Anybody gotten any skin problems from vaping?

[Traijan]

My Doctor is trying to find the cause to what appears to be bug bites on my skin but they're appearing far too much since my partner has only had one bite in the last 5 weeks and I woke up 5 weeks ago with a patch on my right shin about 9 inches long and 4 o 5 inches wide that was full of what looked like bites, I gave up counting how many there was at 300 but there was still at least another 200 or more.

Then a day later they appeared on the top of my right foot. Then they started to appear on other parts of my body. I've checked for the usual suspects like bed bugs, and fleas etc. Can't find anything and as said my partner has had one bite in the past 5 weeks, and our dogs don't show any fleas on them or any bites.

So the Doctor said to start examining everything from food to detergents, soaps etc. Everything seems to me to be the exact same other than I switched to a different type of liquid it's a waterberry 50/50 that I switched to about 2 weeks prior to the first rash (not sure if they are bites or what, doctor doesn't know where they came from or what they really are) appearing so I'm pretty sure after 1.5 years of vaping that I'm not allergic to the PG/VG but maybe something in the flavoring (or if they added something else to the liquid).

So, I'm wondering if anybody else has experienced any severe skin reactions to vaping.

By the way, if you do rash up and it starts to ooze or change colors or swell, go see a doctor. I waited 5 weeks and then went into the E.R. to have them tell me that what ever it was had turned into a super infection of the deepest part of the skin, and they put me on antibiotic IV for 2 hours and sent me home with some powerful antibiotic prescriptions, said if the infection doesn't get better in 4 to 7 days to come back to the E.R. or go see my GP (which I don't have one). I'm not saying the infection was caused by vaping, that would be silly, that was likely caused by scratching my shin with my left heel while I slept, but trying to see if anybody else has experienced any severe skin reactions to vaping.

 

[K_Tech]

Everything seems to me to be the exact same other than I switched to a different type of liquid it's a waterberry 50/50 that I switched to about 2 weeks prior to the first rash (not sure if they are bites or what, doctor doesn't know where they came from or what they really are) appearing so I'm pretty sure after 1.5 years of vaping that I'm not allergic to the PG/VG but maybe something in the flavoring (or if they added something else to the liquid).

If nothing else in your life has changed other than switching e-liquid, it would seem logical that would be the culprit, but working with a doctor is THE best course of action.

So, I'm wondering if anybody else has experienced any severe skin reactions to vaping.

I never experienced any negative reactions to vaping, but everyone's body is (obviously) different, and allergies can often manifest themselves in strange ways.

By the way, if you do rash up and it starts to ooze or change colors or swell, go see a doctor. I waited 5 weeks and then went into the E.R. to have them tell me that what ever it was had turned into a super infection of the deepest part of the skin, and they put me on antibiotic IV for 2 hours and sent me home with some powerful antibiotic prescriptions, said if the infection doesn't get better in 4 to 7 days to come back to the E.R. or go see my GP (which I don't have one). I'm not saying the infection was caused by vaping, that would be silly, that was likely caused by scratching my shin with my left heel while I slept, but trying to see if anybody else has experienced any severe skin reactions to vaping.

Agreed. Anything abnormal should get looked at as soon as possible.

 

[DeAnna2112]

Honestly, sounds like fleas..they are sneaky little jerks..i speak from experience with them and my dogs. Some people in my house they don't bite while others they go to town on. Very possible though it's the new eliquid...but i assume you stopped using that as a possible suspect.

 

[dbrandt01]

I'd second the flea claim. Do you have pets?

A couple years ago, I fell asleep on the couch and woke up to about a good 1000 bites all over my stomach, feet, legs, and arms. I found out my dog had fleas from being outside.

Sure you could be allergic to something in an e-juice, but I'd think that would result in bumps over your face and chest area though.

