Pupp Pregnancy Rash-Coping with Pupps
During pregnancy there is a lot to adjust to in terms of one’s hormones, sleep patterns, changes in exercise routines etc but one unexpected surprise for some women is waking up to an itchy red rash. For those who get the pupp pregnancy rash, this usually occurs during the third trimester. Technically it stands for Pruritic Uticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy.
It looks like red welts and can all over your body. The itching is unbearable or many. Of course, sleep already can be hard druing pregnancy so this is a fun addition! It lasts till the baby is delivered so sometimes induced labor is recommeneded for severe cases. It usually around the 35th week but some women will get it earlier. Though it most often will end at time of delivery, for some women it continues. Some studies have shown that those who have pupp have given birth to boys and that it’s and there is male fetal dna in the biopsies of the papules tested.
It is not on face usually and often starts in stretch marks area in the stomach and waist region. Try to not scratch due to the risk of infection as well as possibility of spreading the rash.
According to someone who was itching to death, the antihistamine piritone was very helpful. Taking claritin and pepcid ac has been a relief for some pregnant moms. Others swear by Grandma’s Tar Soap. A dermatologist recommended menthol aqueous cream to one of my client (prescription) and she found relief that way for her pupp rash.
Like other rashes, steroid creams. antihistimaines and anti-itch creams are helpful but due to pregnancy, certain modifications may need to be used. It is best to see a physician to check your own situation. Some find urosadil to be helpful. Do not take hot showers, but use luke warm water for the pupps rash. Some obgyns advised against steroids during pregnancy, but many prescribe them. See what your own obg doctor says.
In terms of natural remedies, a pupps rash forum had a few testimonials for dandelion root which helps to cleanse the liver. This is available at health food stores. Others speak highly of omega 3 flax seed oil capsules. It provides essential fatty acids that may be missing from diet.
Also be sure to rule out other rashes that may be similar such as ICP (which is a liver problem and increase bile salts). This is an itch all over the body and can be damaging to the baby if not treated. Another similar type of rash is due to a thyroid imbalance. It’s important to get the right diagnosis so you can know what remedies will work best.
If it is pupps rash, despite the itching and loss of sleep keep your focus on your love for your baby and the joys you will have together. Itching can be a miserable state so it helps to focus on the larger purpose and meaning of your life.
This is Heather, I’m 9 months pregnant and I have had the itchyness of pupps for a few days now. I have tried everything, I have taken baths and used baby oil and lotions and nothing seemed to help me. I have been going on the internet and reading non stop, I found a few good things that help for a little while but what i found to work the best is using a little bit of cornsratch, just rub a few pinches of it on the iritated area’s also a few cups of baking soda in a warm bath.
TRY EMU OIL! This really helped me, along with prayer and support.
Interesting info you provided. My friend who has pupp pimples on her body says it’s the worse rash she ever had. She’s had a shingles rash and poison ivy rashes before so it must be pretty bad.I’ll show you her site but she isn’t really into home remedies.
i am 28 weeks pregnant and started with pupps just over a week ago. at first the rash was very red and angry and very itchy but after many warm baths and lots of aqueous and calamine cream it seems to have eased.
I got this at 37 weeks. My doctor told me to use cortisone cream- that has helped protect my skin from scratches. I take 1 benedryl at night to help with inflammation and decrease the itching that was keeping me up. I tried calomine/caladryl lotion but the cortisone 1% has been way better. Aveeno baths help at night too.
Good luck!
oh i would certainly have my sister read this, cause she is facing the same thing and start to complain about it yesterday. Thank you for useful information.
I have PUPPS on my lower leg and to say it itches is an understatment. I have found that Oatmeal baths have really helped with the redness, swelling, and itching. I have tried every itching cream you can buy and lotions but so far the Oatmeal bath has been the best. Try it and hopefully it will work for you too.
Does pups rash during pregnancy always stop when you give birth? My friend had a baby but says she’s still got it. I thought it goes away at delivery.
Hi! I have had PUPPPS before, I used everything you can think of! Sorry to the Mother’s that have this, but there is nothing out there not even doctors prescriptions can give you complete relief. Delivery is your only choice. The only thing that would give me at least 3-4 hours of Sleep was GOLD BOND. I highly recommend it. I used cornstarch, baking soda every cream you can imagine, I spent literally 100’s of dollars on all these creams that wouldn’t work. I suggest GOLD BOND, a FAN, and NO CLOTHES…. Good Luck
Im currently 9 months. I started to notice the rash at my 7th month and i first thought i had like bed bugs, because they looked like little bites.. I went into the hospital to get some kind of answer for why my whole body was covered in these gross itchy bumps. The doctor told me i had Pupps. I was like What? Pupps what the heck is that. I had never heard of such a thing until now.
It only got worse. I had it all over my body my poor legs got the worse of it. I read everything i could about it and tried everything i could. BUT! what really helped and this was my bestfriend… Is GoldBond body lotion “Triple Action Relief for Extra Dry & Itchy Skin” Omg take a nice “WARM” shower (you dont wanna shower with hot water nor do you wanna shower like 10 times a day) That can dry out your skin and make the rash worse. But take a nice warm shower and rub the gold bond all over the rash and it feels so AWESOME!
It doesnt make it go away but my doctor gave me some steroids a 12 day and it took all of those gross bumps away. and the Gold Bond took the itching away..
I had it for 1 1/2 months… And thank god its over because i lost some much sleep and i wanted to kill everyone lol..
Just remember to wash your clothes as much as you can and your sheets. and keep out of the sun!
I hope this helps someone out there…..
I’m currently 33 weeks and this rash has made me so cranky and irritable, i have this cream my grandpa gave me for itchy and dry skin it’s called Uremol and it helps alot i also take benedryl allergy pills at night so i dont wake up itching, but i was wondering if there is anything else that can help other than the usual warm bath and baking soda method…
Ok, I got this darn thing at 5 mo. preg. and now my baby is 3 mo. old and I still have it, luckily it’s not too severe now. During pregnancy it was bad all over my Stomach and behind my legs and butt. Now it’s just behind my legs by my butt. It has gone a way a couple times with Florazone (a homeopathic creme) but when I get stressed I itch and it comes back with a vengence. my midwife told me some women can continue to have it for a while after birth - but does anyone know how long?? I am so done with this.
