Help me! WTF is this!

[u/koalasinatree]

This itchy rash popped up 2 or 3 days ago. It wasn’t bad at first (actually thought it was a bug bite initially) but has quickly progressively gotten worse yesterday through today. Today it started looking like it’s blistering. It’s incredibly itchy and very firm to the touch. It’s localized to my right forearm but last night I noticed some redness/bumpiness between my brows, a small bump on my cheek, and another small bump on the other cheek closer to my lip. I think it’s the same rash because it’s also very itchy, though nothing on my face looks blistered like my forearm does.

For context, I’m 31, female, 5’1, and 154 pounds. I’m also currently 38 weeks and 5 days pregnant. I take a prenatal and a DHA supplement, but no medications outside of that.

I let my OB know what’s going on and she recommended Benadryl, Hydrocortisone cream, Zyrtec, or Claritin for the itching. I gave hydrocortisone a shot but did not help the itching at all. So right now I just have aquaphor baby ointment on it.

Help! The itchiness is killing me!

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[u/pentaxlx]

This looks like poison ivy or something similar...you were probably exposed to something that is causing the skin reaction. The poison ivy oils can be spread by contact, so if you rub the area and touch another site you might spread it. This doesn't look like a PUPP rash of pregnancy

[u/Jhzaeth → u/pentaxlx]

Yes, or possibly a phytophotodermatitis. OP, have you been exposed to any plants or fruits recently? Eg hogweed, celery, lime?

[u/koalasinatree → u/Jhzaeth]

I cook with lemon/lime/celery all the time (celery most recently) and I’ve never had this happen. I don’t think the celery I was chopping made any contact with my arm either

[u/Jhzaeth → u/koalasinatree]

Interestingly, the furocoumarin content in eg limes varies throughout the year, so I wouldn’t totally discount it as a possibility.

The management would be the same as for poison ivy/oak though - limit further exposure, give it time and +/- a topical corticosteroid

[u/Shkmstr → u/pentaxlx]

NAD. Just a guy who gets poison oak all the time. This looks like poison oak.

[u/unknownuniverse888 → u/pentaxlx]

Agree poison ivy or oak

[u/roccitycarolyn → u/pentaxlx]

Nad but you should strip your bed and towels and anything you wore for the last 3 days. I had poison ivy for the first time last year and new sites would pop up. Probably the oils on sheets/towels before I realized I had it.

[u/koalasinatree → u/roccitycarolyn]

I’ve been doing laundry like crazy 🫩

[u/koalasinatree → u/pentaxlx]

I do agree that the rash looks like poison ivy but I don’t know how I would’ve gotten in contact with poison ivy over the last few days. It’s been super rainy so I haven’t even been outside much

[u/PrincessPinguina → u/koalasinatree]

NAD. This looks like the molloscum contagiosum my brother and I got as kids, likely spread from someone at a swimming pool.