Wrath of "The Rash"

As a child and young adult I've always had sensitive skin.

My entire life has consisted of buying every cosmetic item and skin care solution in "scent free" or "no-fragrance" varieties.

I've always been careful to use the same products my skin is familiar with and I've always had a habit of checking labels to see if anything has changed with the products formulation.

I can remember soaking in oatmeal baths for hours as a child because my Mom accidentally purchased the wrong type of laundry detergent. But I've never considered my sensitive skin to be a true issue or health dilemma. 

Never until this..... 

I wish this photo was better detailed. I guess I shouldn't rely on my cell phone camera so often!

 I woke up one morning last week with both my upper arms covered in red hives, itchy bumps, and it was also painful to the touch. 

Of course I immediately went in search of the culprit. I knew I had accidentally used something I wasn't suppose to on my skin, but after searching every product I had in my cabinet I couldn't pin-point a specific reason.

 

Benadryl seemed to help the itching and burning that I felt, but it didn't phase the whelps/bumps/blisters that were forming on my skin. I've never experienced this type of rash before. In the past my rash has always been very red and itchy, not raised, with zero bumps/whelps present. So this was something new...

By the next morning, most of the symptoms had subsided and the appearance of my skin started to look better, but it wasn't gone. Funny thing is...it still isn't gone. 

I know, I know - I should have seen a doctor to have them look at the rash, but hear me out. 

 By the next morning, it didn't even look the same as it did the day before and I thought the Doc may think I'm a crazy lady if I go into the office with normal looking skin.  Also, we just changed insurance providers at my employer and I really wasn't ready to fool with changing all that information while doped up and groggy on antihistamines.

Some of the nurses at work seem to think its eczema (symptoms sound similar) and my friends and my Mom seem to think it was just a fluke rash from something I came into contact with, but don't remember. 

I don't even want to guess...as long as it doesn't come back I'll be okay with "it" being name-less for now.

So, for any of you self proclaimed medical healers out there....what the heck was it?