I got PUPPS at 32 weeks pregnant and my dr thought it was just a heat rash at first. So I was told to take oatmeal baths and use caladryl lotion. The oatmeal baths helped but only for a few hours, same with the lotion. When I went to my appt 2 weeks later, that’s when she figured out I had PUPPS! She prescribed a steroid cream but that didn’t help much, it just kept spreading and it was all over my stomach, down my legs and even covering my back! So I called my Dr and she gave me a prescription for oral steroids and about 5 hours after taking my first dose I had a HUGE relief! The rash was completely gone after just 2 days of steroids. She told me it was safe to take during the 3rd trimester and I am seeing a Perinatologist for my pregnancy, so she knows what she is talking about! The bad thing was after I finished my steroids the itching came back a bit, but no rash. As soon as it hit 90 degrees though I was back to the beginning! So I just started my second round of steroids and I am finally getting some sleep. Thank god I only have 2 more weeks to go!!!
I just delivered my baby boy 7 days ago. You will never believe what happened to me. I only had minor strech marks on my abdomen and hips, as soon as I delivered my son at 2am only a couple hours later i started itching.I didnt think anything of it until a couple days went by and I noticed rash on my arms. I had a major flair up on my abdomen. I ran to my Dr. and she said she had never seen PUPPS in women after delivery. It only happens during pregnancy and can continue on but never has she seen it develope after. Today I am so annoyed because it has spread to my back, legs, arms underarms and god knows were else.I am on my way to the store now for some relief. I have only found that aveeno baths not too many though helps, also soy soap I dont know where you an get it, I only stumbled upon it from my mom who had a friend of a friend give it to her when her psoriasis flars up. we are in the process of doing some resarch to find more. good luck to all of you mommys out there. I will pray for all of you.
I got the rash almost right after my c-section, right where the tape at the incision was. They did not diagnose it as PUPPS because, as someone else mentioned “they never see it in people after deliver”. I have seen pictures that women have posted of their rash and it looks exactly like what I had. I tried ever ointment out there, even prescription strength cortisone ones, but nothing took the itch away. This went on for several weeks. I could barely nurse, I was a wreck for lack of sleep and constant itching. It seemed all I could do was itch, cry and snap at people around me who were trying to find me some remedy. Finally, my OB prescribed me a steriod multi-pack of Prednisone. (Steriods are anti-inflammatory, I wonder if other anti-inflammatory non-prescription meds might work?) It is a treatment that starts full strength and tapers off after 7-10 days (depending on what your doctor decides). MAGIC! After THE FIRST DAY MY ITCHING WAS 90% GONE!. Day two GONE! I kept up the treatment and am happy to say that it never came back.
Hi there. It’s been 10 years since the birth of my last child. I had pupps very bad for both pregnancies, but I continue to get a rash every month as my monthly hormones change. Has anyone else ever noticed this so long after delivery??
I am pregnant at 37 weeks and I happen to have PUPP. I asked all my friends and family and nobody has ever experienced something like this. The rash is spreading around my body and the itchiness is so horrible. I tried Aveeno bath, all OTC creams but nothing seems work. Dr. just perscribed me some oral steroid so will see how it is. I was very worry that this will affect baby but after reading PUPPS online, I feel more ease about it. Thanks for everyone’s comments. It definitely makes me feel better. I know I am not alone in this PUPP’s world
Online articles state that 70% of women who have PUPP tend to have baby boys, is it true here for everyone? I am expecting a girl. They also say that the rash and itchiness will go away after a week or 2 after delivery. I am crossing my fingers for my itchiness to go away now. It is just so bad.
Good luck to those who have it.
I got PUPP at 17 weeks and had my entire pregnancy!!! It was the worst case they’d seen. I did not have stretch marks but it started on my back, spreading to legs and arms, like fire ants biting me nonstop. The ONLY thing that helped me was my uncle who is an OB/GYN who suggested taking baths in MILK (it neutralizes the ph of the skin) and an oral steroid dose pack, plus steroid cream and Benadryl. I had to have sonograms every month just to check the placenta, but delivered healthy baby boy - 10 years ago!! The milk was an absolute savior, along with cotton t-shirts and cold bedroom! The fever pitch itching subsided immediately upon delivery, but during ovulation and hormonal surges I get mild itching for a day, but really no issues since then. GOOD LUCK - it is the absolute worst experience and I empathize!!! Did NOT have it with my first pregnancy but that was a girl and I’ve been told it’s usually with boy pregnancies…hmm…
My wife, pregnant with twin girls, got PUPP at 37 weeks. She itched like CRAZY and couldn’t sleep. She was taking 2-3 capsules of Dandelion root and drinking Nettles tea, however, what REALLY seemed to totally clear it up and give her some relief was the Dandelion LEAF our friend gave us–she made tea out of it with a french press. I just bought some more (in case it doesn’t cure the rash so much as just suppresses it) at moutain rose herbs dot com, since that’s where our friend got it. My wife steeped and drank the equivalent of probably 4-6 cups a day, starting last Thursday evening and, by Sunday, the rash was gone.
I am going on 20 weeks preg and I think have pupps. I ich all over at night and i have a rash on both of my forearms that is spreading to my hands. It iches sooooooooooooooooo bad. At first I thought it would go away but now that I notice that it’s spreading I am calling my doc in the morning. I am so worried. I get up for work at 4:00am so I need all the sleep I can get but lately it’s been impossible to get in a full nights sleep. Like everyone is saying ” ITS MISERABLE”
My itching started 10 days after giving birth to my son. my obgyn said it was not Pupp because “Pupp only occurs during prgnancy.” So I went to my family doctor and he said he had treated 3 cases of Pupp after delivery and he was sure what I had was Pupp. He prescribed prednisone for 7 days and the itch went away after day two. However 3 days after i finioshed the dosage, the itch came back. Its been two weeks since then and I am still itching. Hot compresses before bed seem to give me enough relief for me to fall asleep.
