That nasty 'WDW Rash'!!!

[goofy4tink]

Has anyone ever gotten a definative word on exactly what causes the rash?? I'm going to the doctor for my physical next week and wonder what I can tell her about it. I did take pictures of my lower legs so that she could actually see it for a change! I was at WDW last week...it was hot, the pavement was hot, did a ton of walking, and after about 3 days, that rash appeared...huge red blotches all over my lower legs, stopped at my ankles and went mid-calf. No pain, mild itchiness, but man, it looked like I had leprosy!!! My poor ds almost died when he saw me on Saturday!!! But now, after 4 days out of the Florida sun, it's disappeared. Legs still itch a bit though.
Just wondered if anyone has ever gotten the exact cause of this stupid thing. I've heard that being overweight, over 40, fair skinned, etc. Well, I am about 10-15 overweight (although my doctor says not) and am fair skinned and over 40...so, who knows!!

 

[Adora]

Hey, Well I'm overweight and very fair skinned, but over 40 sorry, but never have heard of the rash?! Do you have a picture? Maybe that could help out

 

[AprilLizbeth]

Thats probably heat rash.

 

[CJK]

I used to get that rash. I read here on the DIS that it has to do with the sun reflecting off of the pavement onto your legs. I also read that if you lather your lower legs/ankles in suntan lotion/block, it prevents the rash. It has worked for me ever since.

 

[java]

Oh boy I remember reading about this last year on this board. It has a name and it has something to do with the pavement/heat and your allergic reaction to it.(I always thought it was chlorine but no!) I can't search today keep getting server too busy. But from what I recall a woman went to several dr's and finally found out what it was, unfortunately I don't remember what they told her to do- other than shower every night after being out. Good luck

 

[Kimi313]

Where you on any medication? It sounds like the samething my sister gets if she is on an anitbiotic or has been on one and is out in the sun and heat. Also my mom was on some blood pressure medicine that made her break out when she went out in the sun and they had to change her medication. Both are fair skin, I got my skin from my father and have never had any problem.

 

[Kay1]

My m-i-l gets it. Something about glass ground into the pavement reflecting up on her legs.

 

[Pixiedust34]

I had that leg rash and a general heat rash during our trip in August. We did use sunscreen on our legs, though I still got a lot of blotches.

Dd had a bad heat rash, but she didn't have the leg rash you described.

Once we were on our way home, the rashes went away.

 

[MaryPA]

My co workers daughter who is 8 just returned home from a week at Universal earlier this month. Sounds like the same thing. Their Doctor said possibly heat rash or a little sun poisening. This happens to her every time she goes to Florida. Doctor said next time take a benadryl every day that she is down there.

 

[allisonswonderland]

My fiance gets that every year - sounds just the same. We just got back Tuesday, I will ask him if it is gone yet-

 

[Matt'sMom]

I had a problem with PMLE during our WDW vacation last Fall. Broke out in a nasty, itchy rash on my lower legs following a day at the water parks. Because we live in a rural area, and keep livestock, I very rarely wear shorts at home--so my lower legs are especially sensative to UV light exposure.

For some basic info on Polymorphic Light Eruption, check out this link: http://allergies.about.com/cs/summer/a/aa073001a.htm

Use of an antihistamine in advance of when you know you will be vacationing can help, because PMLE is believed to be an immune system response. It is also important to use sunscreen--clothing alone does not protect your skin from the uv rays, which can be more intense in FL than what some of us are accustomed to.

 

[ElleBelle]

Ugh... I also suffer from the Disney World leg rash. I have gotten it the last 4 times we've been there... I was told by someone on the boards here about a year ago that it had to do with a soap solution that they use to clean the walkways. The residue gets up on your legs/ feet and combined with the sun- can make quite a doozie of a reaction. The worst case I had was on my honeymoon back in 11/04. About day 3 of our trip the tops of my feet (I am a flip-flop wearer...) started to get red and blotchy. By the afternoon of that day it looked like I had poison ivy all over my feet, and up my ankles. I ended up stopping at first aid in EPCOT and they gave me a caladryl lotion because I itched HORRIBLY. It helped quite well. When we were just down in March, I wore my crocs and the rash didn't seem to get as bad- I still got tiny spots. I figure, heck... if my skin integrity is all I have to risk going to Disney World- it's well worth it.

