Pink bumps on the skin can be a symptom of certain skin conditions, from mild to severe. The bumps may consist of one or two spots or your entire body can be covered in hundreds of pink bumps. A few potential causes of pink bumps on the skin are hives, roseola and chicken pox.
Causes
Hives occur when mast cells release histamine into your bloodstream and skin, according to MayoClinic.com. This typically occurs when your body's immune system overacts and attacks a stimulus that is typically harmless to other people. If roseola causes pink bumps, it is caused by the human herpes virus 6 and sometimes human herpes virus 7, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Chicken pox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus.
Identification
Hives, roseola and chicken pox all manifest with pink bumps on the skin, but they also have characteristics unique to each individual cause that makes diagnosis easier for physicians. Hives are not contagious and are usually harmless. Hives may itch severely and if they are scratched, can result in a stinging sensation. Roseola starts as a high fever of 103 to 106 degrees F, but once the fever disappears and all seems well, a rash with pink bumps appears on the body's trunk and then extremities, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Chicken pox appear as a rash with 250 to 500 pink itchy blisters covering the entire body that scab as they heal, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
Diagnosis
Doctors are typically able to diagnose pink bumps on the skin by examining the bumps, especially with chicken pox. If your doctor thinks hives are causing the bumps, you will be asked about your family history or if you've had any allergic reactions in the past. To determine what is causing the hives, your skin will be exposed to allergens to determine which causes the reaction. If your doctor suspects roseola, a blood sample will be taken.
Treatment
For hives, an antihistamine is used to reduce the bumps and the itching. Antihistamines can also be used to reduce itching for chicken pox. In severe cases of allergic reactions, an emergency injection of adrenaline is given at an emergency room and patients may need to learn to give themselves injections in case they are exposed to the allergen in the future, according to MayoClinic.com. Roseola and chicken pox will need to run their course, but acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be taken intermediately to reduce the fever. In severe cases of chicken pox, a doctor may prescribe a viral medication to reduce the duration of the illness and lessen the severity.
Considerations
Seek emergency medical care if bumps on the skin are present with breathing difficulties, throat swelling, seizures or a high fever that cannot be reduced with over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen. If you are an adult who has never been exposed to the chicken pox virus, you are at risk for the illness being more severe. You can catch chicken pox just being in the same room with an infected individual because the virus spreads easily when a person coughs or sneezes, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Roseola is also very contagious.