Hi,
I too am facing severe itching all over my body and i can see small red bumps also… but in the palms and under my legs, the bumps are colourless and when i itch a colourless sticky liquid comes out of these …
we met a skin specialist 3 days before and they have taken the skin sample…and we r waiting for the result….the itching is horrible!!!!!!!! and at night , most of the days i get only 2 or 3 hours of sleep…by abt 2 am i will get up due to itching and will continue this process in regular intervals…iching has reduced a bit after applying ELOCON cream… and a tablet for itching but still it is too difficult to manage the itching… hope we can know by next monday whether it is PUPPS or not!!!!!!
I am 32 weeks and as of 8 days ago I noticed a rash under my belly. I thought it was from scratching my stretch marks but I have pretty much maintained my stretch marks with pure natural shea butter. But…because I could never really seen directly under my belly I didn’t know how much damage I was doing to my belly (below the belly button) by scratching periodically during the day. It just felt so good. Soon after I took a nice bath to relieve the pain and I noticed a swarm of bumps on my thighs, behind my legs and knees, and on my behind. So immediately I thought of every reason it was my fault from changing laundry detergent to rushing to public toilet and risking my butt to sit on it and relieve myself. The pain became unbearable and so I called my nurse they told me calamine lotion would help. So I tried that…then cortizone cream 1% and I tried that… from lotions to creams I tried them all. But because my skin is so sensitive it didn’t work.
I’ve been through something similar a few years ago that lasted at least 5mths .Not warm but cold baths if you can take only. (Don’t force your self, start out warm and work your way to cold) and the usual’s Aveeno, and all sorts of itch creams and oils. I was ok but none significantly made it better.
I also did a lot of meditating and praying. The pain that P.U.P.P.S brings makes you really search yourself and find Jesus because it is unbearable to suffer it alone. I call out the name of the Lord a lot and breath. I try to make it fun since that will be exactly the things I do when I go into labor. But It’s also a mental thing now of course you have a zillions itchy and scratchy red irritable bumps on your entire body and scratching them may be the next best thing to sex but if you breath and pray, get your mind off of it and focus on the joy the Lord will bring it will be so helpful in the long run. And just know the more you scratch, the more it’ll spread, and the more it spreads the more irritable and annoyed you’ll be. The longer it will take to get rid of. The more money you spend on relieving it. I got 7 wks to go and I will not let anything take away my joy of my first child. Whether I can control it or not. By the way I don’t know what I’m having its going to be a surprise.
i was due on sat and am prego with a girl and have pupps soooo bad! they are on my legs back thighs arms and bottom. I unfortunatly am allergic to steroids so that is out of the question. I have found that taking a warm bath relieves them for a little while but benedryl has helped as well. I just pray that they go away after birth. I pray for all who has this I would much rather deal with the leg cramps then this!
I had a severe case of PUPPs in my first pregnancy, and started to get it again at 31 weeks, but I got rid of it this time, thank heavens! Here is what worked for me:
1. Do NOT scratch it, under any circumstances. This makes it 10 times worse. Do whatever you can to keep yourelf from scratching.
2. Cold - ice packs, cold showers, swimming, whatever you can do to cool it down. I think this helped the most.
3. My doctor prescribed a steroid cream called Clobetasol Propionate. It was already starting to go away from the cold packs, but this finished it off within a couple of days.
I also switched to a very mild oatmeal body wash instead of my usual soap, but I don’t know how much effect this had.
Good luck!
I am 36 wks along and have had this rash for two weeks!!! I had never heard of this before until now.I couldn’t believe that nothing was taking this rash away! I was using remedies from other sufferers which helped, at first, to keep the rash down. Soon the PUPPPS rash continued to spread ALL OVER and then it took off with a vengence! I haven’t had a full nights rest since! I was ready for an induction I was sooo miserable and almost insane with the pain this rash was causing me! Today I found some Halobetasol and have some relief at last. Hopefully this will continue to do the trick. Will let you know soon. Good luck, you’re not alone.
To all you ladies who are going through this, I’m so sorry. It really sucks!
I got it at 38 weeks and was induced at 39. The rash continued to spread and get worse postpartum. All the doctors said it was the worst they’d seen.
Ice packs and cool showers helped the most, benadryl at night, and when I finally saw a dermatologist she prescribed a potent course of oral steroids which offered major relief. I did have to take several courses as the rash came back (not as severe).
I had lots of fears about the steroids and benadryl affecting my son both before and after the birth (I breastfed) but no problems.
Hang in there, it’s miserable but it will go away!
Us Grandpa’s Pine Tar Soap and some Sanar lotion after the shower. do this two times a day and you will be so relieved. I got PUPPS at 20 weeks pregnant and with out this i would have never made it!
Can the pups rash still continue after giving birth to the baby? My friend delivered her baby but still has pups itching and rash problems. Will it stop soon? It is on her lower abdomen and she didn’t have it with her first child.
I think I too developed PUPPP, about two weeks after delivering my baby girl. Although its about three months now and it has gotten worst!! Yes, whatever you do, do not scratch. Earlier on, I made the mistake of scratching the itch and it spread all over my thigh and butt. I have yet to see a doctor, though when I inquire to my OB over the phone, she said that its not possible to have PUPPP after pregnancy. Argh! Will consult with a general practitioner and a dermatologist, soon.
I have had this rash since I was about 15 weeks and now I am 29 weeks. It is absolutely driving me NUTS!! It is under my belly my legs my back my breasts and my buttox and the back of my head. So far taking a cool bath and using cold compresses work best. Try not to sleep with the covers on and turn a fan on you at night.Scratching only makes it spread. trust me on that one.and I COMPLETELY sypathize with you.
