Itchy bumps or pimples on the body can have many causes. Urticaria or hives is common. Hives usually appear suddenly and disappear within a few hours to days. It is an often intensely itchy skin rash that starts with red spots, which can then change into thickened red or pale spots that can eventually merge into wheals. Itchy bumps on the body can also have other causes, such as lichen planus, heat bumps or viral exanthema. The itchy spots can manifest themselves on the face, arms and legs, trunk and back.
Itchy bumps on body
- Severely itchy bumps caused by the oak processionary caterpillar
- Lichen planus: itchy red-brown bumps on the body
- Disease of the skin and/or mucous membranes
- Cause of lichen planus
- Folliculitis: small red bumps with pus heads
- Risk factors
- Urticaria (hives): sudden itchy spots
- Skin rash that is often intensely itchy
- Triggers of hives
- Extensive granuloma annulare: bumps on body that form a ring
- Mastocytosis (urticaria pigmentosa): confluent red spots
- Drug reaction: spots without flakes
- Viral exanthema: red spots on the body
- Scabies: extremely itchy small red bumps
- Cutaneous vasculitis: small reddish-brown spots
- Senile hemangiomas: dark to purple growths
- Erythema multiforme: annular abnormalities
- Miliaria (heat bumps): red, intensely itchy pimples
- Childhood diseases with red spots on the skin
Skin rash caused by oak processionary caterpillar / Source: Kwouters001, Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Severely itchy bumps caused by the oak processionary caterpillar
The oak processionary caterpillar is the caterpillar of a moth and can live in oak trees in the summer. The caterpillar has stinging hairs that it releases when touched or by the wind. You cannot see these stinging hairs with the naked eye, as the hairs are too small for that. These stinging hairs contain a toxic protein, thaumetopoein, and when they come into contact with your skin or mucous membranes, they can cause all kinds of complaints, such as intense itching, bumps, blisters, redness of the skin and red and swollen eyes.
Lichen planus: itchy red-brown bumps on the body
Disease of the skin and/or mucous membranes
Lichen planus is an inflammatory condition that can manifest itself on the skin, hair, nails and mucous membranes. Small, itchy, reddish-brown to purple-red spots are often visible on the skin, usually a few millimeters in size. Preferred areas are the forearms and lower legs, but it can also occur throughout the body. Often there is no flaking. It mainly occurs in middle-aged people.
Cause of lichen planus
Lichen planus occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks cells of the skin or mucous membranes. No one knows the precise cause of this abnormal immune response. The condition is not contagious. In some people, certain factors may play a role that can trigger lichen planus:
- Hepatitis C infection;
- Flu vaccine;
- Some pigments, chemicals and metals;
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen;
- Certain medications for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure or arthritis.
Folliculitis / Source: Lforlav, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0)
Folliculitis: small red bumps with pus heads
Folliculitis is an inflammation of the hair follicles. Every hair on your body grows from a small pocket; the hair follicle or hair follicle. You can get folliculitis on any part of your body that has hair, with a preference for the beard region, arms, back, buttocks and legs. Small red bumps, often with small pus heads, appear around the hair follicles and skin pores. This condition is often caused by bacteria, but the culprit can also be a fungus, virus or yeast, although much less often.
Risk factors
The following factors increase the risk of folliculitis:
- Using a swimming pool, jacuzzi or hot tub that has not been properly cleaned.
- Wearing tight clothing.
- Using or working with substances that can irritate or cause blockage of the hair follicles. For example, due to frequent use of greasy (skin) products, such as greasy ointments or oils. Or in the work situation: motor oil and tar.
- Shaving the skin.
- Diabetes or HIV (this makes the body less able to defend itself against micro-organisms).
Urticaria on the back / Source: DLdoubleE, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Urticaria (hives): sudden itchy spots
Skin rash that is often intensely itchy
Urticaria, also called hives, causes itchy, volatile red, sometimes raised spots, which can convolute into larger wheals spread over the body, which often disappear within a few hours. Urticaria affects about 20 percent of people at some point in their lives. It can be caused by many substances or situations. The itching can be mild to severe. Scratching, alcoholic beverages, exercise and emotional stress can make the itching worse.
