Really fucking weird scratches

Thanatos

Okay, so this is seriously starting to freak me the fuck out.

A couple days ago, I had a few red marks on my hands/arms/legs after hanging out at a friends' house. I figured it was just an allergic reaction to something, and I had a few scratches on my legs and hands that I figured I'd just given myself scratching at the reaction without thinking about it. However, since then, I've gotten a couple more scratches, that I don't think I made, and all of the scratches seem to be getting worse (like, deeper, redder, etc., though the pain has gone down). I've been applying Neosporin, doesn't seem to be helping. It seriously is starting to look like I'm a cutter, especially the scratches on my legs.

Was I right in the first place that it's probably just an allergic reaction, and I should just keep popping Claritin until it goes away, maybe get some Benadryl to take overnight, or is there something else horribly wrong with me? Am I sleep-cutting or something?

Erandus

What did you do at your friends house? And was the skin that current has the scratches on it exposed via short sleeved shirts and shorts and the like?

Thanatos

Erandus wrote: »

What did you do at your friends house? And was the skin that current has the scratches on it exposed via short sleeved shirts and shorts and the like?

Hung out, sat around.

And yes, it was, which is why I was thinking allergic reaction.

JamesKeenan

Was there a dog there? Cause, my dog scratches me, and.. y'know. You might have forgotten being scratched by a dog on the exact bodily locations where your scratches are. Or not. Nevermind.

Omnicron9999

This may sound obvious, but does your friend have an animal of some kind? What you have almost sounds like cat scratches.

Did you do anything outdoors? Or in any kind of wooded area? Maybe you got something on yourself (poison ivy, etc) and now it is on your sheets, maybe try changing them.


Do you have dry skin? Like to the point that it is super itchy? Last winter I was scratching myself almost to the point of bleeding in my sleep from dry skin. It took a little while to figure out what was going on. It could also be whatever you got from outside, and you're scratching in your sleep.

Claritin and benadryl will of course help, try getting some cream with an antihistamine in it, like a benadryl cream or cortizone. It'll help better with the itching and swelling.

Troy

go to the doctor.

Honestly that sounds like it could be a skin infection. If it is that bad you need to be treated.

Try the benadryl bit, but if it keeps up, gets warm, and redder you need to go in.

Wikipedia community acquired MRSA. And enjoy!

Thanatos

No dog, no cat. Though my roommate has a cat, I have lived with cats all my life, and cats and dogs are about the only thing that don't give me hay fever.

I haven't been outdoors in quite some time, and thinking about it, I don't actually itch (I would most definitely be aware if I had poison oak/ivy/sumac; I've had to take prednisone in the past for it). My skin isn't unusual.

Sami

It could be the ghost of your great grandmother punishing you for not proliferating the family genetics.

Sarcastro

If they are in the same place, you might have half a pin or something sharp hanging out on the side of your pants. I had this once, the thing gave my cut scratches on my forarms and wrist during sitting/walking, and leg scratches from pantson-pantsoff action. See Also, uncapped ball point pen in pocket.

firewaterword

See if you can get an "urgent" appointment with a dermatologist. I say urgent, because in my experience, it normally takes a month or so to see one for regular, non-pressing issues. You could certainly see your general practitioner, but there's a pretty good chance you'll just be referred to a dermatologist.

Either way, definitely have it checked out by a professional; while you're most likely right about it being something to do with allergies, there's always a chance that it's something more.

EDIT - And for empathy's sake, I once fell off of a highway embankment into an enormous tangle of hugely thorny bushes. While the particulars of that situation are more suited to the Strange and Embarrassing Moments thread, I will say that I know where your coming from here. I looked like I was mauled by a family of angry badgers.

Bliss 101

I won't speculate on the cause of the itch, but maybe you only itch in your sleep and scratch it without waking up? You say you're allergic to things. I have a bunch of food allergies; if I happen to eat something I shouldn't, I get red spots all over and an itch in my sleep that's intense enough to wake me up sometimes, often to notice I've got scratches all over my arms and legs. I don't know why it only happens when I sleep (well, I do get a mild itch when awake too), but this is a new phenomenon: I'm 33 now, and until ~5 years ago or so, all my allergic reactions had to do with reactions in my throat and stomach. Doctor said it's normal for allergies and their symtoms to change with age.

muninn

Is it possible that you got scratched, and the deepening and darkening of of those scratches is just an infection? And new scratches could be ones that werent visible initially, until they got inflamed.

