heat rash on legs

[TerriP]

I get it, too. I am *so* fair skinned...I resemble Casper! And I have to use mega-sunblock or I will be burnt to a crisp in less than an hour...so I know sunblock does not help me. In fact, I've often wondered if it makes it worse for me. I wear sunblock 24/7 for a week...can't be good for my skin. Almost makes me think my skin can't "breathe" or something.

I always have the red, itchy spots on my calves by the second day...then it goes up to my knee and stops. Normally by day five or so I am starting to get red spots on my arms, though it never gets as bad as my legs. (I've often wondered if shaving my legs is making it worse, too.)

Anyway, if I stick to visiting WDW in December I don't have to deal with it. And besides...I'd take a rash at WDW over clear skin at home ANY day!!

 

[caitycaity]

And I have to use mega-sunblock or I will be burnt to a crisp in less than an hour...so I know sunblock does not help me.

do you use sunblock with zinc oxide in it? i am also extremely pale and burn extremely easily, even wearing normal sunblock. the stuff with zinc oxide works for me though.

 

[TerriP]

You know, I don't know if mine has zinc oxide in it or not. I can check when I get home. What brand do you use, if I may ask? What does zinc oxide do for you?

 

[caitycaity]

zinc oxide, from what i understand, reflects the light when it hits your skin. it's like a mineral or something.

i use coppertone spectra3
http://www.drugstore.com/products/p...p2=79711&trxp3=1&trxp4=0&btrx=BUY-PLST-0-SRCH

or if you see a sunscreen with titanium dioxide, it has the same effect.

i've used this before too:
http://www.drugstore.com/products/p...xp2=89474&trxp3=1&trxp4=0&btrx=BUY-PLST-0-CAT

you still have to reapply it like regular sunscreen, but i can really notice a difference.

 

[TerriP]

You're wonderful, caitycaity! Thanks for the great tip!!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Originally posted by caitycaity
zinc oxide, from what i understand, reflects the light when it hits your skin. it's like a mineral or something.

i use coppertone spectra3
http://www.drugstore.com/products/p...p2=79711&trxp3=1&trxp4=0&btrx=BUY-PLST-0-SRCH...

I purchased some of this last night at Walmart, I'll give it a try next week. Thanks.

 

[DizzyBell]

here .... first day and I have the RASH!

 

[Piglet54]

I just got back from 8 days at Disney and I developed the rash again. I don't think mine was from the heat, because we didn't arrive at the MK until around 7:30 p.m. I always get it at the MK. I used to think it was heat. Now I think it is some type of element or chemical. The rash doesn't seem to have a definite line but it is usually on my legs, really bad on the backs of my calves. It's looks like someone took a spray bottle and misted an allergic chemical on my legs. Putting Benadryl ointment on my legs at night gave it great relief. I spent most of my days at the Animal Kingdom park and had NO problems there whatsoever even though the heat was very intense. In fact, the rash cleared up. It was only when I went to Epcot one evening and over at the MK that the rash reoccurred. I think it is some type of disinfectant, salt or chemical spray. Does anyone know what they purify the water with in the water boat rides such as Pirates and Maelstrom?

 

[Piglet54]

Sorry for the double post

 

[Dan Murphy]

I did use that Spectra 3 while there about a week ago and did not get a rash this time. Sure is a strange thing to diagnose.

 

[elgerber]

I got a terrible heat rash when we were there in August of '01. Never gotten it on either of our December trips. It was miserable. Mine was on my calves and also on my shoulders! I ended up visiting two of the parks first aid buildings, because it always felt worse when we went back to the parks in the evenings. They put caldryl on it at one of them, and it felt better for awhile. I also used Solarcaine aloe gel that I got in the gift shop, and that helped some too. They told me sunscreen would not help, and may actually be making it worse as it could be causing a reaction to such high temps. The pool didn't help it either, but that was the only way to survive the afternoons. It took about a week after we got home before it finally went completely away.

Erika

 

[phamton]

I think we are all describing different rashes. If it is on the shoulders it would almost definitely be heat rash or possibly sunburn.

Some are getting relief from sunblock but I know mine isn't from the sun. On the 4th of July (yesterday), I went to Universal Studios for the fireworks. I didn't arrive until after sundown. I did a lot of walking and once again my legs started retaining water and swelling. Then my rash began. I was there until midnight that night and the rash is pretty bad right now. It was also not very hot that night.

I get my rash only when I have done lots of walking on hard surfaces and not sitting down enough. My legs swell until the swelling meets the sock line and stops there. The swelling cause bleeding under the skin which fades away in a day or two. It doesn't itch very badly but it does sting a little. Bendryl and antihistimes do not help me at all.

