Identify my rash (1 Viewer)

[playin4beer]

Back story

I live on a smaller inland lake, all sports, 224 acres.

I was in the water Saturday putting in Sea Doo lifts.. Afterwards I did some weed whacking and hedge trimming, all while wearing shorts.

Fast forward to Saturday night and we were sitting around the fire and I felt an "itch". Went to scratch it and felt a bunch of little bumps. It's worse today than Saturday.. No pain, just extremely itchy.

For reference, this is on my lower back, think "tramp stamp"

Serious and non serious answers appreciated, I've ruled out ball cancer.

Rash

 

[belljr]

without looking --- shingles

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Swimmers itch

 

[playin4beer]

Swimmers itch

I've had swimmers itch before.. it's usually not localized like this rash..

 

[playin4beer]

without looking --- shingles

No pain at all.. just itchy

 

[need2know]

Def ball cancer

 

[offdee]

Lower back chlamydia.

 

[AAABatteries]

Were you using sunscreen on the area? I went to the beach years ago and wore a sun shirt most of the week. It would stay sweaty and wet from getting in the ocean and I also had sunscreen on my lower back. Ended up with a crazy rash similar to this that initially a doc looked at it and thought shingles, but I had no other symptoms. Think it was just a form of like severe heat rash that took like a week to go away using ointment.

 

[psychobillies]

Looks like poison ivy to me.

 

[jvdesigns2002]

When it comes to medical and health related stuff on this forum—i always find that @Terminalxylem to be very helpful.

 

[UncleZen]

without looking --- shingles

No pain at all.. just itchy

Shingles doesn't start off as pain, just itchy. I had it a few years ago and thought nothing of it until my boss yelled at me to get to the doctor. I went to the Dr about 3 days after it started and by that night, I couldn't sleep it was so painful.

 

[playin4beer]

Were you using sunscreen on the area? I went to the beach years ago and wore a sun shirt most of the week. It would stay sweaty and wet from getting in the ocean and I also had sunscreen on my lower back. Ended up with a crazy rash similar to this that initially a doc looked at it and thought shingles, but I had no other symptoms. Think it was just a form of like severe heat rash that took like a week to go away using ointment.

No sunscreen...

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

I would immediately guess poison ivy

 

[mr. furley]

chiggers?

 

[Willie Neslon]

Shingles is my guess. Often shows up on trunk and buttocks.

https://img.lb.wbmdstatic.com/vim/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/articles/health_tools/adult_skin_problems_slideshow/dermnet_rf_photo_of_herpes_zoster-1.jpg?resize=652px:*&output-quality=100

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Sat on any ant hills lately?

 

[Don Quixote]

Shingles was the worst I have ever felt. If this is more “tramp stamp” location of center back like you indicated, I would not think there. Shingles is more like left or right side with band wrapping around front and back — does not cross the spine.

But, if there is chance of it, would go to the doctor immediately. Drugs most effective if start in first few days of rash appearing.

(Honestly, probably should go to doctor anyway. Remember posting here a few years back about my shingles experience and some poster here who must have stayed at a Holiday Inn the previous night was arguing that I did not have shingles.)

 

[Fat Nick]

I'm going Poison Ivy as well. I had shingles one time and THOUGHT it was poison ivy, but it did more than itch. For me it was on my neck and it felt like a chemical burn. Super uncomfortable. Not like Poison Ivy.

I will say that there are all kinds of bacteria and things you can get working around water. We boat on the Chesapeake a lot, and I typically get some kind of thing that makes the top layer of skin peel of my fingers when we're out and I'm handling anchor rode, dock lines, fish, or working on anything covered in bay sludge and detritus. It's nothing major, but my understanding is it's some kind of bacteria.

 

[playin4beer]

chiggers?

This was my google diagnosis based on the bumps and the location.. Supposedly they usually attack in areas where clothing is tight fitting.. Socks/ankles, waistband, etc.. This is on my back right above my ***, where my waistband is..