Thanatos

Bliss 101 wrote: »

I won't speculate on the cause of the itch, but maybe you only itch in your sleep and scratch it without waking up? You say you're allergic to things. I have a bunch of food allergies; if I happen to eat something I shouldn't, I get red spots all over and an itch in my sleep that's intense enough to wake me up sometimes, often to notice I've got scratches all over my arms and legs. I don't know why it only happens when I sleep (well, I do get a mild itch when awake too), but this is a new phenomenon: I'm 33 now, and until ~5 years ago or so, all my allergic reactions had to do with reactions in my throat and stomach. Doctor said it's normal for allergies and their symtoms to change with age.

I absolutely scratch in my sleep. However, the scratch on my arm has gotten worse since I took a shower this morning, and wasn't there at all yesterday. I mean, like, went from just being a red scratch, to having actual broken skin (this is why it's kind of freaking me out). There is some rashiness on my arm in the general area, too.

Sami

Thanatos wrote: »

Bliss 101 wrote: »

I won't speculate on the cause of the itch, but maybe you only itch in your sleep and scratch it without waking up? You say you're allergic to things. I have a bunch of food allergies; if I happen to eat something I shouldn't, I get red spots all over and an itch in my sleep that's intense enough to wake me up sometimes, often to notice I've got scratches all over my arms and legs. I don't know why it only happens when I sleep (well, I do get a mild itch when awake too), but this is a new phenomenon: I'm 33 now, and until ~5 years ago or so, all my allergic reactions had to do with reactions in my throat and stomach. Doctor said it's normal for allergies and their symtoms to change with age.

I absolutely scratch in my sleep. However, the scratch on my arm has gotten worse since I took a shower this morning, and wasn't there at all yesterday. I mean, like, went from just being a red scratch, to having actual broken skin (this is why it's kind of freaking me out). There is some rashiness on my arm in the general area, too.

Yeah, doctor time.

SatanIsMyMotor

When you say scratch do you mean it's a long straight line or is it just smaller areas of irritation?
If the scratches are circular I bet it's a ringworm infection.

Sakebomb

Sami wrote: »

Thanatos wrote: »

Bliss 101 wrote: »

I won't speculate on the cause of the itch, but maybe you only itch in your sleep and scratch it without waking up? You say you're allergic to things. I have a bunch of food allergies; if I happen to eat something I shouldn't, I get red spots all over and an itch in my sleep that's intense enough to wake me up sometimes, often to notice I've got scratches all over my arms and legs. I don't know why it only happens when I sleep (well, I do get a mild itch when awake too), but this is a new phenomenon: I'm 33 now, and until ~5 years ago or so, all my allergic reactions had to do with reactions in my throat and stomach. Doctor said it's normal for allergies and their symtoms to change with age.

I absolutely scratch in my sleep. However, the scratch on my arm has gotten worse since I took a shower this morning, and wasn't there at all yesterday. I mean, like, went from just being a red scratch, to having actual broken skin (this is why it's kind of freaking me out). There is some rashiness on my arm in the general area, too.

Yeah, doctor time.

Preferably before the next full moon

brandotheninjamaster

The same thing you are describing happens to my wife. Its the strangest thing... She will be sitting on the couch or laying in bed and the sudden I will hear an "ouch" then look down and see 3 or 4 claw marks (not deep enough to break the skin) then they will heal 3 or 4 days later. We have no idea what causes them, and their locations rule out the occasional "foot scrape" or the like. Please update if you do decide to go to the doctors...otherwise I may have to break out the exorcism toolkit.

JamesKeenan

Imagine it, Than.

Doctor: "What seems to be the problem?"

Than: "Well I've got these scratches and-"

Doctor: "Show me."