I have had the PUPPS with both of my girls and since the second I still have ichy lower legs and if i scratch them it is as if i cannot stop just like the rash was any help this last time I found Emu oil to be a help
I can not believe we don’t have some clinical treatment studies and standards of care around what I think is one of the most horrid pregnancy complications a mother-to-be can have. I developed PUPP at 34 weeks which is on my feet, ankles, legs, hips, back, belly, arms, chest and hands. The only thing that is spared is my neck and face. After just coming off of bedrest for 8 weeks and having intense heartburn for the past 12 weeks, I don’t know if I can handle much more of this 3rd trimester discomfort . My OB upon my visit at week 34 weeks dismissed my skin bumps as anything big and let me know it’s ok to take Benedryl. They recommended Benedryl but I took a non drowsy antihistimine instead. It didn’t work. It didn’t get properly diagnosed until I told my OB at week 37 that I HAVE PUPP and we NEED to find some relief for IT after ruling out everything from bed bugs to flea bites and doing my research online. My pharmacist recommended SARNA lotion. It’s brilliant for temporary relief. Here’s what is “sort of” working for me. Oatmeal baths twice a day. I literally rub the oatmeal into my skin. Sarna lotion immediately after. My OB is hesitant to recommend steroids orally or topically however I think I’m a strong candidate. I would think in 15 years or longer of knowing about PUPP we could do more to help out our mom’s. As for not itching I don’t know how to do that. As for praying to God for relief and distraction from the itch, I do that regularly. Nights are the worst. Hope the Sarna lotion and oatmeal bath tip can help. There has to be some anti-imflammatory foods to consider eating as well such as Omega 3’s and fish oil. Good luck.
I am 31 weeks pregnant and have just been diagnosed with PUPP. Like the rest of the people here i have had severe itchiness that started out on my abdomen and spread to my thighs and arms. I suffered with Eczema as a baby and a young child. I wonder if this makes me more prone to it? I am also taking medication for an underactive thyroid. Last week my consultant told me to get Pirton and that i was allowed one at night. I phoned the emergency section of my hospital yesterday in floods of tears after yet another night of sleep deprivation from the intense itch, but there wasn’t much they could do for me. Told me to use Calamine, which had been working for a while but i must be immune to it at this stage as it wasn’t giving me relief, have also tried the bread soda baths- found it stingy, aveeno cream- also burned my skin, sudocream- which in the early stages of the rash provided some relief and vaseline. My GP has prescribed me with a cortisone cream which i can only use sparingly at nighttime. I am starting on that this evening so i hope to god it will ease the itch because i didn’t get a wink of sleep last night and was very tearful again today. I have read back over all the comments on this page and I will be trying out the Dandelion root and the nettle tea as this someone else said this cured their symptoms. It is a horrible side effect of pregnancy and i would love to just fast forward the next 9 to 11 weeks and to (hopefully) be over this ordeal. I take some comfort in the fact that i am not the only one suffering with this. I will try out the cortisone dandelion root and nettle anyway and i will leave another comment if i find a cure.
I am pretty sure I have PUPPP and I had a c-section for my baby boy three weeks ago. I guess its just one of those rare after-delivery types but it is just as bad as what I have heard of the during pregnancy syptoms and looks just the same. It’s awful. Started on my belly and love handles and now it is on the inside of my thighs the worst, and I mean terrible, and is spreading to the tops. I am glad for the comments here because I have been taking unbearably hot showers because I thought the crazy sensation it was giving the rash might be making it better… but alas it has gotten worse. So far I have not seen any relief in the symptoms or spreading.
I’m 35 weeks pregnant and my PUPPS rash started to appear around my 32nd-33rd week of my pregnancy. I have to say, its the most agonizing and miserable experience I’ve ever been through. I tried every cream imaginable but they would only work for a couple of hours & then I was back to itching like crazy. 24 hr Claritin helped reduce the redness and itching but not by very much. Benadryl didnt work for me at all. So I talked to my doctor and they prescribed me an ORAL STEROID and I’m not kidding guys, within a HALF HOUR the horrible rash on my belly started to go away! I took the oral steroids for 6 days (the steroids are not harmful to you or the baby if you’re far along in your pregnancy) and Ive been off them for 2 days now and the rash has not reappeared on my stretch marks. The only thing it didnt cure, for some odd reason, was the rash that had spread to my arms, legs, hips, thighs, and bottom. It actually seemed to get worse in those places. But it was the hives on my stomach that was REALLY bothering me, I thought I was going to go insane from all the itching and inflammation. Thank god the steroids worked on my tummy or I dont know what I would’ve done! ALSO! Cortaid spray (for poison ivy) took away the redness and the bumps! I first applied INTENSIVE HEALING CORTIZONE CREAM and THEN applied the Cortaid spray. It didnt make it go away forever but it took away the itching and redness for most of the day! So LADIES pleaaase talk to your doctor about taking some oral steroids! IT REALLY DOES WORK. I dont know why it didnt work on the rest of my body but it may work differently on you guys - it may take it all away. I have 4 weeks left in my pregnancy and I’m hoping & praying the rest of my rashes will go away after my baby boy is born. I wanted to let every pregnant woman know that the oral steroids worked for me and I seriously hope it works for you guys!!!! I know how miserable this is to go through. I wish you all the best! I hope you find some relief.
I got PUPPs in my 39th week. First I thought it was an allergic reaction to changing shower washes, however, since I only used the wash one time, and the rash proceeded to get considerably worse in the days to come, the doctor once seeing me diagnosed it as PUPPs. Once in the hospital a few days later for delivery, I was told it was the worse case that the hospital had ever seen (always such a nice thing to hear from a hospital!). Before going to the hospital to deliver, I went through 4 large tubes of Cortizone cream, Caladryl lotion, Oatmeal baths, Aveeno lotion, Benedryl, anything I could find that was approved by my doctor to work.
My rash started on my stomach, and it must have started in the middle of the night because it spread to my entire body except for my face, so from the hair line on the back of my neck to my feet.
They told me there was nothing they could really do for me until the baby was born. I was then put on 12 days of the steriod Pretnozone, I am about 4 days into it so far, along with Visarill (sp?) to help with the itching. It still unbearably itches, although now instead of looking like bumps all over they seem to have flattened out and turned red and joined together. So some parts of my body now just look like red blotches that is raised from my normal skin.
