# Help, itchy rash - hives? what can I put on them? Need recommendation fast. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 19, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-itchy-rash-hives-what-can-i-put-on-them-need-recommendation-fast/816398 "2018-06-19T19:51:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-itchy-rash-hives-what-can-i-put-on-them-need-recommendation-fast/816398/1 "2018-06-19T19:51:03Z")
I’m breaking out in little tiny bumps like hives that itch like mad, stop after about 20 minutes, and leave a small red mark. My elbows are stippled with little red pimple like things, and my legs are a horrorshow. The itching is worse at night. I went to the ‘doc in the box’ and they looked and said, ‘huh. looks like an allergy’. They weren’t much help, said to take Benadryl and use calamine lotion. So now I’m taking Allegra and using Cortisone OTC cream or Lanacane cream. Helps a little. I thought it might be my high blood pressure pill, Lisinopril, and I stopped taking it for a week, there was no change. It’s driving me mad! Is there anything OTC I can put on these hives that works well? Tea tree oil? Eczema remedies? The Allegra helps some, but the itching starts in the middle of the night. (I can’t keep gulping down Benadryl, I would sleep my life away). I have an appointment to see my PC doctor at the beginning of next month, but what can I do till then? No one seems very concerned and said, ‘oh I had that and it just went away’ or ‘put the goddam calamine lotion on’. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-itchy-rash-hives-what-can-i-put-on-them-need-recommendation-fast/816398/2 "2018-06-19T19:57:16Z")
First: I am an MD. Also: little red pimple things does not sound a lot like hives. but it certainly can be from allergies for fighting the itch I’d say take your allegra just as a long acting baseline once or twice a day (depending on whether it’s a 12 hour or 24 hour pill) Then on top of it you can add Benadryl 25mg to 75 mg 4 x a day as needed for itching you can’t stand. It will make you drowsy. Oatmeal colloid baths can be helpful. so can cold water, as cold as you can stand. Avoid heat, avoid alcohol, avoid scratching. hydrocortisone may help, but you have to use it on so many places that it’s a lot of work. Stronger (prescriptions) creams would work better, as would prednisone or prednisolone pills (also Rx). Lisinopril does indeed make one prone to more allergic reactions, as it promotes the production of histamine in the body. But whether it’s behind your situation or not remains to be seen. When my patients are suffering that much, I get the prednisone out. good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2018, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-itchy-rash-hives-what-can-i-put-on-them-need-recommendation-fast/816398/3 "2018-06-20T02:15:15Z")
This helps me. [https://www.walmart.com/ip/Aveeno-1-Hydrocortisone-Anti-Itch-Relief-Cream-1-Oz/10293807](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Aveeno-1-Hydrocortisone-Anti-Itch-Relief-Cream-1-Oz/10293807) There’s also this, but it’s more expensive. [https://www.walmart.com/ip/Aveeno-Active-Naturals-Eczema-Therapy-Itch-Relief-Balm-11oz/53722495](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Aveeno-Active-Naturals-Eczema-Therapy-Itch-Relief-Balm-11oz/53722495) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2018, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-itchy-rash-hives-what-can-i-put-on-them-need-recommendation-fast/816398/4 "2018-06-20T02:23:18Z")
Medical advice is best suited to IHMO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2018, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-itchy-rash-hives-what-can-i-put-on-them-need-recommendation-fast/816398/5 "2018-06-20T02:27:54Z")
Shingles is a possibility. I learned that the hard way. ☹ I dismissed my symptoms as hives. It attacked my forehead and left eye. I could have lost my sight without medical intervention. Thankfully I got to the opthamologist in time. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2018, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-itchy-rash-hives-what-can-i-put-on-them-need-recommendation-fast/816398/6 "2018-06-20T02:36:33Z")
Is there any chance it could be secondary syphilis? If you think you could have been exposed to syphilis, then visit an STD clinic. ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2018, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-itchy-rash-hives-what-can-i-put-on-them-need-recommendation-fast/816398/7 "2018-06-20T02:55:13Z")
