Anyone ever get a bad rash on their legs when they walk in the heat?

[sherry7]

Hi DIS'ers. Weird question, but here goes. Yesterday, DS and I went to a local amusement park. It was hot (around 85) and extremely humid. By about mid-afternoon, I had developed an itchy red rash on both of my legs. What's strange is that it is only on the inside of my legs, at the lower part of the calf. It did not spread any higher on my legs, nor did it develop on the outside of my legs. Last year, when we were in Williamsburg, VA I got this same exact thing, on the same exact part of my legs. Hydrocortisone does not help. Neither does Benadryl gel or Aveeno ointment.

A couple of months ago I read a thread on this same topic but can't find it now. Does anyone else get this? Does anyone know what causes it? What type of medication, either over the counter or prescription, has helped you? This seems to be some type of heat related thing, so I would like to be prepared before we take our September trip to Disney. Thanks in advance.

 

[jesdmill1]

My Mom got this last year at WDW. The people in first aid suggested: wearing shoes with socks, lots of high spf sunscreen on legs, and applications of aloe gel and using diuretics if your legs swell really badly. They said its caused by sun reflecting off of pavement onto your legs. They called it the "Disney rash" but I guess you can get it at any park!

 

[sewnmomma]

I also got this rash at WDW in Oct 1999. I went to First Aid Station,& was given a lotion to put on my legs. They also suggested wearing long pants,& hydrocortisone.I don't remember what the lotion was, but it helped.

 

[tinkerbell1967]

Yes, I get it everytime we go to Disney and it is hot. The hydrocortisone usualy works for me though!

 

[tink2dw]

We always make sure to get Sunscreen on our calfs from ground to the height of shorts and under the chin. that reflected sun is the worsest!!

 

[sherry7]

Thanks for the replies. More advice anyone?

 

[adamak]

Actually, I got that almost every summer, walking around in the heat. Doesn't matter if I wear shorts or long pants. I think I read it somewhere that it's allergy... or something about blood pressure. (Yeah, I know..... kind of 2 different things)

I would like to know the cure too. I have tried sunscreen, ointment, anti-itch everything... but no luck. I found that once I get cooled off, my legs are fine again. So I was just avoiding walking around in the heat.

 

[skeezixspud]

Polymorphic light eruption. One of those nebulous terms that describes the effect without specifying the cause. I did find a decent laymen's explanation on a British medical website.
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/lighteruption.htm

I find that taking oral antihistamines for the whole vacation period, plus a couple of days before and after, helps me avoid it. Of course, I also put sunblock on with a trowel. I find that once I get it, I have to let it run its course, so prevention is the best strategy.

 

[beans]

Hi Sherry7,

Last summer when we were down there, I developed this really terrible rash on both bottom half of my legs! I thought at first it was poison ivy, but then it didn't make sense that I would come in contact with this stuff in the park. Then, I thought it was a reaction to the chemicals that they put in the water for the water rides (especially at IOA...we had just gone to the park the previous day.) When I realized that it was an awful heat rash, I got some clear caladryl and put it on in the mornings before going to the parks and a brought a small tube of benydryl to put on my legs whenever I felt the rash getting very warm and the itching was going to act up. That seemed to help, but it took a while for the rash to clear when I got home. The other thing that I think contributed to the heat rash was that I would put a moisturizer on my legs before heading out. Needless to say, I didn't do this the rest of the time I was at DW. Now, I'm not even going to try to put moisturizer or sunscreen on my legs when we are down there in later on this month. Hope this helps.

 

[juliebelle]

my dear mother got this and she was 77 at the time, so she spent almost the whole week in bed at Port Oleans...she was very miserable, with itching and burning on both of her lower legs. We felt so bad for her, but she said laying on the bed with the cool air around her made her feel better. We tried all sorts of lotions to help her, but nothing worked, just time made it heal up eventually. This sure is a strange thing to have happened.

 

[Mouser]

My Mom who is in her 70s also got a bad case of it one year at WDW....she is very prone to sun burn and has high blood pressure and is on a lot of medications. She can no longer wear shorts of any type there as her legs get covered with this icky red rash...It did not clear up when she got home so she saw her doctor, he said it is a few things..all which cause it. First and foremost it is heat rash caused by the suns rays bouncing off the pavement in Florida and it can of course do it in other places too, mostly in the hotter months. The heat radiates up and hits your legs, causing a heat rash to develop. Those most prone to it are those who are sun sensitve and who sun burn easily even with sun screen. It is often made worse by the fact people are on antibiotics or maintenance drugs which cause more sensitivity to the sun and heat anyway...Best preventive is sun screen and to wear socks, not just shoes or sneakers. Sandals often make it worse as more of your foot is exposed to the suns rays...My Mom combatted it by wearing long pants and white socks, she also used a sun screen on her legs under the pants and she put a moisturier then on her legs when she got back to her room in the evening..this seemed to work well for her.