Just read that it can last up to 6 weeks after pregnancy, I am praying that it will go away sooner!
I was diagnosed with PUPP at my 20 week appointment. I asked my OB what I could possibly do to relieve this annoying rash that sprouted up about two weeks prior and she seemed to be amazed when she saw what I was talking about. She told me that I had a nasty case of PUPP, but normally that doesn’t come until the 3rd trimester and there really isn’t anything OTC that will help. She said that I could go to a dermatologist, but my best bet would be to take benadryl at night to help me sleep through the itching and clariton during the day.
I feel for anyone out there just coming into this. Nothing will make it go away completely until delivery!!! I have resorted to Gold Bond Maximum Strenght cream for momentary relief along with the benadryl and clariton. My best results have come with the Gold Bond, loose or no clothing and a fan at night. And above all try (I know it’s very difficult) to not scratch! You’ll just make it spread and you’ll be even more miserable.
My PUPPs literally has taken over my body…the only parts not affected are my face and chest! It’s horrible and the itching is maddening. It’s gotten so bad that I can’t sleep. I haven’t found anything that has helped so far. I’ve tried everything from OTC creams to oatmeal baths to prescription ointments!! *sigh*
I have PUPPS as well. I have had it for about 2-3 weeks now and it is all over my body, the itchiness is terrible. I have tried everything from oatmeal baths, aloe, zyrtec, benydrl, baby powder, hydrocortisone cream 1%, grandpa’s pine tar soap, etc. The best relief is from the pine tar soap and baby powder. However, the rash was so unbearable I would cry myself to sleep as I scrathed all my skin off that I resorted to taking the prednisone that was perscribed to me. I have been on it for 2 days now and started to notice relief, I still itch but it is tolerable at this point compared to how it was. I sympathize with all who are going through this! I still have another 6-7 weeks left I just hope I can make it that long. This rash is worse than anything, it makes you cranky and irritable. I feel bad for my poor husband who tries to show affection to me but I don’t even want him to touch me for fear of itching.
By the way I am having a girl…
I got PUPP in the 35th week of my pregnancy and it sure was a nightmare to my otherwise smooth pregnancy. Tried several creams and moisturizers but nothing helped. SARNA works to a certain extent.
There is one home remedy which believe it or not works wonders! A Mix of turmeric, Vitamin E/Coconut oil, and little milk applied to the whole body reduces the itchiness and redness. I felt it also prevented the rash from spreading to some degree. Forget the yellow tainted skin. You can have showers twice to help that. At least you get to sleep peacefully!
I was diagnosed with PUPP just recently but have been dealing with this spreading rash for at least 4 weeks now. It has consumed by stomach, breasts, back, arms, knuckles, genitals and thighs and is spreading still. My Dr. didn’t think it was PUPP at first because I haven’t hit the third trimester yet. I stared out on Lotrimin and Hydrocortisone cream then added Zyrtec and was just to a dermatologist who prescribed a steriod cream for 2 weeks. Nothing takes the intense itching away but I have found relief for a few hours and last night after using the steriod cream and benedryl I slept through the night. I am so grouchy to my husband and 3 other kids, I don’t want anyone touching me, it makes me so sad. I am going to ask about the oral steriods again if this doesn’t get better soon, I was told I wasn’t far enough along to use them but it is such a miserable condition! I don’t see how you can not itch it!! I am going to try some of the suggestions listed here and pray for some relief. I look toward 3 more months of this and think I will go insane first. With all the advances in modern medicine it baffles me there has not been a solution to this problem for expectant mothers. It does help to know others out there are suffering with me.
I had Pupps my entire pregnancy, but the first 8 months it was small patches on my chest and arms that would come and go. I was thankful because I had a friend who had it so bad they induced and hers cleared up about 2 weeks after delivery. In month 8 it appeared on my stretch marks on my stomach and was horrible. 2 days after I had my daughter I noticed an itchy spot on my thigh. Within the week I was covered from the top of my feet to my wrists. I was given Vistaril for the itching and a 7 day steroid treatment which cleared it up. Now my daughter is one month old and it has reappeared on my stretchmarks on my stomach. I recieved a steroid shot today and am praying it works.
I started itching on my belly over my stretch marks 3 days ago. I didn’t know that itching would spread the bumps, but somehow I became itchy on my legs down to my feet, my arms, & my hips. It’s an unbearable itchyness and nothing seems to be working. I have been using Equal brand oatmeal bath every day and that seemed to sooth it a bit but the itch would return an hour later. I have also tried 1% cortizone cream and caladryl lotion and neither have helped. Thank goodness it’s Monday tomorrow and I can call my Dr. She did not diagnose me with PUPPS, but I had to go to the hospital the other day due to intense pelvic pains and the nurse said I had PUPPS and that I needed to tell my Dr. I am currently 31 weeks pregnant and I just don’t know if I can take this any longer. Thank you so much for everyone’s responses, I was beginning to feel alone and weird.
I was diagnosed with PUPPS at 3 months. My OB and all the online groups said you’ll just have to wait it out- and let me tell you I was going out of my mind! Cold showers, ice packs, various lotions. . . No steroids for my baby, thanks! Until I went to a fantastic Naturopathic doctor who ran some tests and realized my body was out of nutritional alignment- I was developing a wheat allergy amongst other things. So before you give up, find a good Naturopath (if you’re in Hawaii Dr. Kesaji saved my life).
I just wanted to tell you that I used the steroid cream on my right side and A+D diaper rash cream and hydrocortizone cream on my left side as an experiment (I thought, what am I going to do when the 2 weeks is up and I can’t use the steroid cream anymore, that is why I tried two different things at once). Well, the A+D side actually cleared up more than the other side. I applied both twice a day. I still have red sores on much of my body but the intense itching is almost gone. I realize I could cycle back into another bad outbreak but the last 2 weeks have been heaven compared to earlier in Nov. when I was going insane. Trying the A+D would be at the top of my list.
