Small itchy bumps on arms caused by being in Florida?
May 22, 2011 2:11 PM   Subscribe

Small itchy bumps on arms caused by being in Florida?

YANMD, but I'm on vacation in Florida until Friday, and I do have a derm appointment on June 2nd (to renew my prescription for Differin, for acne) and I will ask about it then. But in the meantime, I could use some help/reassurance.

We arrived in Orlando on last Sunday, the 15th. We have spent several days in Disney World and other touristy places. Both Mr. Ipsum and I are very fair and burn easily, so we always covered our arms, face and neck with sunscreen before going out, and wore hats (and I also covered my legs with sunscreen).

On Friday, after being at Disney until about 10:30, we arrived back at the hotel, and I started feeling itchy. I assumed that some mosquitos had got me when we were at the park late watching an outdoor show.

Yesterday I noticed small itchy pink bumps on the top of both hands (not the palms). Mr. Ipsum had the same thing on his hands. I googled a bit, and it looked like we might possibly have dyshidrosis (or dyshidrotic eczema). One site did mention excessive sweating as a possible cause, but none of the other sites did. We were definitely sweating a lot on Friday morning when we were standing in direct sun for a while, watching the opening ceremony for the "Star Tours" ride at Disney.

Now, today, my bumps have spread to cover the tops of both hands, and all over both arms (and on one knee). Mr. Ipsum still only has it on his hands. I did some more googling on "small itchy bumps" and found all sorts of possibilities. I don't think they are chigger bites as the bumps are quite small compared to the pictures I've seen of it. I'm starting to freak out a bit because of how it's spreading, and I've also noticed that many, many of the pages I've found seem to reference Florida. That is, many health forums where people complain about these bumps mention living or having vacationed in Florida, but none of them had a definite answer for what it is - there were all sorts of possible explanations listed such as allergies, bug bites, poison ivy, gluten-intolerance, etc.

I wondered if it was a reaction to all the sunscreen, but we haven't worn any on Saturday or today, since we've been mostly indoors, avoiding the weekend Disney crowds by going to the mall, seeing a movie, staying in the hotel, etc.

Has anyone experienced this condition after being in Florida, and do you have any idea what it might possibly be? And is there anything over-the-counter I can use to stop the spread or stop the itching? We brought a cetrimide cream ("Savlon") from home to use for bug bites, and I've been applying that - it seems to help a little bit, temporarily.
posted by LaurenIpsum to Health & Fitness (16 answers total)
 
Best answer: Heat rash?
posted by decathecting at 2:13 PM on May 22, 2011


You don't say whether you were actually sunburnt? I have gotten small itchy bumps as a result of massive sun overexposure, even with sunscreen (I am also pale, and I live in FLorida, so overexposure is pretty much inevitable).

How itchy? Have you tried taking a Benadryl at night, along with some anti-inflammatories?
posted by toodleydoodley at 2:15 PM on May 22, 2011


Response by poster: No, I haven't gotten sunburned - both of us have gotten burned in the past while on vacation, so now we are very, very thorough about applying sunscreen all over every inch of exposed skin.

The itching isn't unbearable, but it is annoying and persistent - if I keep myself occupied so that I'm not thinking about it, I don't scratch as much.

Are there any alternatives to Benadryl? I had a bad reaction the last few times I took it - severe insomnia, heart palpitations, etc. and I have been afraid to use it since then.
posted by LaurenIpsum at 2:19 PM on May 22, 2011


well, you could try one of the otc acid reducers (which generally also act as an antihistamine), but you might have the same response. How about a topical corticosteroid, like cortisone cream? basically it sounds like what the old folks call "sun poisoning". take a cool shower, too.
posted by toodleydoodley at 2:21 PM on May 22, 2011


Caladryl lotion was what we always used when we were itchy when I was growing up.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 2:21 PM on May 22, 2011


Prickly Heat
posted by Fairchild at 2:25 PM on May 22, 2011 [2 favorites]


I have lived in Florida my entire life and I will say it's odd that it's on your hands and arms and not in areas that are covered with clothing and tend to get humid -- like groin, armpits and the like. It does sound like some kind of reaction to sun exposure, not bugs.
posted by Fairchild at 2:29 PM on May 22, 2011


Response by poster: Fairchild, could it be due to the fact that my arms were covered in a rather thick sunscreen? The link posted by decathecting on "Heat rash" mentioned creams as a possible cause for sweat glands getting clogged.
posted by LaurenIpsum at 2:36 PM on May 22, 2011


Agree with Fairchild, sounds like prickly heat. I used to get painted with calamine lotion to help stop the itching and heal the "blisters".
posted by likeso at 2:38 PM on May 22, 2011


I know you asked Fairchild, but as a child I was always slathered in sunscreen (back then, I could get moonburned), but I didn't always get prickly heat. IIRC, it was when I'd been out in the fields in direct sunlight and overheated, i.e. not at the beach where I'd be constantly in the water cooling off.
posted by likeso at 2:47 PM on May 22, 2011


Polymorphous light eruption?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymorphous_light_eruption

This sounds like exactly what happens to me every spring plus on any vacations to sunny climes. It starts with itchy bumps on the backs of my hands, then spreads to my elbows and the backs of my shoulders, for some reason. I try to keep myself lotioned up, sun screened, slathered in hydrocortisone, which helps some.

It goes away in a few weeks, once your skin has adjusted to the sun, but my understanding (and experience) is that it gets worse as time goes on.
posted by little cow make small moo at 2:51 PM on May 22, 2011


Best answer: Lauren, sounds likely. Good luck. IANAD. Maybe you could try hydrocortisone. http://www.drugstore.com/cortizone-10-plus-hydrocortisone-anti-itch-creme-maximum-strength/qxp13211?fromsrch=Cortizone+10
posted by Fairchild at 2:54 PM on May 22, 2011


It sounds like prickly heat, or whatever it is that I get on my hands, arms, and feet and legs. Wash in cool water, keep out of the sun as much as you can either by being in shade or wearing long sleeves, and use Gold Bond for the itching (this has been the most successful anti-itch cream for me).

(Mine has gotten worse over time.)
posted by jeather at 3:05 PM on May 22, 2011


I get the same thing- it seems to be a mix of allergic reactions to something and heat, combined with some kind of constriction on my skin- be it heavy lotion or tight clothing. It also initially showed up on a vacation. Once it got so bad I had to be put on a prescription cream- and my doc ruled out scabies, chiggers, etc.

What has worked for me to keep it at bay: I cut out the use of detergent and fabric softener that had a ton of chemicals/scents in them. That made a huge difference. I cut out lotions that aren't natural- right now I simply use aloe gel. I always dress in layers so I can remove the longer sleeves if necessary, and while I am at home, I always try to have bare arms, and keep them dry and cool.

Basically just keep things clean and on the natural side and that make a big difference.
posted by haplesschild at 3:42 PM on May 22, 2011


Best answer: Prickly heat or heat rash. It may be due to the lotion you used blocking sweat pores.
posted by fifilaru at 3:46 PM on May 22, 2011


Response by poster: Yikes, I know this is late, but I wanted to update. After seeing the answers here, I ran out to the drugstore and got both hydrocortisone and Gold Bond. I immediately applied the hydrocortisone and it seemed to relieve some of the itching. The next morning, the bumps were noticeably better, and by the following day, they were gone completely. I guess the explanation of heat rash is the best one. When I went to see my derm the following week, I no longer had any bumps to show her, but I mentioned the issue to her and she said it did sound like heat rash.
posted by LaurenIpsum at 6:57 AM on July 11, 2011


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