I guess I'm a LITTLE worried it's shingles, but absolutely no pain.. doesn't hurt at all.. just itches like a mutha..

 

[Willie Neslon]

chiggers?

This was my google diagnosis based on the bumps and the location.. Supposedly they usually attack in areas where clothing is tight fitting.. Socks/ankles, waistband, etc.. This is on my back right above my ***, where my waistband is..

I guess I'm a LITTLE worried it's shingles, but absolutely no pain.. doesn't hurt at all.. just itches like a mutha..

Shingles can be mild, especially if you're not too old.

 

[Chemical X]

poison ivy, sumac if i had to bet. the weed whacking is a giveaway IMO. pic looks identical.

poison ivy lower back - Google Search

 

[mr. furley]

chiggers?

This was my google diagnosis based on the bumps and the location.. Supposedly they usually attack in areas where clothing is tight fitting.. Socks/ankles, waistband, etc.. This is on my back right above my ***, where my waistband is..

I guess I'm a LITTLE worried it's shingles, but absolutely no pain.. doesn't hurt at all.. just itches like a mutha..

based solely on the itchiness and your activities, i'm going chiggers

got chewed up by chiggers a handful of summers ago. more or less everything on my legs that wasn't covered itched in a way that i did not think was possible for.. at least a week. itch creams only started somewhat working after about 4-5 days but i burned through tubes of the stuff trying to get relief.

good luck

 

[DA RAIDERS]

if the bumps start to spread in straight lines it might be scabies.

 

[SWC]

back in high school i knew this brohan we called whitehead willie and that looks a lot like his chin and forehead but i sincerely doubt you are going through puberty and having a lower back acne also known as backne outbreak so i am no help here but if you want i can see if ole willie is still around and might have the down low take that to the bank brochacho

 

[TheFatKid]

Scabies, definitely scabies.




I have no idea, you just don’t get to talk about scabies in normal conversation and it is so fun to say, so I had to bring it up.

 

[dickey moe]

Do you have stinging nettle in your parts?

 

[greenmountaingoat]

FWIW, I'm currently 4 weeks into shingles in my right eye and to say that it sucks would be the understatement of the year. Things have gotten way better since the first two weeks (feeling like a hatchet buried in my face nonstop) but still dealing with a numb, tingling, burning sensation from the tip of my nose up through my scalp and a nonstop feeling like there's a hair across my eye- on top of having a terrible headache if I'm not on 3 medications constantly. Still not sleeping well, have chills and can't stand bright lights. Almost can't drive because the brightness outside is like fingernails on the chalkboard level of cringe. Week 2 I couldn't walk 100 feet without takin a break.

Hope for your sake it's not shingles- this **** is nasty.

 

[mr. furley]

FWIW, I'm currently 4 weeks into shingles in my right eye and to say that it sucks would be the understatement of the year. Things have gotten way better since the first two weeks (feeling like a hatchet buried in my face nonstop) but still dealing with a numb, tingling, burning sensation from the tip of my nose up through my scalp and a nonstop feeling like there's a hair across my eye- on top of having a terrible headache if I'm not on 3 medications constantly. Still not sleeping well, have chills and can't stand bright lights. Almost can't drive because the brightness outside is like fingernails on the chalkboard level of cringe. Week 2 I couldn't walk 100 feet without takin a break.

Hope for your sake it's not shingles- this **** is nasty.

hot damn. one of the ladies at work had shingles on her face and left eye. she was OOO for weeks and said it was the most miserable pain of her life.

hope it clears up fast for you.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

FWIW, I'm currently 4 weeks into shingles in my right eye and to say that it sucks would be the understatement of the year. Things have gotten way better since the first two weeks (feeling like a hatchet buried in my face nonstop) but still dealing with a numb, tingling, burning sensation from the tip of my nose up through my scalp and a nonstop feeling like there's a hair across my eye- on top of having a terrible headache if I'm not on 3 medications constantly. Still not sleeping well, have chills and can't stand bright lights. Almost can't drive because the brightness outside is like fingernails on the chalkboard level of cringe. Week 2 I couldn't walk 100 feet without takin a break.