I did have a question. Does anyone have experience with PUPPS and swimming? I am suppose to go swimming with my students in a week and wondered if the water would aggravate the rash or help it clear up. I am finally dealing with it I don’t want to go backward.
So i recently developed PUPPS and its miserable. The rash started out on my stretch marks and now has spread to everywhere but my face.. my arms hands legs and feet have it the worst! I have recently gone to the ER twice to find some type of relief. This is what i found helps if you stick to it religously. Morning- oatmeal bath, steriod pill (prescribed by DR) 50 mg of benedryl, Lorexapam (prescribed for anxiety ) and then coat entire body in hydrocortizone cream. Lunch- another dose of steriods and benedryl and some anti-itch lotion (SARNA), Dinner - another dose of steriod pills and some more lotion. Finally before bed- oatmeal bath, hydrocortizone cream, Lorexapam, Steriod pill, cold fan and no clothes. Also its a good idea to keep a cold wash-cloth beside your bed incase you get the erge to scratch you baby out of you stomach at any point of the night.
Now most doctors will not prescribe you steriods if your case isnt severe, however mine is! and they do help your rash and help mature the babys lungs!
Hi! I got pups at 30 weeks and my Dr didn’t even know what it was because it started in the inside of my arms, I wanted to cut them off! My friend got it at the same time which was weird because we never heard of it before…hers were on her feet she had to wear flip flops all winter! I finally got a steriod shot at the DR and that seemed to relieve it for about 3 weeks….I totally recommend the shot, you need your rest now!
I had PUPP in both of my pregnancies with my first I felt a lot of itching 3 days before going into labor. I didn’t pay much attention but it started getting worse. After delivery I could barely stand it and nobody had heard of my condition before. As a last resort my son’s pedriatician gave me oral steroids and it worked. My second pregnancy was even worse! The rash came back at 2 months of pregnancy. No diagnosis was ever made the only thing advised to do was to use aveeno (which was the worst thing I tried in my first pregnancy and knew better not to try again. Finally the one who knew was the person who gave me an epidurial! I wish I could remember what he used I do remember he opposed to use steroids it was immediate relief no more than a few minutes. But I hate to report that the rash may never go away completely every now and then I start itching for no reason which scares me if I was to get pregnant it might be really worst a third time.
i’m 25 week pregnant with severe case of PUPP.i’m using steroids and creams.i’m very worried about the side effects on the baby.is there anybody who inspite of using the steroids has given birth to a healthy child?kindly share it with me on my email address.KINDLY…..BE_WITH_ME_HMESHA@YAHOO.IN
I’LL BE VERY THANKFUL.GOD BLESS U……
25 week pregnant with severe PUPP.using tappering dose of corticosteroids for 12 days.worried about its side effects on baby.kindly tell if anybody had the same case and resulted in healthy baby.
while in the 6th month of my pregnancy with twin girls i got pupps. the babies will be 6weeks tomorrow and the pupps is still full blown. i have tried meds, lotions, compound cream, antibiotics, benedryl, not using soap perfume and laundry detergent so far nothing had worked. i went to the dermatologists today and were hoping to do a biopsy this week. best of luck ladies i know how it drives you crazy and how depressing it can be.
I guess i am in the rare group who has developed postpartum PUPPP’s .. I gave birth to my son on Thanksgiving Day ( Nov 26th of this year ) and nearly one week after delivery the itch started and within two weeks i was miserable, It started on my left foot and then spread throughout both of my legs and arms .. Im almost 100% positive it is PUPPP’S.
Im now 5 weeks postpartum and i still have this rash .. Ive tried nearly everything on the market to get rid of the itch including anti-itch creams, allergy meds , diaper rash ointments, oatmeal baths , anti itch lotions etc .. , I went as far as trying yeast infection creams , alcohol in a spray bottle as well as hand sanatizer ( I was desperate ok lol ) ..
So far the only thing that has given me some amount of relief has been Sarna Lotion , The aveeno oatmeal baths along w/ the aveeno bar soap ( cant remember the exact name off hand but it does contain oatmeal ) along w/ Gold Bond medicated powder.
I talked to a nurse at my OB’s office and she told me PUPPP’s only occurs during pregnancy and only on the stomach area. I do NOT believe this .. Ive done so much research on PUPPP’S and have found so many women who are suffering from the same itchy rash that i am. I do believe it can happen anytime before or after delivery, during any one of your trimesters whether your pregnant w/ a boy or girl ..
In my situation my rash did happen to develope after i gave birth to my son who happens to be my third child.
I think its sad that Dr’s arent listening to their patients and that there isnt more info on the PUPPP’s rash out there.
Like someone else said calling this a itch is an understatement .. I have woke up and found myself scratching to the point i was bleeding and in tears. I have left bruises on my own legs from scratching so hard. About a week ago i was up at 2:30 am standing in my bath tub w/ my clothes on splashing cold water over my feet and ankles just to get a few mins of relief, it was the next day i went into CVS and found the Sarna Lotion and Aveeno products.
Basically you have to experiment with products and find whatever will work for you. Even tho i am getting some amount of relief from the Sarna / Aveeno i would like to try the Grandpa’s Pine Tar Soap just to see.
Also there is a website that i heard other fellow PUPPP’s sufferers mention and it is http://www.rainiersoapworks.com/puppp_relief.htm apparently the lady who created this soap had also suffered from PUPPP’s.
