards, Dr Sanjay Kanodia MD-Dermatology & Sexually transmitted diseases.