 

[Figment2]

I used to get this rash everytime, no matter what time of year. I changed two things. First I bring my own soap (oil of Olay). Second, I bought the strongest sunblock I could find and slather it on.

So far, I've been rash free the past three trips.

Cyn

 

[magicaldisney]

My co workers daughter who is 8 just returned home from a week at Universal earlier this month. Sounds like the same thing. Their Doctor said possibly heat rash or a little sun poisening. This happens to her every time she goes to Florida. Doctor said next time take a benadryl every day that she is down there.

My son also gets a rash every year we go to WDW. We started using benadryl after the first year. That has helped quite a bit, however it has not eliminated it completely.

 

[Jpgirl]

I'm so glad I happened on this thread. I must have PMLE too. But I never got it at WDW-I get it at Clearwater Beach every year despite the fact that I lather on the sunscreen. At first I thought it was the sun then I thought it was the sand or my sunscreen. The funny thing is I live in Houston and we get the same weather as Tampa/ Orlando. We're very sunny all year. It must be the sun reflecting off the sand onto my legs. I got it on my chest this year. But I don't get it when I go to the beaches here . Oh well at least I know what it is now. When it goes away is anyone else left with little brown freckles like me?

 

[magicmommy]

Has anyone ever gotten a definative word on exactly what causes the rash?? I'm going to the doctor for my physical next week and wonder what I can tell her about it. I did take pictures of my lower legs so that she could actually see it for a change! I was at WDW last week...it was hot, the pavement was hot, did a ton of walking, and after about 3 days, that rash appeared...huge red blotches all over my lower legs, stopped at my ankles and went mid-calf. No pain, mild itchiness, but man, it looked like I had leprosy!!! My poor ds almost died when he saw me on Saturday!!! But now, after 4 days out of the Florida sun, it's disappeared. Legs still itch a bit though.
Just wondered if anyone has ever gotten the exact cause of this stupid thing. I've heard that being overweight, over 40, fair skinned, etc. Well, I am about 10-15 overweight (although my doctor says not) and am fair skinned and over 40...so, who knows!!

OMG...me too! We were there from the 13-21st and I started with it on Monday....I'm back to work and I called the Dr because its all over my legs from midthigh to midcalf and also on my arms.....they told me to use cortisone cream and I have an appt tomorrow at noon!!!!

 

[ladysoleil]

It can also be a sunblock allergy. I'm sensitive to chemical sunblocks and will get a similar rash if I wear stuff with Parsol or other avobenzones. I found that when I do get rashy, washing with a mild soap like Dove and taking a Claritin or Benadryl helps a lot.

You may also want to switch to a sunscreen that has Titanium Dioxide or Zinc Oxide as an active ingredient- if it is a reaction to the sunscreen, that should help.

 

[videogal1]

Perhaps, in the interest of medical knowledge, one of you mystery blotch sufferers would like to use an ECV, aka electric scooter, the next time you need to roam all over WDW. If you still get the rash, or do not, doctors the world over will be able to decide if WDW is hazardous to your health...we already know how it affects your sanity, don't we DIS-ers?

We might even be able to apply for a grant that would cover expenses for the duration of the study period...

Any volunteers?

 

[Poohbear123]

A few times, usually in May or the HOT months....so, I stopped going during the HOT months. I just got back on Monday, and I noticed on Sat I started to get a small blotchy patch on my left lower calf.....the next day(Sun) it was gone. I had gone to Epcot most of the day before, so I will blame it on that park! I do take an antihistamine (Aleve cold and sinus) before I get on the plane so maybe that helped.

 

[hogwartsdropout]

We got it after sitting on a pavement in Epcot. We wondered what it was!