Anyone else get the "Disney Rash" on their legs?

[book_junkie]

I'm fair skinned, prone to swelling ankles, and get this every-so-often, and once you get it once, you seem to be more prone to get it, like your body is primed or something... First time it happened to me was during marching band camp at the end of summer in college....

One thing that's helped me is to stay ultra-hydrated and ultra aware of my body. I'm prone to getting the sock to calf rash if I'm not careful, and I've learned to watch my legs carefully for signs, and make sure that I'm drinking LOTS of water, and taking in dark rides/ AC shows, and propping my feet up when eating. Doesn't seem like much, but I've found that by paying attention to little signs, and following this, it stops the rash from starting. Once I've gotten just a little bit of the rash, it's all down hill, and it'll start growing. One thing I've found that helps a little bit once it starts is soaking my legs in cold water- either running the shower head on the rash, or soaking my legs in the tub as cold as I can stand it. Or, if I'm in the parks, dousing a handkerchief with cold water and covering my legs... The pool doesn't work because the chlorine irritates it for me...

 

[kangaroodle]

I got the same rash during the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. The medics there diagnosed it as "Runner's Rash". After looking it up on line, I knew they were wrong. After further digging, I self-diagnosed myself with Golfer's Vasculitis! I even wrote to Avon to tell them about it. The medics said every 3rd person coming in for help had the rash. It was a hot and humid weekend. Very annoying!

 

[Disneycrazy!!]

I got it on Wednesday....it looks like broken vessels under the skin...VERY large red patches on back of my legs and inside. I had on flip flops and it is not on my feet or the front of my legs. I do not sunburn easily...I go all day in the sun without sunscreen and dont burn.
I am also young...32 and not obese. I had a baby 10 months ago and have a few extra pounds but nothing major.
But what I do remember was watching Dreams Come True show in front of the castle and remembering the back of my legs burning from the heat. And a few hours later, I was RED!!!!! It hurt at first but the pain went away unless I accidently scratch it.
Two days later and I still have the red patches, some tiny spots look purple. Its not shrinking yet.

 

[goopysolelady]

Thanks to ALL of you ... my doctor thought I was nuts when I tried to describe the rash to her! Now I can refer her to Disboards and not waste office time ! She kinda had me thinking maybe I was "wierd" ! Get it almost ALL the time on vacations...no matter where I'm at but I will remember this year to drink more water. Will see if that helps!

 

[ajh88]

I got this on our most recent trip (May 2010) for the first time ever also! It started off on the 3rd evening - I felt like the back of my leg was itchy, but when I scratched it, it hurt. Then I thought sunburn, but that didn't make any sense - it was so localized to just one area on the backs of both legs. I went to First Aid - the nurse said it was something they see all the time and it would only go away if I stayed out of the heat and off my feet and she suggested some hydrocortisone cream.

The cream didn't seem to help much, in all honesty, but I soaked in a cool tub every evening, kept my feet elevated as much as possible, and it was gone within 2-3 days after I got home. Although, the cream did help take some of the "heat" out of the rash and made it not quite so uncomfortable (it felt like a sunburn).

I've concluded that superficial capillaritis and golfer's vasculitis (and Disney rash!) are all about the same thing and can sometimes be related to medication. I realized I was taking ibuprofen on this last trip (which I don't normally take) - and NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin, among others) are the most commonly associated origins of this rash (supposedly). I also wore socks that were much lower than any I'd ever worn during hot summer months before.

I'm going to try Benadryl too - it blocks histamine in blood vessels, so if it is an allergic/hypersensitivity response localized to that area, in theory it could help. And I'll remember my hydrocortisone from home so I don't have to spend $12 on a tube to be delivered from the pharmacy!

 

[Shleedogg]

Glad to know I'm not the only one. It's on the top of my feet and ankles and a little of my lower calves. Initially I thought it was bedbugs after reading horror stories here. But when it cleared up when we got home with no re-occurance I ruled it out. For me, it's red and itchy. I didn't see it as badly on our trip in March, but it was cooler and we spent a lot of time taking breaks w/ DD to swim and nap at the hotel. It's been really bad on our commando trips.

 

[fabmic]

I get a rash is I brush up against some of the foliage around the parks. I am hyper sensative. I also get welts from the bugs there too. Deep woods off and benedril cream are my best friends.

 

[crazycatlady]

Wow, I thought this only happened to me! Every year I would get the Disney rash while walking around the Wisconsin State Fair. I wouldn't get it at Six Flags or walking around Yellowstone, just the fair. I thought it had something to do with the heat, pavement and maybe hay or something else that I was allergic to. Last year I got it on our 4th trip to DW. It feels like a burn and the splotches are slightly raised. I'm glad I finally know what this condition is!