 

[Hans Wermhat]

It seems to me that an allergic reaction to something in your vape would first manifest in your mouth, throat, or lungs. I'm not a doctor, but it seems odd for a skin condition on your legs to be caused by vaping if you have no upper respiratory symptoms. I did once live in an apartment full of bedbugs though. And they would attack me like a fat kid attacks a gallon of ice cream while leaving everyone else alone. By the time they get bad enough to see them, you have thousands of them. I never saw one till about 3 months after the first bites showed up. And when they bite, they tend to attack a small area and bite several times each. It's the worst itch I've ever experienced too, and several of my bites got infected because I would scratch them in my sleep till I bled. I hope that's not your problem. Those things are damn near impossible to get rid of.

 

[Traijan]

Fleas were my initial thought but with as many areas as I appear to be bitten or rashing up I'd expect to at least see a couple fleas somewhere in the house. We do have two standard poodles both wearing flea collars and when given a thorough exam they didn't have one flea on them.

I've vacuumed the entire house, carpets, under the sofa cushions, the mattress, just about everywhere and dumped the debris on white butcher paper and looked with a high powered lighted magnifying glass and couldn't see anything that looked like a flea or a bug. With as many spots as I now have I'd think I'd at least be able to see a flea or two hopping around somewhere in the house.

Rather strange to me that it doesn't appear on my face, neck, hands, back of thighs, .... or crotch area.

I've never had this issue in the past and have had dogs with fleas many times over the past 30 years. But I did just notice that where the tape marks were from the IV they gave me at hospital is rashed up also, suggesting an allergy to the tape or adhesive used on that tape so maybe something is changing in my body to make me more allergic to all kinds of things maybe. The rash area from the IV tape is as itchy as any of the other spots.

I'm confused, but I'm going to quit vaping today since that's the only thing I can think of that changed (the e-liquid) and see if this doesn't clear up in a few weeks.

 

[Traijan]

I checked all the usual areas for bed bugs, generally they are hitch hikers, so you get them when travelling and they hitch a ride in your luggage etc. But I only ever go to work, and home again, to the store, then home again. But I did also check the mattress with a lighted magnifying glass as well as the base boards in and around the bed, pulled the one electrical socket to look inside and couldn't find any detritus or the actual bed bugs themselves so I've kind of ruled out bed bugs but not entirely ruled out other types of bugs just yet. Perhaps something really microscopic.

 

[roxynoodle]

I think fleas also. After taking a dog to the vet, she got infested there. I was getting bitten everywhere and my husband had nothing! It may not be that some people don't get bitten, but rather they aren't allergic to the bites. I've also gone in other peoples' houses and within 5 minutes have gotten all bitten up. When I've told people they have fleas I was told I was full of it. Then later they told me I was right. I'm just very sensitive to them, and maybe you are, too.

 

[roxynoodle]

I'm also allergic to adhesive. Even bandaids.

 

[Boden]

I'd call an exterminator.

 

[Traijan]

My first thoughts were to flea/bug bomb the house but it was too hot to leave the dogs outside for 8 to 10 hours (they're indoor dogs anyway and only go outside to do their business) but now that it's cooler I think I'm going to flea/bug bomb the whole house this weekend just in case since it's not very expensive to do, only a hassle to have to wash all the kitchen stuff afterwards.

 

[mattiem]

It sounds like you have investigated all the usual suspects. I am thinking since the only thing you have changed is your e-liquid. It could very well be that you are having a reaction to something in it. I can see it happening to your feet first since it gets into your blood stream and all blood does go down to your feet and then back up.

 

[MMW]

This thread is making me itchy.

 

[catsitter]

When'd you quit smoking? About a month or so after I did, all the sh*t in my body tried to come out through my skin... and I have psoriasis, so of course all that triggered a wonderful flare-up, but that took another month or so.

 

[EBates]

I think fleas also. After taking a dog to the vet, she got infested there. I was getting bitten everywhere and my husband had nothing! It may not be that some people don't get bitten, but rather they aren't allergic to the bites. I've also gone in other peoples' houses and within 5 minutes have gotten all bitten up. When I've told people they have fleas I was told I was full of it. Then later they told me I was right. I'm just very sensitive to them, and maybe you are, too.