Good Luck Everyone
I got pupps rash around 24wks. Started as a small rash on my side which I brushed off as being irritated from my bra. It quickly moved to my breast area. Again thought it was a bra thing! Finally it moved to my stomach. At which time pupps was diagnosed. At first it wasn’t too itchy more sore, but as time went on it spread to my arms, legs, feet, neck, back….everywhere and I wanted to scratch my skin off. My doctor prescribed a cream. Don’t know the name of it(it was just labelled as pupps compound 3) it smelled like vick’s vapour rub and was nothing short of putting acid on my skin. I used it 3 times and each time within an hour I was washing it off. During the christmas season and hosting christmas and not getting much sleep as it was, is when it hit me hardest. Up all night in tears, sleeping naked and holding down my hands to keep myself from scratching( was afraid of scaring). At that time I went on a mission to find some sort of relief. I bought numerous cream, took the advice of people on the internet. Tried everything and anything! After reading that the only relief for this rash was birth, I thought there is no way I can survive until the end of my pregnancy. Like I said, I developed the rash at about 24wks. I found Baby powder would help the itching for a bit along with a Benedry to help me sleep, but only took them when I was really exhausted. I started using Aveeno oatmeal soap, which also helped. And one day I decided to try my husband hand cream( he has extremely dry hands and uses Glysomed hand cream and swears by it). Well within days the rash was clearing up, the itch was going away and by the time I reached 28wks the rash was gone…..completely. Maybe I just lucked out, I don’t know or care. All I do know is that it is gone and I hope it never comes back. So like I said, if you are desperate, and I’m sure you are if you have pupps, by the way, it is a fitting name because you really feel like you have a bad case of fleas or mange! Try the Aveeno soap and Glysomed hand cream. It worked for me and may work for you as well. Good luck.
I just got stretch marks when I hit 38 weeks. Thats when I noticed the itchy red rash all over my belly. I put some of my Lansinoh (nipple cream) on my stomach. It’s used to soothe, heal and protect dry, cracked skin. I know it’s for your nipples, but it help make my rash look a little better and itch a little less. It’s reall greasy, but give it a shot. I have one more week before I will be induced,..so I am hoping this will hold me over until after the baby comes!!
I had PUPPS for my first pregnancy and it was HORRIBLE! It appeared around 34 weeks and lasted until I was finally induced at 38 weeks. AFter trying all kinds of lotions, steriods and OTC allergy medicines, the only thing that would bring relief was keeping cold, wet towels applied to my skin. It really helped relieve the itching, even if only temporary.
Good luck! I”m praying that I don’t get it again for this baby (keeping fingers crossed at 33 weeks).
I have nine kids–both boys and girls. I never had Pupps until I was 6 months pregnant with twin boys. I thought they were humongous mosquito bites at first (I’m from Minnesota)But it was November and Mosquitos don’t survive our winters. However, I finally realized they were pregnancy related–usually meaning the mother is carrying a male (or two in my case). Never had it with my other boys. The twins are 11 months old now and I’ve had them return twice!!!!!!!!!!!! My husband was the one who first suggested that perhaps it was hormone related and I think he’s right. From what I’ve read above, other women get it again around their time of the month. I was beginning to think it was bed bugs…and they just liked me and not the hubby! I’m glad to learn from other moms that it spreads due to itching…I won’t “go to town” on them anymore!
I had PUPPS with my 3rd pregnancy, starting around 35ish weeks, and it lasted a couple of weeks after delivery, but improved a lot right after delivery. (btw, I had a girl….)
Now I’m about 16 or 17 weeks into my 4th pregnancy, and although it started on my legs, I am sure I have it again. ARGH!
PUPPS is the itchiest rash I’ve ever experienced. I haven’t tried all the remedies yet (but with it this early in my pregnancy I will probably try more….) But one thing I found that helps for a while is - believe it or not - diaper creme! (I was desperate last time, and thought - well, if it helps a diaper rash feel better - I’m willing to try it!) I think the one we use is called Sudocreme or something like that - I will need to check - but it is basically a zinc type paste.
(I know in my previous research I had read that you usually only get it during one pregnancy - but have certainly seen more than enough people leave comments at various places that have it with more than one.
Sorry if you have it!
this is my second pregnancy & it has been going very well up until the end of my 34th week , I developed a rash on my abdomen went straight to my gyno & was told I had PUPP
. It started on my stomach & as hard as it was for me not to scratch it , I didnt because I did not want to develop stretch marks . And even know I did not scratch it spread to my legs like in my inner thighs . My gyno told me since ive been on Prednisone ( which is an oral steriod ) through out my whole pregnancy due to another skin problem I have , that there wasnt much He could do but prescribe me a steroid cream , but other than that if that didnt work i was screwed until i gave birth ! So me being mortified & miserable due to the scratching & appearance of my stomach & legs I began doing research & reading blogs & I saw the ” Grandpa’s Tar Soap ” worked wonders so I ran to my nearest GNC & got a bar started using that as well as the steroid cream my gyno prescribed & within 2 days ive seen a MAJOR improvement , I am still coping with it as I speak but it it very ” vague ” , dosen’t itch any more & I believe by tommorrow or the next day will be cleared up . So dont give up hope people go out & get that Soap as well as some sort of steroid cream , I also hear the A&D oitment works wonders also but I Personally havent tryed it simply because i didnt want to use to many products at once . Hope i can be a help to someone else in need . oh & i am pregnant with a babygirl , thats another thing i hear your more likely to deliver boys if you develop PUPP but not necessarily .
Hi, I had PUPPPS badly with my first pregnancy and suffered immensly with it. The only thing that seemed to help was a menthol aqueous cream - had to be specially made up by the chemist but the coolign effect it had helped me actually get soe sleep! Also to add I’ve just had my second and had no sign of it second time round so pelase don’t let it put you off another as it may not happen aagain!
Hi I just wanted to share what I learned about this NASTY rash . . . I have an amazing beautician who seems to know everything there is to know about skin, and she took one look at the itchy red welty rash that had developed on the belly at about 18 weeks and said “that looks fungal”. Now I thought that was pretty interesting, as in all my googling, no one had really seemed to know what type of rash it was, other than some kinda hormonal reaction that could be to do with having a baby boy (yes, mine is a boy too).
Anyway, I had just had a bout of thrush (yeast infection) which is of course fungal as well, so I started to wonder. Desperate, I grabbed my tube of Canestan cream I had been using to treat thrush, and spread some on the rash. It felt instantly soothing, so I decided to keep it up. Twice a day for the next 8 days or so and OH MY GOD . . . .the rash has TOTALLY disappeared. Ladies, you have to try this! I am surprised no other health professionals seem to have made the link that this is could be a fungal thing.