*Doctor looks intently*

Doctor: "Oh... oh my god. Call Father Kedigan, no... call the whole congregation. And bring me the holy water..."

-Phil-

Maybe you had an allergic reaction at your friends house and in your sleep you sratched yourself.
I do this kind of thing all the time. I wake up with scratch marks that I dont know where they came from.

Tarranon

Whatever the hell skin condition I had before was primarily nocturnal. Like, it wouldn't start itching until around 3 AM. I'd think you had something like that and were simply scratching like hell in your sleep, but that wouldn't explain why your cuts are apparently getting measurably worse while you weren't scratching them. I don't even know how scratches can do that unless

A:They were always that bad and you just didn't look closely enough until after your shower

B:There's something on your person that is scratching you.

Thanatos

SatanIsMyMotor wrote: »

When you say scratch do you mean it's a long straight line or is it just smaller areas of irritation?
If the scratches are circular I bet it's a ringworm infection.

When I say "it looks like I'm a cutter," that's exactly what I mean. The ones on my leg look exactly like I've been cutting, only I haven't (nor have I ever). They're long, straight scratches.

I'll see what I can do about a doctor. Goddamn lack of insurance.

Forbe!

At summercamp, we make kids that scratch in their sleep wear socks on their hands. It works very well.

Excessive scratching in your sleep can lead to impetigo, a pretty nasty and contagious bacterial infection.


Try wearing socks on your hands for a few nights.

Also, if your room-mate has a cat, make sure you close your door while you sleep. My cat had a tendency of using my body as a scratching post while I slept, trying to wake me up to feed it or play.

Thanatos

Forbe! wrote: »

At summercamp, we make kids that scratch in their sleep wear socks on their hands. It works very well.

Excessive scratching in your sleep can lead to impetigo, a pretty nasty and contagious bacterial infection.


Try wearing socks on your hands for a few nights.

Also, if your room-mate has a cat, make sure you close your door while you sleep. My cat had a tendency of using my body as a scratching post while I slept, trying to wake me up to feed it or play.

The cat does not come into my room at night, ever. It also loves me like a favorite uncle.

I have no fingernails with which to scratch.

Forbe!

Thanatos wrote: »

I absolutely scratch in my sleep.

Are your nails cut short or did you just rip them off. Even if they are short, they can cause scratches.

Thanatos

Forbe! wrote: »

Thanatos wrote: »

I absolutely scratch in my sleep.

Are your nails cut short or did you just rip them off. Even if they are short, they can cause scratches.

I bite them until that becomes painful, and then I bite the skin around them.

JamesKeenan

Thanatos wrote: »

Forbe! wrote: »

Thanatos wrote: »

I absolutely scratch in my sleep.

Are your nails cut short or did you just rip them off. Even if they are short, they can cause scratches.

I bite them until that becomes painful, and then I bite the skin around them.

I do this, too. Bloody fingertip corners a dreadfully common occurrence.

Mahnmut

Thanatos wrote: »

Forbe! wrote: »

At summercamp, we make kids that scratch in their sleep wear socks on their hands. It works very well.

Excessive scratching in your sleep can lead to impetigo, a pretty nasty and contagious bacterial infection.


Try wearing socks on your hands for a few nights.

Also, if your room-mate has a cat, make sure you close your door while you sleep. My cat had a tendency of using my body as a scratching post while I slept, trying to wake me up to feed it or play.

The cat does not come into my room at night, ever. It also loves me like a favorite uncle.

I have no fingernails with which to scratch.

Well, if it doesn't come in, it doesn't come in -- but cat affection does often involve claw-kneading.

Thanatos

So, I'm retarded.

I had to buy soap at Safeway Sunday night, because I ran out of my usual Irish Spring I get from Costco. I bought Dial, because it was cheap.

You'd think "and that scratch on my arm looked worse after I got out of the shower..." would've been my first fucking clue. If it doesn't clear up in the next few days, I'll be shocked, and unlock this.

Thanatos

Yeah, switched to a different soap this morning, the inflammation around the scratches went down substantially, and the hives are just about gone.