Hope for your sake it's not shingles- this **** is nasty.

Hope you are okay. Everyone, please get the shingles vaccine if you've had chicken pox. This is why.

 

[Dezbelief]

chiggers?

This was my google diagnosis based on the bumps and the location.. Supposedly they usually attack in areas where clothing is tight fitting.. Socks/ankles, waistband, etc.. This is on my back right above my ***, where my waistband is..

I guess I'm a LITTLE worried it's shingles, but absolutely no pain.. doesn't hurt at all.. just itches like a mutha..

based solely on the itchiness and your activities, i'm going chiggers

got chewed up by chiggers a handful of summers ago. more or less everything on my legs that wasn't covered itched in a way that i did not think was possible for.. at least a week. itch creams only started somewhat working after about 4-5 days but i burned through tubes of the stuff trying to get relief.

good luck

Idk if any of this works for anyone else or if it's all old wives' tales and placebo effect; but for chiggers first rub rubbing alcohol all over the affected area, let air dry and then cover the area with something to prevent the chiggers from getting oxygen. I've used clear fingernail polish, petroleum jelly and triple antibiotic ointment at different times.

 

[3C's]

chiggers?

This was my google diagnosis based on the bumps and the location.. Supposedly they usually attack in areas where clothing is tight fitting.. Socks/ankles, waistband, etc.. This is on my back right above my ***, where my waistband is..

I guess I'm a LITTLE worried it's shingles, but absolutely no pain.. doesn't hurt at all.. just itches like a mutha..

based solely on the itchiness and your activities, i'm going chiggers

got chewed up by chiggers a handful of summers ago. more or less everything on my legs that wasn't covered itched in a way that i did not think was possible for.. at least a week. itch creams only started somewhat working after about 4-5 days but i burned through tubes of the stuff trying to get relief.

good luck

I had a case of the chiggers back around 2010. I took my lawn "tractor" out into the way back and on the way back the drive belt popped off. So I laid down in the woods and put it back on. Then the next morning I flew out to Germany. Back and lower legs were eaten up but I was drunk most of the week so it didn't matter.

 

[belljr]

chiggers?

This was my google diagnosis based on the bumps and the location.. Supposedly they usually attack in areas where clothing is tight fitting.. Socks/ankles, waistband, etc.. This is on my back right above my ***, where my waistband is..

I guess I'm a LITTLE worried it's shingles, but absolutely no pain.. doesn't hurt at all.. just itches like a mutha..

based solely on the itchiness and your activities, i'm going chiggers

got chewed up by chiggers a handful of summers ago. more or less everything on my legs that wasn't covered itched in a way that i did not think was possible for.. at least a week. itch creams only started somewhat working after about 4-5 days but i burned through tubes of the stuff trying to get relief.

good luck

I had a case of the chiggers back around 2010. I took my lawn "tractor" out into the way back and on the way back the drive belt popped off. So I laid down in the woods and put it back on. Then the next morning I flew out to Germany. Back and lower legs were eaten up but I was drunk most of the week so it didn't matter.

That's what you call the tractor story?

 

[3C's]

chiggers?

This was my google diagnosis based on the bumps and the location.. Supposedly they usually attack in areas where clothing is tight fitting.. Socks/ankles, waistband, etc.. This is on my back right above my ***, where my waistband is..

