12 Causes of Rashes and Bumps in the Lower Body

People often witness red rash on the lower part of their body after which many may start wondering about its origin while others may not get worried. Irrespective of the causes, skin rashes and bumps, skin issues are mostly an outcome of the inflammatory response on the skin. The causes leading to such a response may vary from allergies and various skin conditions to insect bites. There are many types of skin issues starting with a red rash and leading to a variety of outcomes, varied in the length and breadth of their risks. Many of the diseases and skin conditions may remain harmless when others may go fatal. ^{(1, 2)}

The skin may show several symptoms and outcomes when the issues mature. Below are a few of the causes of common skin rashes and bumps confronted by millions: ^{(2, 3)}

1. Keratosis Pilaris: Harmless in nature, keratosis pilaris appears at surfaces on skin with small bumps often reddish or whitish. They do not itch and resemble goosebumps found on the tender skin surfaces of thighs and hands. Applying moisturizing creams may prove helpful. ⁽³⁾
2. Atopic Dermatitis: It is one of the commonest sorts of eczema found as an inflammatory response against rash, skin dryness, and itch. It may affect both the lower and upper section of the body and may continue for a very long time. The use of antihistamines, moisturizing creams, steroids is common while treating the disease. ⁽¹⁾
3. Bedsores: Often known as pressure ulcers, bedsores result from pressures remaining on the skin for a prolonged period. The pressure sustaining on the skin for a prolonged period stops the blood circulation and leads to tissue damage. When skin remains under pressure for a long time, the effects of friction and shear make the skin develop bedsores in the lower section of the body. Patients with injury in their spine, paralysis, and having a stroke are more prone to suffer from bedsores. Treatment may require special dressings, medication, and surgery. ⁽²⁾
4. Cellulitis: When bacteria like streptococcus and staphylococcus enter the skin through any crack on the skin surface, a skin infection known as cellulitis develops most often on the legs and thighs. Patients with cellulitis may show symptoms of fever, fatigue without exertion, and chills. Cellulitis when left unattended, turns into abscesses filled with pus. Doctors prescribe antibiotics when treating the infection. ⁽⁴⁾
5. Diabetic Dermopathy: The medical condition, known as diabetic dermopathy, comes up with the symptom of pigmentation on the shin. They often look like marks with shades of brown. Medical practitioners attribute the cause to the existence of very weak blood vessels when ruptured in the skin letting the blood spill. Found most often on shins, thighs, other sides of the feet, and forearms. Usually harmless and does not need medical attention except keeping the blood sugar level within a safe range. ^{(1, 2)}
6. Venous Eczema: It is the result of the immune response to the fluids often accumulated in the lower limbs such as legs due to poor venous circulation. Long-standing swelling of the lower limbs worsened by weather, varicose veins, stasis ulcers, and history of deep venous thrombosis and cellulitis often lead to venous eczema. Once aggravated it may slowly lead to secondary infection. Use of soaps and standing for long hours at a stretch must not be continued while compression stockings, skin-moisturizing creams is found to be effective to get rid of the problem. ⁽³⁾
7. Erythrasma: A patch on the skin often tinged with red found on dry peeling skin may be a symptom of skin condition. Such a patch when surfaces on the skin-folds found under the arms, groin, inner thighs, between the toes come to be known as erythrasma. Treatments include antibiotic lotions, Whitfield’s ointment, and oral antibiotics. ⁽³⁾
8. Hives: One of the commonest forms of skin condition with red rash along with the itchy sensation that most people face is commonly known as urticaria or hives. They come and go within hours and days except a few lasting for months. The causes of chronic hives remain unknown. Doctors may prescribe antibiotics, narcotic painkillers along with recommendations to avoid stress, adverse effects of weather, and specific food. ⁽¹⁾
9. Nummular Dermatitis: Shaped like a coin with the elevated area, the pink and red nummular dermatitis may surface on the limbs and trunk of the body. The affected area may develop cracks through which pus may start oozing. Treatment may come with recommendations like using moisturizing creams, moisturizing soaps, avoiding weather exposures leaving harsh effects, humidifying rooms to mention a few. Medications may include histamines, antibiotics, and steroids. ^{(3, 4)}
10. Lichen Planus: Commonly found on skin and less frequently on scalp, toenails, and fingernails, lichen planus (LP) may affect the inside of the mouth and mucous membranes of genitalia too. Except for the drug-induced LP, the causes remain mostly unknown. The reddish bumps appear on the skin and with time the skin surface of the LP grows dry and usually brings about an itchy sensation. Doctors may advise corticosteroid, tacrolimus ointments to resist itching, oral histamines, and others the doctor may find feasible. ⁽³⁾
11. Psoriasis: The cause of psoriasis is partially rested on the response of the immune system when it attacks its body cells mistaking them to be foreign proteins entering the body. Stress and infections are the commonest form of reasons triggering psoriasis. Circular in shape with a mildly elevated areas of rashes, the disease may grow from apparently harmless patches to the ones severely affecting the joints. Steroids, derivatives of vitamin A and vitamin D, immunosuppressants like tacrolimus remain the common choice for medical practitioners. ⁽²⁾
12. Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): Basal Cell Carcinoma refers to a type of skin cancer and light-skinned people with long exposure to sunlight may get affected by it. People from 40 to 80 years of age-group come up with complaints of cancer. The known symptoms include a “pearly” look, reddish dry skin, thin depressions with bleeding when hurt, and erosions on the skin surface. ⁽³⁾

Harmless skin issues usually do not need medical intervention unless they start nagging the patient or enter a state where the risk of developing secondary infection arises. Cellulitis and Basal Cell Carcinoma need effective medical attention as they possess threat to life. A skin rupture is undesirable and must visit a doctor before it develops. ^{(1, 2)}

Skin problems whether due to disease or a skin condition, may not get noticed at their very onset. When many of them remain harmless, others may turn fatal. The infections show a tendency of growing more in the lower part of the body such as the buttocks, thighs, legs, feet, and toes. If symptoms go away within a day or 2- 3 days, the person affected may not need any medical intervention. If the problem persists, one must consult a medical practitioner. The medicines, ointments, and lifestyle changes can successfully deal with most of the issues. ⁽⁴⁾

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