Triggers of hives
Triggering factors include:
- Some foods (especially peanuts, eggs, tree nuts, and shellfish)
- Medicines, such as antibiotics (penicillin in particular), aspirin and ibuprofen;
- Insect stings or bites
- Physical stimuli, such as pressure, cold, heat, exertion or sun exposure;
- Latex;
- Blood transfusions;
- Bacterial infections, such as urinary tract infections and strep throat;
- Viral infections, including flu, colds, infectious mononucleosis (also called mononucleosis due to swollen glands) and hepatitis;
- Pet dander;
- Pollen; and
- Some plants.
Reddish-brown bumps due to granuloma annulare / Source: Mierlo, Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Extensive granuloma annulare: bumps on body that form a ring
Granuloma annulare is a harmless, chronic skin condition, the cause of which is unknown. Skin-colored or reddish-brown bumps occur that form a circle or ring. Often it only concerns a few spots on the arms and legs, but occasionally it can occur more extensively, with spots spread over the entire body. This is called ‘generalized granuloma annulare’. This form can be quite itchy.
Mastocytosis (urticaria pigmentosa): confluent red spots
Mastocytosis is a rare blood disorder in which there is an increase in abnormal mast cells. Small, red to brown spots occur throughout the body. This may be accompanied by swelling and itching when you rub it.
Drug reaction: spots without flakes
Drug reactions can manifest themselves in many ways. What most commonly occurs are small, confluent red spots, often (initially) without scaling, preferably on the trunk, arms and (upper) legs. Skin reactions can occur with all types of medicines, but favorites are antibiotics such as penicillin and amoxycillin (used for infections such as respiratory infections, ear infections and bladder infections).
Viral exanthema: red spots on the body
A range of viruses can cause skin reactions, often involving red spots all over the body.Scabies on the hands / Source: Cixia, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Scabies: extremely itchy small red bumps
Scabies is a condition that causes very itchy small red bumps, often on the backs of the hands. The spots can quickly spread over the body, with a preference for the trunk and forearms. It is caused by small mites that burrow into the skin. The itching is caused by an allergic reaction to the mites. With adequate treatment, the mites die and the itching disappears within a few days to weeks. Without treatment, the trouble spots continue to reproduce under the skin, causing the complaints to persist.
Cutaneous vasculitis: small reddish-brown spots
Vasculitis is an inflammation of the blood vessels and with cutaneous vasculitis, blood vessels under the skin are inflamed and damaged. This causes bleeding, visible as small red or reddish-brown spots that cannot be pressed away. You often see them on the backs of the feet and lower legs, but they can spread to the upper legs, torso and arms. It is often accompanied by itching and irregularly thickened skin and painful swellings.
Senile hemangiomas: dark to purple growths
Senile hemangiomas (age-related hemangiomas) is a condition that, as the name suggests, mainly occurs in older people. Dark red to purple growths appear that consist of blood vessels and are sometimes somewhat raised. You may have a few, but occasionally they occur in hundreds at once, especially on the trunk.Erythema multiforme / Source: Grook Da Oger, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0)
Erythema multiforme: annular abnormalities
Erythema multiformerme is a sudden skin rash resulting from a type of allergic reaction to an infection with a bacteria or virus. A herpes simplex virus infection (the well-known cold sore) is often the culprit. Target-shaped or ring-shaped abnormalities occur on arms, hands (including palm) and trunk. It has a self-limiting course.
Miliaria (heat bumps): red, intensely itchy pimples
Heat bumps, also called sweat rash or heat bumps, is an annoying skin condition in which sweat ducts become blocked. It is caused by excessive sweating in warm conditions. There are several forms, but they often involve small red bumps or pimples that can itch intensely.Chickenpox / Source: 9Gawin/Shutterstock.com
Childhood diseases with red spots on the skin
Childhood diseases that can lead to spots or blisters on the skin. Almost every child will sooner or later have to deal with such a disease. This concerns the following diseases:
- Measles (morbilli);
- Scarlet fever (scarlatina);
- German measles (rubella);
- Fifth disease (erythema infectiosum);
- Sixth disease (exanthema subitum, roseola infantum or three-day fever); and
- Chickenpox (Varicella).
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