Red Bumps on lower body?

Itch red bumps all over my body from a steam room? Hives? fungus?

• Hello, I recently started using the steam room in my apartment building once a day. After about a week of this the bottom of my legs-right where you sit in the steam room-started to itch like crazy. For several days I couldn't stop itching them and then red bumps appeared. I stopped using the steam room and within one week the itchiness and bumps spread all around my legs to my feet and all away up my stomach, chest and back. The bumps aren't actually red unless you itch them. Once you itch them they turn bright red and the who area around the bump gets blotchy red, like a hive. When I get in the shower It kills or when I walk outside in the cold. I tried using Lamisil for a few days and saw no improvements. Maybe I needed to stick with it longer. Could it be possibly that this is from stress? I don't feel that stressed honestly. My best friend is suicidal right now and that adds a deal of stress but I don't really feel depressed or anything. Any Ideas?

• Answer:

  It could be stress, or it could be a reaction to the heat. The steam room could actually work to dry out your skin, which can lead to itching. Some people get hives as a reaction. There are so many different causes of rashes that it is very difficult to narrow down any specific cause of one, especially without being able to see it. Common categories of rash are: scaly patches of skin not caused by infection, scaly patches of skin produced by fungal or bacterial infection, red, itchy bumps or patches over the body, such as on the chest and back. Although rashes are seldom dangerous, self-diagnosis is not usually a good idea. Proper evaluation of a skin rash requires a visit to a doctor or other health-care professional. Check this site for good information and you may be able to figure out what is going on. http://www.medicinenet.com/rash/article.htm