I guess I'm a LITTLE worried it's shingles, but absolutely no pain.. doesn't hurt at all.. just itches like a mutha..

based solely on the itchiness and your activities, i'm going chiggers

got chewed up by chiggers a handful of summers ago. more or less everything on my legs that wasn't covered itched in a way that i did not think was possible for.. at least a week. itch creams only started somewhat working after about 4-5 days but i burned through tubes of the stuff trying to get relief.

good luck

I had a case of the chiggers back around 2010. I took my lawn "tractor" out into the way back and on the way back the drive belt popped off. So I laid down in the woods and put it back on. Then the next morning I flew out to Germany. Back and lower legs were eaten up but I was drunk most of the week so it didn't matter.

That's what you call the tractor story?

For the rest of the story: What happens in Munich stays in Munich.

 

[The Gator]

chiggers?

Reported

 

[simey]

I'm in agreement with the chiggers crowd based on the rash being where your waistband was. A poison ivy rash usually starts where your skin was exposed to the plant, unless you came into contact with something (dog, cat, shoes) that had poison ivy oil on it and then you touched it. Chiggers will crawl under your clothes and then feast on your skin. Both can be extremely itchy. I have some poison ivy on my wrist that is finally clearing up.

 

[mr. furley]

chiggers?

This was my google diagnosis based on the bumps and the location.. Supposedly they usually attack in areas where clothing is tight fitting.. Socks/ankles, waistband, etc.. This is on my back right above my ***, where my waistband is..

I guess I'm a LITTLE worried it's shingles, but absolutely no pain.. doesn't hurt at all.. just itches like a mutha..

based solely on the itchiness and your activities, i'm going chiggers

got chewed up by chiggers a handful of summers ago. more or less everything on my legs that wasn't covered itched in a way that i did not think was possible for.. at least a week. itch creams only started somewhat working after about 4-5 days but i burned through tubes of the stuff trying to get relief.

good luck

Idk if any of this works for anyone else or if it's all old wives' tales and placebo effect; but for chiggers first rub rubbing alcohol all over the affected area, let air dry and then cover the area with something to prevent the chiggers from getting oxygen. I've used clear fingernail polish, petroleum jelly and triple antibiotic ointment at different times.

now you tell me

 

[shuke]

Ah, chiggers. So many memories from my childhood. We spent a lot of the summer in the woods behind our house and it must have been the world's chigger epicenter.

This was late 70s/early 80s, when it was commonly believed that chiggers burrowed under the skin and lived there or laid their eggs under the skin and that is what caused the rash. The treatment was to smother them by applying clear nail polish and letting it dry.

 

[shuke]

Idk if any of this works for anyone else or if it's all old wives' tales and placebo effect; but for chiggers first rub rubbing alcohol all over the affected area, let air dry and then cover the area with something to prevent the chiggers from getting oxygen. I've used clear fingernail polish, petroleum jelly and triple antibiotic ointment at different times.

And just saw this. They aren't in there, bro. Old wives tale absolutely.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Idk if any of this works for anyone else or if it's all old wives' tales and placebo effect; but for chiggers first rub rubbing alcohol all over the affected area, let air dry and then cover the area with something to prevent the chiggers from getting oxygen. I've used clear fingernail polish, petroleum jelly and triple antibiotic ointment at different times.

And just saw this. They aren't in there, bro. Old wives tale absolutely.

Nope. And reading about it is like some kind of horror movie.

Chigger larva will attach to your clothing and move to your skin to feed. The chigger larva will release a liquid chemical into your skin to kill skin cells (digestive enzyme). The dead skin cells form a tiny straw (stylostome) for the chigger to drink your skin tissue. The chigger’s chemical causes itching that is very intense for the first 24-48 hours before slowly going away over the next two weeks. Chiggers will fall off of your skin if you begin to scratch.

Remedies are suggested here.

 

[ChiefD]

It’s the rickets.

 

[Grahamburn]

I’ve got a rash, man…

 

[playin4beer]

The itching woke me up in the middle of the night.. After putting some cortizone cream and an ice pack on it, I was able to go back to sleep.