Diluted tea tree oil might help with the itching but probably won’t do anything for the cause. Right now I am suffering from a prickly heat rash (we were at 95F+ and plus ++ humidity for about 3 days). The cooler temps of 83F and humidity has given me some relief. Cool showers, maybe try spritzing on some vinegar/water, and oatmeal in a sock baths can soothe stuff. My oldest son thought he was under a poison ivy attack and the ER docs (yeah, it was that long of a time-- many days and that severe of itching (scraping = gauging)) told him Benadryl. Turned out it was Chicken Pox (his next younger brother, his class and his next younger brother’s class were all 1X vaxxed or had had minor CP spots as infants… that was fun dealing with 2 almost adults in total misery and their school was close to shutting down.) Lots of Benadryl and oatmeal baths and cool showers was all we could do. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2018, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-itchy-rash-hives-what-can-i-put-on-them-need-recommendation-fast/816398/8 "2018-06-20T03:05:21Z")
Bedbugs? ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2018, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-itchy-rash-hives-what-can-i-put-on-them-need-recommendation-fast/816398/9 "2018-06-21T01:19:30Z")
For topical application I use Caladryl lotion (regular or clear - regular seems to work a little better for me) or a generic benadryl OTC spray. The benadryl spray bottle works better for hard to reach locations on my back. I take Zyrtec at night to help with random attacks of idiopathic itching. Itching at night is the worst. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2018, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-itchy-rash-hives-what-can-i-put-on-them-need-recommendation-fast/816398/10 "2018-06-21T01:28:18Z")
It’s summer, so with the “tiny” and pimple like description my guess is [prickly heat](https://www.medicinenet.com/heat_rash/article.htm#medical_treatment_for_heat_rash). I got it while working my summer job in college, because you sweat a lot moving furniture. I vaguely recall that cool showers helped. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-itchy-rash-hives-what-can-i-put-on-them-need-recommendation-fast/816398/11 "2018-06-25T18:02:50Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > … > > Avoid heat, avoid alcohol, avoid scratching. > > hydrocortisone may help, but you have to use it on so many places that it’s a lot of work. Stronger (prescriptions) creams would work better, as would prednisone or prednisolone pills (also Rx). … If you’re using THAT much hydrocortisone cream, wouldn’t that make it likely to have the same sort of systemic effects one sees with oral steroids? Sounds like you’re ruled out lisinopril as a culprit (that stuff is cheap and effective but the side effects… made me miserable for 4 months due to different symptoms). I never knew it made it more likely to have allergic reactions. It sounds an awful lot like you’re exposed to something at night. I have no experience with bedbugs and I have a vague idea that those critters go for extremities, but I could be wrong. However - any chance there are other pests? Have you changed your laundry detergent lately? Is there anything about the air in the room where you sleep that needs to be corrected (e.g. an outdated filter in an air conditioner)? If you think back to when this all started, were there any events like travelling, new bedding, or whatever that correlate to when it started? ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2018, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-itchy-rash-hives-what-can-i-put-on-them-need-recommendation-fast/816398/12 "2018-06-25T18:35:48Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Bedbugs? That’s not how bedbug bites look or present (groups of three, referred to as "breakfast, lunch and dinner). I agree with the good doctor. Try cool to cold oatmeal baths, stay on top of the antihistamines and if you have no relief, go back to the doctor for steroids. ---
**Author:** ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-itchy-rash-hives-what-can-i-put-on-them-need-recommendation-fast/816398/13 "2018-06-25T19:40:31Z")
Are you a middle aged male? You might want to check out [lichen planus](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lichen-planus/symptoms-causes/syc-20351378). It fucking sucks. Although since I last posted about it in April, it seems to be going away albeit with an uncomfortable recurrence in a rather uncomfortable spot.