Small bumps that itch and turn into bigger "blisters" [Pictures]

I've been getting these small pimple looking bumps on my skin that itch and grow as I scratch them.

They've been appearing on my arms, back, chest, neck so basically my whole upper body.

When ever I apply anti-biotic ointment on them they ooze out yellow fluid. They aren't constantly itchy it comes and goes which is really annoying. Here are some pictures of what they look like at the bigger stage. Any help in diagnosing what this could be is highly appreciated.

 

Don't scratch. Where are the pictures?

 

yeah I learned not to scratch now to avoid damaging the skin even more, here are the pictures I forgot to embed them

 

Possibly some kind of insect bites that you're having an allergic reaction to?
Do you have pets? Stagnant water nearby?
Bedbugs usually bite around the belly for some reason so I don't think it's that.

 

Haven't noticed any insects biting me.
2 dogs but they've never been an issue allergy wise.
I was thinking it could be bedbugs so I washed my covers but still appeared with a new bump the next day so I'm not sure if that could be it.

Could this be a kind of staph infection? or do the symptoms not match?

 

No I dont think its staph (thou a bite could become infected with staph).

I dont think just washing covers is enough to usually get rid of bedbugs. Ive heard that can be hard to get rid of. They hide in nooks and cranies.

Marks appearing on skin which react to being touched eg welt up and blister can be mastocytosis. There are quite a few different forms of it. Mastocytosis often goes undiagnosed and can be actually mistaken for ME/CFS if systemic.

 

I meant in terms of fleas....once I stayed a ta friend's house and got bit like *crazy* by fleas.
Turned out they had infested the furniture and stuff. If you have histamine issues at all, flea (or other) bug bites could
get all angry-looking like that.

Hope they heal quickly! Do you have any bentonite clay? Applying clay slurry can reduce the itch, draw out the
inflammation, and help the woulds to heal.

 

will research this now

I've dealt with flea bites before on my legs and it's different in terms of the itch being unbearable, with these it comes and goes.

I've been applying anti-biotic ointment on them, would your recommendation be a better option for recovery?

 

@gunz123

Lavender oil dabbed on the spots ease mossie bites so might work on your bites and anti-histamine cream will.

 

Bumps that itch then form blisters can be DH (dermatitis hepa- ?) ... I can't spell it. lol. But it's a form if gluten intolerance.

I get a patch if these on the right side if my abdomen if I've been glutenned. They say these only form in certain patterns on the body but I don't think they're right.
It wouldn't be the first time they were wrong about gluten intolerance symptoms.

A biopsy can prove this but those aren't always accurate. Gf diet is better diagnostic tool. I've met people who can get these up to 6 months post gluten exposure. Mine shows up on day 1-2 along with severe insomnia and myoclonus. Check theglutenfile for more info. tc ... x

 

This could be one of many skin disorders and the only way to get a proper diagnosis is to go see a doctor. Putting antibiotics on some forms of dermatitis actually exacerbates it which might be why you are oozing yellow pus after applying antibiotic cream.

Bottom line, it could be bacterial, fungal, viral infection or an infection caused by some kind of bug inhabiting your living space. It could be a specific allergen. Who knows. Best to get it looked at by a health care professional.

 

But why would this come up all of a sudden if gluten intolerance was the problem?

wouldn't it have had already happened years ago?

 

I think that @xchocoholic is referring to dermatitis herpetiformis. I thought I had this at one point, but the doc said it wasn't.

Some of your spots look like flea bites to me. I sometimes get them due to my cats. The itching does come and go with me, over a period of several days, even a week or so. Tea tree oil may help a little, or antihistamine cream.

 

Celiac disease can show up at any age.

I think i was just gluten intolerant from 1990-2005. In 2005 is when my digestive problems really got out of control. I dropped 20-30 lbs in a few months from non stop runs. Now I mostly get neurological problems if glutenned. Other celiacs get more digestive symptoms.

I'm not sure what year i started getting that rash but now I know it's a gluten symptom for me.

I have a celiac gene, dq2, so I shouldn't have been eating it at all. I was mostly healthy until I was 34. Worked full time, had a child .. yada yada .. a virus or toxin started my me/cfs in 1990. But eliminating gluten in 2005, helped tremendously. Just not enough. I still have chronic OI and pem.

tc .. gotta party .. x

 

Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH) is Celiac disease. Although DH varies from person to person, one thing does stay the same: it is intensely itchy – you can't sleep, itchy! Typically it oozes clear fluid. Most commonly found on elbows, knees, back and buttocks. But xchocoholic is right, it really can be found anywhere.

@gunz123 Your rash looks more like some kind of bite to me as well. Along with all of the other suggestions, ice packs can sometimes help relieve the itching.

 

Clay might be a good adjunct if you feel the antibiotic cream is helping. It doesn't have to be either/or. One can alternate.

 

I'm having doubts on them being bedbug or any type of bug bites

Should I see a doctor or a dermatologist?

 

I would go and get it checked out to satisfy your own mind.
Perhaps GP first and if you have no luck there, go and see a dermatologist.

Your body may just be super sensitive to things or something at the moment.
I often forget that if I eat tomato's too many days in a row it can cause me patches of skin itchiness/irritations.

I once read use creams for non itchy and ointments for itchy.

Hope you find out what is causing it so you can get it sorted.

 

Some people get itchy little sores from hot tubs or jacuzzis that aren't clean enough.

Just the process of scratching an insect bite can cause a secondary infection. I used to get mosquito bites that oozed a clear yellow liquid.

I think the consensus is "it could be anything".

 

Yeah but i'm wondering if anyone has suffered from the same symptoms as me and what there diagnosis was