I'm just wondering if anyone has occurred a red bumpy rash as a result of having b12 injections every other day. I'm fully aware that the body gets rid of any unwanted b12 as its water soluble, but can the body react to the drug (hydro) and make an allergy rash. Iv cut out all the co factors thinking maybe I can't tolerate them, but still this rash continues to play havoc on my neck, chest and arms. I'm in the uk and source my b12 from Germany. Iv been injecting every other day since November 2020. After a recent post iv taken the advice about folic acid for example, but iv decided to go a week at least with absolutely no extra vitamins. Any advice greatly appreciated
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Clara5672
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Yes, acne is a, well known, side effect of B12 treatment following a deficiency. It is thought to be caused by bacteria on your skin (who have also been B12 deficient) having a growth spurt when they suddenly get loads of it.
It is nearly always temporary, lasting a few months.
Thank you for your reply. It almost feels like my skin is burning at times. Underneath if that makes sence. So hang it out and it should pass I presume.
Yes. Every injection I got them then I got less each time it did for me take few months as I was on every other day b12 injections for ? 4 months . Against my other symptoms it was just a nuisance
I am still suffering with the spots and horrific scarring from them. I have been having b12 injections for two years now, every two months at my GP surgery. What no one seems to talk about where b12 is concerned is if you are actually allergic! I am allergic to cobalt, this seems to be the only answer as to why I have problems with b12. Yet it is vital to our bodies. I am actually considering having less injections but I feel it when I am close to needing another injection. It seems like I am damned if I do and I am damned if I don’t. Cobalt is in b12. So maybe a lot of people who get this side affect of acne and skin burning that does not resolve in a few months should consider whether they have an allergy to cobalt! If anyone knows a way around this I would appreciate advice.
Thank you so much for your reply. You have hit the nail on the head there. My arms especially are in a terrible state. It almost feels like the skin in the fold of my arm may rip it's so sore. I have these red spots that iv scratched so much that I bleed. It's horrible. I cant discuss this with my dr as he doesnt know I self inject. I'm just running out of ideas and where to turn next
I have read that people who are allergic to cobalt and need b12 injections should only have the least amount that they can get away with. Under no circumstances can I have the oral b12 as the cobalt is in its solid form. But this would certainly take the ongoing support of you GP’s to help get the right dose for you. If you are unsure whether you have a cobalt allergy then getting a referral to Dermatology to have a patch test done would help you know for sure if you are allergic to cobalt. I have had a nickel allergy all my life(no cheap jewellery for me) over the years the allergy gets worse and worse as you become more and more sensitive and then the likelihood that you are allergic to cobalt comes with being allergic to nickel. I am still fighting the acne now. Before having b12 I never suffered with spots(just one a month around my period). Now it’s on my face, scalp, neck, back, chest. I tried to bare with it thinking it would right itself but I am planning on getting help from the GP when the pandemic has calmed down. I have also taken antihistamine to try to help with itching side of things but I would never be able to have a day off it. If I find a result or solution I shall let you know. I really hope that you can get to the bottom of it. I feel for you, it’s not nice. It feels like I will have acne for the rest of my life, as life is awful without b12 and it’s essential to our bodies. So I am hoping that there will be a way to balance this problem out in the future. Take care and if you have to tell the GP that you have self injected to get to the bottom of it, it might help you in the long run. I know it would take a certain kind of GP for you to feel that you could be open and honest and that they would understand and want to help. I have also thought of doing an “active b12” test outside of my GP’s as they don’t do it, so I know exactly how much of my b13 is active to whether I could cut down my injections to once every three months. Good luck, I wish you well.
"Under no circumstances can I have the oral b12 as the cobalt is in its solid form."
Once it gets into the blood there is absolutely no difference at all between the B12 from pills and injections. Indeed, pills should be better as there is a much smaller amount of B12 getting into the blood (about 10 mcg compared to 1000 mcg from an injection).
So I would expect a much smaller reaction from pills.
Indeed, if it were me I would try taking three pills a day. If you can absorb the B12 then that would give you about 30 mcg a day - which should give you similar blood levels to somebody having one injection a month.
