reappearing red bumps on thighs

[pinkgreenxocd]

For the past few years (maybe 5) I've been getting red bumps on my thighs. Before, I'd get them all over my legs. When I was about 14, I went to the doctor and she said it was a staff infection and i went on antibiotics. While the the larger bumps went away, the others remained and i took more antibiotics. I never returned to the doctor, due to financial issues, and they never went away.

I'm now 18 and I keep getting small to medium sized red bumps on my thighs. My parents think it's from shaving, however today I woke up and noticed there were so many! I haven't shaved in the past three days (until tonight) and they are still just as bad as this morning. I get them under my armpits as well sometimes (it used to be a lot worse but it's gotten better - maybe because i switched deodorants).

I'm stumped! I've repeatedly switched razors (disposables, 10 dollar ones), I've tried shaving with soap and with Aveeno sensitive skin shaving cream. Using lotion seems to make it worse (my legs are fairly dry, which i can't solve that problem until i fix this one). It can't be my laundry detergent because i seem to get them more often when I don't sleep at home. Sometimes when I wear longer jeans (as opposed to shorts) I get them even more. I also shave my pubic hair, and that never seems to get these bumps. Right now, there are roughly 50 red bumps on my left thigh right now. Also, they aren't really raised much. Moving my hand up and down my thigh, i don't really feel them.

Any clue as to what I can do? Or what this might be?

[John Kenyon, CNA]

Hi there --

This could, of course, be a new staph infection, and I had been going to suggest maybe folliculitis due to shaving, but I now doubt that because it doesn't extend into the pubic area, which is also shaved. Then again folliculitis caused by shaving is often resolved by letting the hair grow out for a while anyway. This just doesn't sound much like that. A surface culture could easily rule staph in or out, and if that's what it is it's relatively easily treatable. It's impossible to guess at these things without being able to see them up close, in person, since there are so many variations in skin lesions, especially fairly generic sounding ones like this. A dermatologist may be required, but your regular doctor should be able to determine at least whether it's staph or not. If not, a dermatologist would probably be required to figure out what's causing this and how to resolve it and prevent future occurrences.

I hope this is helpful. Good luck to you. Follow up with us here as necessary.