Dealing With Small Red Bumps on Your Body? Doctors Weigh In on When to Worry

Jennifer Larson
·9 min read
6

When it comes to small red bumps springing up on your body, there are many possible culprits. If you’ve been diagnosed with a certain medical condition, such as psoriasis or eczema, you may already know what’s causing the red bumps or rash on your skin. If you have acne, you’re probably all too aware of that, too.

But there are other reasons that you may have some small red bumps on your body, and you may not even know what they are.

“So much depends on the distribution,” says Amy Kassouf, MD, a dermatologist with the Cleveland Clinic. “If you’ve got all-over little red bumps, it’s going to be very different from just one or two.”

Plus, you have to consider the location of the bumps, as well as factors like itchiness and pain. That information can help your doctor determine the most likely cause—as well as recommend treatment (if needed).

Possible Reasons for Red Bumps

What can you blame for your small red bumps? Here’s a partial list of possible candidates:

Insect bites

“In the summertime especially, the first thing that you’re going to think of is bug bites,” says Dr. Kassouf.

Depending on where you’ve been, your red bumps may the work of:

  • Mosquitoes

  • Chiggers

  • Sand flies

  • Ants

  • Fleas

Another possible insect to blame: Bed bugs. “If you’re traveling in the summer and you come home from your trip, and suddenly these bumps start coming up, you may have brought more home from your summer vacation than just your pictures,” says Suzanne Friedler, MD, a dermatologist with Advanced Dermatology PC in New York City.

Contact dermatitis

If you’ve ever developed a series of red bumps or a rash after coming into contact with a particular substance, you’ve experienced the discomfort of contact dermatitis. Some people develop this kind of allergic reaction after coming into direct contact with certain cosmetics, fragrances, jewelry or plants, according to the Mayo Clinic.

A big one in this category is poison ivy—or similar plants like poison oak and poison sumac that can cause a rash to flare up. When your skin comes into contact with a substance called urushiol in the poison ivy, it may develop a red, blistery rash. You can often treat it at home, but sometimes a case of poison ivy can warrant a round of prednisone. If you develop a rash on your face or your genitals, definitely see a doctor, adds Dr. Kassouf.

Rosacea

The exact cause of rosacea hasn’t been pinpointed, although experts have theorized that it may have a genetic component or an autoimmune component. Some people just develop flushed patches on their faces, but others develop acne-like breakouts. So, if you’re between the ages of 30 and 50, and you start noticing that your cheeks look abnormally flushed or you’re experiencing new breakouts, see your dermatologist.

Related: How to Get Rid of Broken Capillaries on Your Face, According to Dermatologists

Shingles

The varicella-zoster virus causes this viral infection, which can start out as a raised red rash or bumps, usually on one side of the body. With shingles, you may develop blisters, a tingling or burning area in your skin, as well as a fever, headache, chills and sensitivity to light.

“We have medicines for it, but they work best if it’s caught early,” says Dr. Kassouf. “So, the earlier you get the medication in your system, the more treatable the shingles is, and the less like you are to have long-term pain from that.”

Keratosis pilaris (KP)

A scattering of rough-feeling red, white or skin-colored bumps that resemble goosebumps or chicken skin could be a case of keratosis pilaris. They can appear just about anywhere except the soles of your feet and the palms of your hands.

But don’t worry: keratosis pilaris is a harmless condition, and you don’t even have to treat it, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. The culprit is usually dead skin cells clogging your pores.

Cherry angioma

These little bumps, which may vary from light to dark red, are made from blood vessels or lymphatic vessels. They tend to develop on the torso, arms and legs—and usually more frequently after your 30th birthday. But as the Cleveland Clinic notes, cherry angiomas are benign, so no need to treat them or worry about them.

Hidradenitis suppurativa

Hidradenitis suppurativa is an auto-inflammatory condition that can be quite painful. “It can start as acne bumps that can become more like abscesses and boils in the armpit, the groin, under the breast, and in hair-bearing areas,” says Michelle Kerns, MD, a dermatologist with the Cleveland Clinic. It can’t be cured, but it can be managed with anti-inflammatory medications, and prompt treatment is key because it can prevent scarring from occurring.