 

[DizzyBell]

We're back home!

Well our trip was great! We had ten wonderful days in WDW. I posted my first day there that I had developed the rash once again. Well..... I took the advice from this board and used the vasaline intensive care lotion and sunblock with zinc on my legs after my shower and .... the rash did not return for the remainder of my stay. NOW.... there is one thing I did different this time I was not a Park Warrior as I usually am. Every day we took a break whether it was a movie at AMC... a nap in the room... or a swim in the pool. It worked, so it will be our new way of approaching the parks. We have been coming to WDW for over thirty years for at least one trip every year. I have always had the rash when the whether is hot so my rash is connected to hot whether. We were there for seven days in November... NO RASH. I agree with Pahmtom as well that walking may have something to do with it so with my "time out approach" I am hoping not to have this problem again.

Good Luck to all!

I did notice many people with this rash and most were very fair like myself. I am Scottish/Irish.. blonde ... with blue eyes. I burn very easily. I do not know if this has anything to do with it but as I mentioned I did notice others with similar symptoms.

 

[dkayford]

I am going to Disney in a few days, and I too have had the leg rash that looks like hemorraging under the skin. Has anyone had any success preventing this from occuring? Do you recommend any ointments or medicines that you can take before going to the parks?

 

[phamton]

For the hemmoraging, there is no medication. Avoid aspirin and advil (ibuprofen) as they thin the blood and makes the bleeding worse. A diuretic would help with the swelling but probably would not be something you would want to do as you'll be spending a lot of time in the bathroom and also could get dehydrated.

The only sure fire way is support socks. These are the kind used in hospitals after surgery that prevent blood clots in the legs. Support hose might help but it is too darn hot to wear support hose or support stockings right now. My best suggestion is to elevate your legs whenever possible to keep the swelling down. Whenever I sit down to eat, I pull up an extra chair and put my legs on it.

Although it is unsightly, the bleeding under the skin isn't dangerous. Just do whatever you can to keep your legs from swelling and stay away from tight elastic on regular socks.

I have the rash almost once a week as I'm at the Orlando parks several times a week. I just got it again last night while walking around at Universal Studios from 5 PM until 11 PM. I can feel it when it starts as my legs start burning. I try to get off of my feet when the burning starts but even then often I am too late.

 

[cnids00]

I get this rash just working at Wal-Mart all day long as a department manager, I used to use Hanes Crew socks, turns out they irritate the skin and I get this rash every time I put those socks on, also has to do with legs swelling being on your feet all day.

Changed to other kind of socks that don't sit so tight around the leg and fold them down once. That did it for me

Last year I never got this at WDW, even wearing "gold toe, grey toe"- socks, it's just weird, cause there you ARE on you feet almost all day

Just my 2 cents, have fun all you single digit dancers, we're getting there too!!!!!!!!!

I so want to go there right now!

 

[dawgsgirl]

I got this Disney rash in May. A couple of really red splotches right above my sock line. Well, I thought I had blood clots or something and took myself straight to Centracare!! They told me it was an allergic reaction to sun and heat and to stay out of the sun. WHAT??? I got a steroid shot and prescriptions for steroid pills and something like Claritin. The also told me they saw this ALL the time. The doctor said it would take a while to fade away. My Disney rash did not itch, just real red and slightly tight, with a burning feeling at times. I never took the prescriptions and it faded away after about 4 or 5 days. Needless to say--I DID NOT stay out of the sun. I noticed that my leg would burn more when standing on hot pavement or in direct sunlight. For a couple of days, I made a point of always standing on shaded pavement and cooling off in the AC from time to time. After the first day or two, the burning completely stopped. I'm sure the steroid shot helped too. The pharmacist at Eckerd's on 535 said folks come in with this all the time and thought they were dying. She said it was the heat and that my case was very mild!! I made sure I put lots of SPF 45 on the area and that seemed to help too. I didn't know that my leg problem had the official diagnosis of "Disney Rash"!!!

 

[phamton]

They told me it was an allergic reaction to sun and heat and to stay out of the sun.

That still doesn't explain why someone can get it while working inside at Walmart or, like me, who also got the rash at night. I was told at Epcot first aid that it was a sun allergy also but the next week, I got it while I was wearing jeans and my legs were covered.

 

[dawgsgirl]

Gee, I just don't know about this. I have NEVER had this except for this trip to Disney. That's why I went into panic mode and headed to Centracare. Maybe we are having different things that just look alike.