I would not recommend at all using b12 tablets as a substitute for the injections with a cobalt allergy. I had even tried the subliminal b12 spray to top my levels up while waiting for my next injection and my throat completely swelled up, that was a scary moment. I do have digestive issues as nickel and cobalt are within food as they are vital to us. I discussed with the doctor because of my allergy about using tablet form instead of injections. She was unsure and ran around to two other doctors in the surgery and one of whom was very knowledgeable in science and asked their opinion. He was insistent I was not to have the tablets and was the one who said about the forms of cobalt within the tablet is a different structure to the cobalt in liquid form in the injection(it would of been handy to of actually spoken to him, as I still am not completely clear why or how this is the case). But I wouldn’t risk it after the reaction of just using the spray in my mouth. Also if I took it orally and my body is allergic and it reacts in my stomach and it recognise the cobalt element as being a foreign body to me then it’s not going to absorb it and inflammation will no doubt occur. It truly baffles me how I will get around this. I appreciate your time and response fbirder but at the moment there just doesn’t seem a direct course of action or resolution no matter where you turn in my circumstances. I need that b12 I cannot allow myself to have the risk of the damage done without it, I still feel in repair from that damage, yet if I keep having b12 will I just keep getting more and more sensitive to it and that it ends up closes my throat one day?. Hopefully something or someone will shed some helpful light onto this situation. I won’t stop until I find what works and helps. Doctors aren’t much use as acne is it seems a common side effect and that for many it subsides in time. It’s only increasing in my case over time. They don’t seem to correlate cobalt allergy to vitamin b12 deficiency and how to get around it. It’s always just have a lesser amount!
My partner had developed a dottie, itchy rash on his chest, neck, back and arms after a few months of B12 injections every 3 days to control neurologic symptoms. After some Googling, we found that perhaps his body is utilizing the B12 but is still deficient in absorption of other vitamins and minerals. He has been taking sublingual B6 and Folate and his rash has disappeared. Not sure if it is just coincidence or if these things help, but a search of B6 deficiency does indicate that low levels of this nutrient does cause rashy dermatitis
Thank you kerric4. Could I ask if your husband takes only b6 and what is his dose of tablet. Iv been advised to take a b complex tablet which contains other vitamins but I'm interested to know if I can just take a b6 tablet
He takes 50 mg. EZ Melt sublingual, since he has issues with his stomach lining. He has malabsorption and lack of intrinsic factor. I am concerned that he may need other things like vitamin D but his doctor has not tested for these things, yet
folate and not folic acid is the supplement to get along with b6 (5p5). The 5P5 is a more usable form of B6. And folate is a natural form of B9 and folic acid is a synthetic form. And as always quality of product does make a difference especially when you are having issues
Hi Clara. I also had those red itchy sore and bleeding bumps when you scratched them, and they took like what seemed like forever to go away. I don’t really think acne is the appropriate word. To me it seems more like and allergic reaction to something in the injection. I decided to get the methyl version
Hi Clara. I also had those red itchy bumps that bled when scratched and took forever to go away. I wasn't sure what was going on and and I didn't think it was the acne they talk about when you take B12 because that to me is not what acne is or looks like. I figured it had to be a reaction to something in the injection. I decided to try using the methyl version and voila my red itchy bumps went away. Like I said it took awhile for these bumps to go away, and still I wasn't 100% sure it was because of switching the B12 until one time I had run out of the original B12 I was taking which is the standard Cyancobalamin and those red itchy bumps returned with just one dose.
Hi Clara. Yes mine looked chicken pox like as well. I self inject twice a week right now but only use half a dose at a time. I am highly sensitive and felt this might be a better option for me and since only a small amount is absorbed at a time I thought I would be better for me as well. I also follow the Medical Medium and have been for quite a few years. I got cured from fibromyalgia. I drink the lemon water and celery juice almost every morning and do the detox smoothie a few times a week. My husband and I now eat whole food plant based 6 days a week, we have done that for about a year. What a huge difference in how we feel and perform. I take inno-q-nol which is cq10 and ashwagandha (quality of product makes a huge difference in supplementation). The other supplements I take are in the smoothie ( spirulina, barley grass juice powder and dulse). Oh and I also take folate, my doctor told me I should take that when taking B12 shots. Hope this helps and isn't too overwhelming.
Thank you. That is alot of information to take in . Why is it only now irritating me I wonder. Iv been doing the same amount of b12 everyother day since nov. Thank you so much for all your helpful information
Sorry. I know it’s a lot of info, I just get excited about what I have done and how I feel now. My rash didn’t start right away either. It took a few months. I can only speculate as to why the rash is happening now. My thought is it’s something else used in The B12 and our bodies have a tolerance for it at first but then it can’t deal with it anymore and a rash appears. Hope this helps
Your advice has been a massive help and well done you on finding what is good for you. I bought a large amount of hydro b12 just before christmas and the thought of spending more money to change to cyano, is quite annoying. Between everything it works out quite expensive. But yet again many thanks for your help
I took my 3rd dose last night.(once weekly but I've been taking them a day early each week because I can't function anymore). This morning I woke to a bumpy itchy rash.on my forearms only. It's weird. It doesnt look like anything described here. More tiny, heat rash or strep like. The bumps are not fluid filled, just itchy.
Yes that's exactly how mine started. Like prickly heat rash. Then I began to get these chicken pox type spots and an uncontrollable itch. It's no fun I can assure anyone. I hope it eases for you soon
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If starting B12treatment, first injection should always be done by medical professional due to a very rare but possible risk of anaphylaxis(severe allergic reaction).
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