Medication reactions

Sometimes people develop a series of raised red bumps, or hives, in reaction to certain medications. But you can develop other types of rashes as part of an allergic reaction to a medication, too. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, drug-related rashes usually fall into one of three categories: allergic reaction to the medicine, a side effect of a particular medicine or a rash that develops from extreme sensitivity to sunlight caused by that particular drug. Your doctor may advise you to stop taking the drug to see if the rash clears up, or they may recommend a corticosteroid or antihistamine. Watch out for facial swelling, as that can sometimes be a sign of a drug reaction, according to Dr. Kerns.

Various viral infections

Sometimes, a swath of red or pink bumps will develop across parts of your body as a reaction to a viral illness. This is known as a viral exanthem rash. These rashes sometimes–but not always–start on the face and spread, and they can appear anywhere on your body. Sometimes they itch, and sometimes they don’t. A number of viruses can cause this type of rash, including enterovirus, coxsackie virus, parvovirus B19, as well as the viruses that cause measles, roseola, rubella and chickenpox. Be careful of scratching—you can introduce bacteria.

When to worry

Sometimes you really don’t need to worry at all about small red bumps that crop up on your skin, especially if you know what they are and you know that they’re harmless (see: cherry angiomas and keratosis pilaris).

But if you’re not entirely sure what’s causing the bumps, or if certain changes occur, that’s a signal to pay attention. Contact your doctor if you notice any of the following:

The affected area is getting bigger

If you notice that the red bumps or the rash is starting to spread and cover a larger area, that could be a potential sign of infection. Granted, in some cases, it could just be a sign that you’ve gotten bitten by a few more hungry insects, but in other cases, it could be more serious.

The affected area is warm

If you touch the affected area and it feels very warm to the touch, it could be a sign of developing an infection.

The bumps are oozing or leaking fluid

This could also be a potential sign of infection. For example, if your bumps develop into sores, which then leak fluid and then scab over with a honey-colored crust that could be a sign of impetigo. Impetigo is an infectious skin condition caused by either group A Streptococcus bacteria or Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (or both), and you’re going to need topical or oral antibiotics to knock it out.

Related: Deal With Painful Breakouts Along Your Jawline? Hormonal Acne May Be to Blame—Here's What to Know

You’ve developed systemic symptoms

If you notice that you’re running a fever or having chills, that’s not a good sign. The same goes for nausea and vomiting. These types of systemic symptoms could be a sign of a reaction or developing infection, and you may need additional treatment.

A basic approach to remember

In general, here’s an approach you can take if you notice some new red bumps:

Monitor the situation

Watch for any changes to your skin in the affected area. Are the bumps getting worse? Are there more of them? Is it spreading? Are you developing blisters? Does your skin feel warm and swollen?

Try over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream

It might clear up the bumps or rash. But even if it doesn’t completely clear up a rash, that’s useful information for your doctor. “It gives me a clue that this is something that’s inflammatory, and if it’s partially responding to the over-the-counter hydrocortisone, odds are that if I give them a stronger prescription steroid, it will have a stronger response,” says Dr. Kerns.

Related: Itchy Skin Got You Down? Whether It's Psoriasis or Eczema, Here's Your Action Plan

Watch for other symptoms to develop

Remember all those systemic symptoms? Don’t ignore those. “Those things are all warning signs,” says Dr. Kerns.

You basically don’t want to let something that’s getting worse go for too long without being seen by a physician. In addition to impetigo, bacterial infections like MRSA and cellulitis can develop and cause serious complications if not treated promptly.

“And if it’s close to your face or close to your eyes, I would say go right away,” says Dr. Friedler. “If you see blistering, I would say go right away. If you see that honey-colored crusting, I would go right away, too.”

Next up: How Long Does Poison Ivy Stay Active on Clothes, Shoes, Gear, Etc.?

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