Seems to be mildly better this morning.. Still no pain, just itching, so I'm assuming no to shingles and probably to chiggers..

 

[Fat Nick]

I'm in agreement with the chiggers crowd based on the rash being where your waistband was. A poison ivy rash usually starts where your skin was exposed to the plant, unless you came into contact with something (dog, cat, shoes) that had poison ivy oil on it and then you touched it. Chiggers will crawl under your clothes and then feast on your skin. Both can be extremely itchy. I have some poison ivy on my wrist that is finally clearing up.

I'll counter-argue re. poison ivy that I very often get it at waist bands and at the edges of gloves because I sweat when I work. I get the oils on my back and arms, and it naturally runs down and collects at waist bands and glove edges, and that's where I end up getting it. To be fair, I've never had chiggers...but I've had poison ivy a LOT.

As I get older, I'm either getting more immune to poison ivy, or...my regimen of a post-exposure shower with 2x washing with dawn dish soap is working to keep the oil from setting in. My Dad doesn't get poison ivy at all. He can literally walk into it and rip it out with his bare hands.

 

[Terminalxylem]

The itching woke me up in the middle of the night.. After putting some cortizone cream and an ice pack on it, I was able to go back to sleep.

Seems to be mildly better this morning.. Still no pain, just itching, so I'm assuming no to shingles and probably to chiggers..

Glad you’re getting better. FWIW, I agree with the chigger contingent. The treatment initially is bathing, to get rid of the critters, followed by stuff to minimize itching. Topical hydrocortisone is a good choice, and you can take something like Benadryl by mouth if that fails, to facilitate sleeping.

FBG also did a good job with the important differential diagnosis, shingles. But uniform appearing lesions which cross the midline make this very unlikely.

If it doesn’t resolve in a few days, the area may have become secondarily infected by bacteria (possibly requiring antibiotics), or you’re experiencing an allergic or irritant contact dermatitis to something other than chiggers (like poison ivy). For this you’d just need to figure out the ongoing exposure, and avoid it.

Lastly, please remember to wear pants while weed-wacking in chigger season. Your waistband thankfully served as an effective barrier this time, but one pantsless slip-up is all it takes to end up with this.

Summer penile syndrome is a benign hypersensitivity reaction involving the skin of the penile shaft. As the name suggests, it is seen during the warm weather months. It is also known as seasonal acute hypersensitivity reaction and lion’s mane penis. The history may include recent play outside in the grass or a wooded area within the last 24 hours. It is most commonly associated with insect bites, usually chiggers, but may also be caused by exposure to plants (poison ivy, sumac, and oak). The diagnosis is made clinically and is suspected when the skin of the shaft of the penis, most often just proximal to the glans, is markedly edematous. There is minimal erythema and no fluctuance. Four out of five patients have pruritus, and few have urinary symptoms. Symptoms (both swelling and pruritus) can last up to 2 to 3 weeks, but most patients have resolution in 4 to 5 days

 

[simey]

I'll counter-argue re. poison ivy that I very often get it at waist bands and at the edges of gloves because I sweat when I work. I get the oils on my back and arms, and it naturally runs down and collects at waist bands and glove edges, and that's where I end up getting it. To be fair, I've never had chiggers...but I've had poison ivy a LOT.

As I get older, I'm either getting more immune to poison ivy, or...my regimen of a post-exposure shower with 2x washing with dawn dish soap is working to keep the oil from setting in. My Dad doesn't get poison ivy at all. He can literally walk into it and rip it out with his bare hands.

You could be right, Nick. However, I thought the rash was under his waistband, which makes me suspect chiggers. Does your poison ivy sweat creep under your waistband? I reckon sweat tainted with poison ivy oil could do that. Also, he said he itched the night after weed whacking and felt bumps. My poison rashes usually start as flat rashes, and then they blister up later. Itchy bumps that quickly make me think its chigger bites, but people's reactions to poison can vary. I do think it is one or the other.

