Hi all--I don't know if I'm having an allergic reaction, but for the past week or so, the skin on my arms (upper and lower), shoulders, chest, and neck have been terribly itchy and irritated. I'll get little clusters of bumps, or singular, larger, raised welts; I frequently inadvertently quickly itch them to point of breaking my skin such that I have little sores all over my arms; they feel like an allergy or bug bite, but they appear spontaneously and frequently. I've had them around the back of my knees and calves, too. Sometimes I'll just feel an itch, scratch, and my skin will immediately feel bumpy and irritated. Some spots blow up like a bad mosquito bite.

I'm pretty sure I'm not in a risk situation for scabies or bedbugs or any tropical skin disorders. About ten years ago I did live in the tropics and found that I was super sensitive to bugs bites--my doctor there said I was allergic to the mosquitoes, and I've always felt that I have sensitive skin and tend to get more bug bites than most people, and I did develop non-itching skin fungus (tinea) over there, but this is beyond anything I've ever experienced, and it's very irritating, and unsightly, I want it to go away. If it matters, it seems to be worse at night.

Should I try an antihistimine and just guess that it's some unidentifiable allergy, and go to a doctor if that doesn't work? Or try something else? I live in the US and have no insurance.. .

Thanks!

The best thing would be to go get it diagnosed. There are tons of skin rashes caused by many different things and we can only guess.