Tiny red shiny pimples on my face appear once or twice a year usually in the winter. Help?

They aren't itchy and are VERY tiny. The size of the period at the end of this sentence. But they have been coming every year once or twice a year since 3 years ago. About one or two years ago, my face has also become chronically itchy although no pimples appear. I had been using Aveeno cleanser for years and I thought maybe that was the cause (the salicylic acid) so I tried two different cleansers -- Clean and Clear for sensitive skin and Olay. I still have an itchy face and the pimples haven't been going away for a week. When I went to my dertmotologist about the pimples, he said that the cause was simply dry skin. He gave my a cream that I use but it isn't helping! Suggestions please! I almost NEVER get pimples or acne so I really hate it when this happens. And it's not even pimples, it's almost a rash.