Unfortunately, I am not getting more immune to poison ivy as I age, but the dawn dish soap regimen is good to know. When I recently got it on my wrist, I could see the poison ivy before I got closer to it. Some litterbug threw a big Amazon box in the shrubs and some hard ribbon things were scattered out of the box. The poison ivy was in the the shrubs. I looked at the crime scene, and then went and got a stick and put some vinyl disposable gloves on. I got the box out with a stick (I stayed at least a foot 1/2 away from the shrubs), and I used the stick to collect the scattered ribbons and dropped them in the box. I threw the stick into the wooded area. I picked up the box with gloves on and tossed it in the garbage. I took one glove off with the other glove, and then then got the other glove off with a paper towel. I never felt the box touch me, and I had gloves on the whole time. I washed my hands and arms just to be sure I got no posion oil on me. Later I had an itchy rash right below where the gloves ended on my wrist, and it was poison ivy.

 

[SWC]

its ebola probably take that to the bank brohan

 

[mr. furley]

The itching woke me up in the middle of the night.. After putting some cortizone cream and an ice pack on it, I was able to go back to sleep.

Seems to be mildly better this morning.. Still no pain, just itching, so I'm assuming no to shingles and probably to chiggers..

Glad you’re getting better. FWIW, I agree with the chigger contingent. The treatment initially is bathing, to get rid of the critters, followed by stuff to minimize itching. Topical hydrocortisone is a good choice, and you can take something like Benadryl by mouth if that fails, to facilitate sleeping.

and, i'll add here, jumping in to a lake of fire to boil off my skin is something i considered.

anything to stop the itching. anything.

 

[playin4beer]

The itching woke me up in the middle of the night.. After putting some cortizone cream and an ice pack on it, I was able to go back to sleep.

Seems to be mildly better this morning.. Still no pain, just itching, so I'm assuming no to shingles and probably to chiggers..

Glad you’re getting better. FWIW, I agree with the chigger contingent. The treatment initially is bathing, to get rid of the critters, followed by stuff to minimize itching. Topical hydrocortisone is a good choice, and you can take something like Benadryl by mouth if that fails, to facilitate sleeping.

and, i'll add here, jumping in to a lake of fire to boil off my skin is something i considered.

anything to stop the itching. anything.

What really helps for me is a hot shower, directed right on the rash. Sounds weird, but man, it takes all the itch away.

A quick Google search shows :
Hot water can temporarily relieve itching by overloading nerves and opening pores. The sensation can feel euphoric for a few seconds, and the itching can subside for a few hours.

 

[psychobillies]

For those of you who have to deal with poison ivy, this product is a miracle. I highly recommend you buy some and keep it on hand because the sooner you can apply it, the more effective it is. I deal with it often, and this is the only thing that has ever worked for me.

 

[mr. furley]

The itching woke me up in the middle of the night.. After putting some cortizone cream and an ice pack on it, I was able to go back to sleep.

Seems to be mildly better this morning.. Still no pain, just itching, so I'm assuming no to shingles and probably to chiggers..

Glad you’re getting better. FWIW, I agree with the chigger contingent. The treatment initially is bathing, to get rid of the critters, followed by stuff to minimize itching. Topical hydrocortisone is a good choice, and you can take something like Benadryl by mouth if that fails, to facilitate sleeping.

and, i'll add here, jumping in to a lake of fire to boil off my skin is something i considered.

anything to stop the itching. anything.

What really helps for me is a hot shower, directed right on the rash. Sounds weird, but man, it takes all the itch away.

A quick Google search shows :
Hot water can temporarily relieve itching by overloading nerves and opening pores. The sensation can feel euphoric for a few seconds, and the itching can subside for a few hours.

that was me every day. blazing hot shower, hop out "man, the itch is finally gone... phew. that sucked"

an hour later "SOMEONE PEEL MY SKIN OFF!"