If you have not tried it Comfortis is amazing. I've been giving to my dogs for years now. It claims to work in 30 minutes but my experience is closer to an hour but.....
My first experience with Comfortis was when we had a big infestation of fleas in the spring. My dogs, that stayed outside, were just loaded with them. I gave one a dose and watched him for signs of dying fleas. Within 45 minutes the fleas were coming to the surface of his coat and falling on my patio floor. Been using it ever since.
For treating the indoors I use Enforcer Home Pest Control to get rid of indoor infestations I've had.

 

[newvaper92]

I have exczema and I can't say for sure but it may or may not have gotten worse since I've been vaping... It's only a mild case so it doesn't bother me too much, right now I've got three spots on my right arm that itch if I think about it, I'm not concerned about it though. I usually get it on my hands and head, but right now none there. That's the only problem I've encountered though. If it's fleas, they'll be easy to spot if you use light colored sheets on your bed...just turn on the light sometime after you've gone to bed and then pull the covers back. It would look like black pepper on the sheets if you have many. Bedbugs tend to hide in the creases of mattresses and under the mattress, or along where the foundation meets the bed frame. They are easy to spot, along with their .. Ahem.. Residue. Had them in our basement along with fleas, must have come in on firewood. I washed all the bedding in hot water with bleach and we bug bombed the basement. Haven't seen anymore bedbugs (this was late july) but are still fighting the fleas.

 

[crxess]

You may not like it, bit I'm going to say it -

Very Possible Cause - BED BUGS

They will tear one person up and ignore another. They are attracted to CO2 emitted while sleeping.
They are fast and hide well.
They can infest an area before you realize they are there.

Can be costly to irradicate is unskilled at DIY treatment. A tentative Home owner Can do it themselves........

Vaping Bites................nope

Suspend SC Pest Insecticide Bed Bug Flea Control 16 oz

....and a 1 Gallon Sprayer does the job.
Lots of careful prep work first.

Also eliminates Fleas, spiders, roaches and most other crawling insects.
HAZARDOUS IN Liquid form!!!!
Use at your own risk - Not responsible for any attempted use.

 

[roxynoodle]

If you have not tried it Comfortis is amazing. I've been giving to my dogs for years now. It claims to work in 30 minutes but my experience is closer to an hour but.....
My first experience with Comfortis was when we had a big infestation of fleas in the spring. My dogs, that stayed outside, were just loaded with them. I gave one a dose and watched him for signs of dying fleas. Within 45 minutes the fleas were coming to the surface of his coat and falling on my patio floor. Been using it ever since.
For treating the indoors I use Enforcer Home Pest Control to get rid of indoor infestations I've had.

Yes, we have much better flea protection meds now. My dog is on Trifexis. This was the mid to late 90s though when the flea infestation happened. Terrible to get rid of them.

 

[Traijan]

When'd you quit smoking? About a month or so after I did, all the sh*t in my body tried to come out through my skin... and I have psoriasis, so of course all that triggered a wonderful flare-up, but that took another month or so.

For me it's been a bit over a year and a half, but I haven't had any adverse reactions from doing so in the early months (or later for that of which I know).

The doctors asked me if I had psoriasis, which originally I thought that I did as I had terrible scalp buildup, but recently was at the dermatologist who told me that I don't have psoriasis but rather some form of seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff) to which she gave me some prescription shampoo and I was flake/build up free in 3 showers.

If it is fleas, wouldn't I find them on my dogs? One dog is white, with pale skin and she has nothing, not even one flea, the other is chocolate with darker skin so it's harder to tell but as far as I can see, he doesn't have any fleas on him either. They are both inside dogs and only go out to do their business, then they come right back into the house.

As I said earler, checked for bed bugs and their dropping, even pulled out the electric socket that sits on the wall that the head of the bed sits against and nothing, no bugs in there and no droppings. So I'm stumped.

The more that I look at the rash that I got where the medical tape was on my arm holding on the IV tube, the more I realize how much the tiny bumps look like the rest of the bumps on my body, which would indicate some sort of allergy I think.

 

[papergoblin]

Have you looked at scabies, lots of red dots combined in one area and itch like hell. The only thing I've noticed is acne every now and then, I attribute to me vaping high vg.