I have also had it on occassion, and we called it Disney Heat RAsh at the time.....I have seen so many in the parks with it over the years, it is truley epidemic there I think....

 

[sherry7]

Thanks for the advice. I still have it on my legs from this past Saturday. It is starting to improve, but it still looks pretty nasty. I don't think I could stand wearing pants in the parks. I would be way too hot. I actually take 2 different prescription drugs that can make me more susceptible to sunlight. I don't usually put sunscreen on my legs, but I will try that to see if it helps. I have not tried Caladryl yet, perhaps that may help.

 

[DaddyDon]

Maybe i may offer a suggestion, I work in a factory @110 heat year round,so i know alittle of rashes and some things that work for me and some of my co-workers.destin diaper rash cream helps as does seebreeze,cortizone helps with some rashes,wear lite loose fitting clothes,lite in color helps.I hope this helps.

 

[sherry7]

DaddyDon....I did not even think of diaper rash cream. I will pick up some tomorrow and see if it helps. Thanks!

 

[#1MMFan]

My mum gets this each year in the summer. Obviously some sort of heat rash also aggravated by dependency of the legs. Sometimes wakes her up during the night - burning, itching etc. Quite unsightly - I didn't realise so many folks got it! I must tell her so as to put her at ease next time (fingers crossed!).

Does anyone get those awful lumps from mosquito bites (at least that's what I think causes them). They go soooo itchy and hard and red and just stay as a lump for weeks. Benadryl kinda soothes them for a bit but they are also so unsightly.

Being medically qualified I guess I should know about these things, but dermatology was never my favourite subject, yeuch!!

John

 

[DaddyDon]

You are so welcome but dont forget about the seabreeze,Believe it or not it does really work!!!!!!! Its not just for teenagers,

 

[CARRIE0604]

I JUST FLIPPED WHEN I FOUND THIS TOPIC TODAY. WENT TO POLY NOV OF 00' AND GOT A NASTY RASH THE 2ND DAY. I HAVE SENSATIVE SKIN AND ALSO TAKE MEDS SO I CHALKED IT UP TO THAT. THOUGHT I WAS ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN. NEVER THOUGHT
ABOUT THE PAVEMENT REFLECTING THE SUN (I ALWAYS WERE SPF30 ). I'M GOING AGAIN TO BWV IN OCT OF THIS YEAR I THINK I WILL WEAR PANTS IN THE MORNING/AFTERNOON WHEN SUN IS MOST INTENSE AND THEN SHORTS MAYBE AFTER 4 OR 5 PM MAYBE THAT GAME PLAN WILL WORK. IT TOOK 2 OR 3 DAYS AFTER I GOT HOME (MIDWEST) FOR THE RASH TO GO AWAY
AND I VISITED THE FIRST AID OFFICE AT EPCOT AND MK AND CALAMINE AND BENADRYL AND NEITHER HELPED ME.

 

[Michele]

#1MMFan,

My 6yo son gets those red hard bumps with mosquito bites. I just assumed he is somehow allergic to them. They last for at least a week.

I use maximum strength cortaid on them, and that seems to help. But most of all I try to keep him from getting bitten. He is always getting sprayed with bug repellant and I bought Cutter bug repellant wipes to carry with us in WDW.

 

[#1MMFan]

Michele

Where do I get the cortaid and the cutter wipes? I'm from Scotland so they'll be different brands over here. I take it cortaid is some sort of topical hydrocortisone? What are the cutter wipes? We took extra strength bug spray last time, but it made no difference. Looking forward to trying to book a holiday in January. In Jan 2001 I didn't get any nasty bites... must have been a good time to go!

John

 

[Michele]

John-

You're right, the Cortaid is topical 1% hydrocortisone anti-itch cream. I got it at our local drug store. The company that makes it is Pharmacia & Upjohn.

As far as the wipes go, I cannot attest to their effectiveness yet. I usually use Off! spray, but I thought that would be hard to carry around WDW so I am going to try these wipes. I got them at the same drug store.