Good luck xoxoxo
i am 39 weeks pregnant and i have been dealing with pupps going on 2 weeks now. my doctor started me off on steroid cream which didn’t work so i tried benadryl cream which didn’t work either and then i heard about grandpas pine tar soap. i went and bought some and the smell is absolutely horrible but i was willing to try it anyways…well it didn’t do anything for me. after that my doctor told me to try and go to the tanning bed and that didn’t work. she also prescribed me to an oral steroid pack that lasts for 6 days and my last day to take it is tomorrow and it worked wonders while i was taking alot of it but now that im almost done and i have lowered the doses, im getting it back again. i give up on trying to find something. im just going to have to deal with it until th baby comes! i feel for all of you that have it, it truly is miserable!
I have been told by my midwife that I have pupps. However, I am only 13 weeks pregnant and it does not itch at all. Perhaps I have been mis-diagnosed? ANyone with any thoughts
I just delivered my baby boy last Wed, the 20th (wu hu!) and I still have the stinkin PUPPPS pretty much everywhere but its not as intense as it was when I was pregnant. I tried, Sarna, Calamine, Benadryl, Nipple Lanolin, Oatmeal baths, and Cortizone-10 Ointment. I had the greatest success with the Cortizone-10 ointment because its so greasy. The Benadryl helped me get a little sleep but apparently not much because my husband told me how violently I was scratching in my sleep. When I wake up, I would have new scrapes from digging in my skin so hard.
I tell you one thing, it seems like more research would be invested in this PUPPPS as it truly is the most miserable thing I have ever experienced in my life thus far. I wonder if its to be compared to the misery Job went through in the bible ! Good fortune with your PUPPS ladies !
I had PUPPS during my last pregnancy and it was nightmare - the rash completely covered arms, legs, hands, feet, buttocks and the front of my torso. Only one thing cured me - Grandpas pine tar soap (check your local health food store). It made the rash dry out within 4 days and flake off within a week. Note - since the soap dries out the skin, the itchiness will get worse before it gets better. But it was so worth it to resolve the rash quickly and WITHOUT steroids.
Im currently 31 weeks 5 days pregnant with a boy. I have had PUPPS since I was 28 weeks..It really does suck like everyone is saying. It started on my stomach and now im covered from head to toe in this rash and I have tried everything from cortizone 10 to 1 benedryl at night which normaly makes me pass out but hasn’t done that lately. I have tried baths in coco butter oil which helps to some extent. I haven’t found a solution as to getting rid of the itching or the bumps but im hoping to find something so I don’t have to go to work in agony from itching. I feel bad for everyone who has to suffer from this and their should be something out their to make us more confortable and make this go away and never come back.
I am pregnant with twins, boys of course, and I am 31 weeks pregnant. I think I may have PUPP because eveythin that describes it, I have the same thing. The only thing is that it is on my arms legs belly and neck, but I am also itching a bit on the sides of my face, and almost everything I have read on PUPP has said that it usually or never occurs on the face. Im thinking that it might still be PUPP because some things bother other women differently. When I was pregnant with my little girl, I did the same thing with her at the end of my pregnancy, but it was just on my belly and my thighs and it was horrible rashes that drove me insane. So thats why I think this is what it is and that I have it again. If anyone knows anything about it possibly occuring on the face a little bit please let me know. Thanks
This is truly maddening. Reading everyones comments has been extremely helpful as I feel like I am going crazy. The itchiness has me so irritable, especially at about 9 p.m. and throughout the night!
I developed PUPPS at around 35 weeks- not sure of baby sex yet, and I am now 37+ weeks. It started typical, from the stretch marks on my stomach and fortunately has not spread. Once my my midwife told me what it was I have stopped scratching it all together (except the occasional lapse while sleeping) and that seems to be helping to keep it from spreading thus far.
I’ve been drinking nettle, dandelion root and burdock root tea (from the bulk section at the co-op) throughout the day, applying Vitamin E oil with calendula as needed, and trying to get in a luke warm oatmeal bath at night (just using oats from the bulk section tied in a sock). I’ve also just started acupuncture as some say it may be associated with an over-taxed liver. To make it more affordable, I’m going the “community acupuncture” route so it’s $15/session vs. $60.
The rash seems to be clearing up with the older stretch marks as the red bumps are now only visable on the newer ones. However, if I scratched the older ones, I’m certain the rash marks would return. So while I’ve found no magic cure, it at least seems to be somewhat controlled. Funny saying controlled when it’s 4 am and I’ve been awake since 1:30.
Good luck ladies and may you have happy babies soon (or be enjoying your new one albeit the itchiness)!!!
I wrote the previous post and my positive attitude has waned. Eight days further in, it has spread across almost my entire body and am no longer able to control myself from scratching freely- even when on a dose of benedryl. This is misery. I just wrote the midwives a crazed email, I am desperate for relief!
I was diagnosed with pupps in my 32 week. I hate it because its bad enough that my stomach already itches and now this. However mine is only on my belly by my stetch marks. I went to my doctor and he prescribed me with me some medcine and it seems to be working. He just said that we will have to keep a close eye on it.
im 16 weeks and just got pupp and its driving me crazy… the thought of having it till birth is really stressful…
so far anything cold seems to make me feel better… and trying to not scratch but very hard and frustrating
;/
Hi there. I am 9 weeks post pregnancy and still have this horrible rash! It stayed around my tummy for 6 weeks and then spread everywhere! Its’ on my arms, legs, butt, and back. Nights are horrible-can’t sleep. Going to the dermatologist tomorrow to get it biopsied. I have been taking a steroid cream for about a week and although it helps w/ the itching for a bit-it always comes back w/ a vengeance. I just bought Nettle tea and dandelion root-and am PRAYING that I get some relief.I can’t imagine having this for much longer-it is SO SUCKY! I have never felt so miserable. Thank goodness for my baby girl-she is keeping me going. Hang in there everyone-I hope we all get relief soon!