Adding to my pp: I got my rash again and the circumstances were really weird!! My DH and I took an all day motorcycle ride on a really hot (95 degrees at least) and humid day and when we got home I had the Disney rash!! I had walked maybe a total of an hour all day. It wasn't as bad as when I spend all day walking on pavement, but it was definitely there and burning. I was wearing jeans, socks and tennis shoes and it started above my sock line, as usual. We were on really hot pavement all day, but with almost no walking. Bizarre!!

 

[floridascgirl]

My mom and I both got it this past July...we were freaking out. It was all around our ankles and lower calves. They itched, were slightly raised and looked like broken blood vessels. We noticed it after our first day in the parks...Epcot to be exact. We were both wearing sunscreen SPF 50 on our legs, too.

I took a Benadryl, but it didn't really help. It had almost faded completely away the day after we returned home. This was the first time I had experienced this condition, but we usually travel to Disney in the winter months and I wear long pants.

 

[goofy4tink]

Thought of all of you on Friday, Aug 6. We did the KTTK tour that morning. Hotter and steamier than blazes that day. That night, the rash was there!!!! So, tried to not do a ton of walking the next day, tried to elevate my legs when we were in the room. By Monday, the rash was gone. I was sure it was going to come back at the end of our US/IoA day, but I tried to do more sitting and less rushing about there. So, no rash.
But, that tour, walking around the MK did me in. We started at 8:30, broke for lunch for 30 mins and then back on our feet until 1-1:30. Sure brought out the leg rash for me.

 

[anlashokna]

My wife and I just returned from a week at WDW and Universal. We had a wonderful time but on the next to last day we noticed a rash developing around her ankles. It now covers most of her lower leg from the top of where her socks ended (nothing on her feet) up to below her knees. We Googled "Disney Rash" and found many references to it but no definite answer. The day the rash broke out we had done a lot of walking - probably in excess of five miles - but we're both in good shape and that amount of walking is not something we can't handle. She's more on the thin side rather than stout. From what I've read on the Google search the rash goes away quickly but I was just wondering what causes it. Any thoughts?

I'm thinking prickly heat. I was down there in sept 08 and had a rashy breakout on my chest. Lots of sweating in the heat and humidity. I did get in the pool prior to that but showered directly after. Combination of the two? Mine seem to redevelop during the day running around in those temps. Went away on the way home. I haven't had it on any other trips and I actually haven't swam on the other trips, nor has been excessively hot. You are probably looking a combination of something there.

 

[Ellajoan]

I have heard (from a friend who is a Dr. in an Orlando hospital) that supposedly the rash occurs because Disney adds both color and glass fragments into their pavement, so it will be clean, sparkly, and bright. The glass causes extra reflection onto people's legs and intensifies the sunshine. Apparently it takes longer to get regular "golfer's vasculitis", but at Disney it happens quicker b/c of the reflective quality of the pavement.

My sister has gotten it twice and swears it it worse at Epcot than at the other parks.

 

[bytheblood]

It sounds like sunburn from the concrete. I have only had that once in the summer; I live in Texas.

 

[stinie18287]

I got a rash on my lower shins right above my socks when we were at Disney in January. I noticed it after walking around all day and it felt really sore right where my jeans were rubbing on my legs. It was freezing out to the point that we were wearing gloves! I just attributed it to the water at Disney.. I figured it was just a bad case of dry skin. I put lotion on it and it got better, although seemed to get a little worse every time I showered! I did have the tiny thought in the back of my head that it was bedbugs.. but tried not to think about it.. lol. I can't believe so many people had the same thing!!

 

[Crazy Kanga]

I get it too. In June I went to Orlando for a conference and a friend from work got it really bad. She said it was Flebitis(sp?) and that she has had it before and was diagnosed by a doctor. This is vascular(as a pp mentioned) and elevation and cold compresses helped tremendously!

 

[goofy4tink]

It sounds like sunburn from the concrete. I have only had that once in the summer; I live in Texas.

I have heard (from a friend who is a Dr. in an Orlando hospital) that supposedly the rash occurs because Disney adds both color and glass fragments into their pavement, so it will be clean, sparkly, and bright. The glass causes extra reflection onto people's legs and intensifies the sunshine. Apparently it takes longer to get regular "golfer's vasculitis", but at Disney it happens quicker b/c of the reflective quality of the pavement.

My sister has gotten it twice and swears it it worse at Epcot than at the other parks.

I'm thinking prickly heat. I was down there in sept 08 and had a rashy breakout on my chest. Lots of sweating in the heat and humidity. I did get in the pool prior to that but showered directly after. Combination of the two? Mine seem to redevelop during the day running around in those temps. Went away on the way home. I haven't had it on any other trips and I actually haven't swam on the other trips, nor has been excessively hot. You are probably looking a combination of something there.

These types of things can happen at WDW. But truly, what a lot of us get is really 'golfers vasulitis', not prickly heat, not 'concrete sunburn', not a reaction to 'glass chips' in the paving. It comes from being on your feet, nonstop, during the heat/humidity. I never get it during the cooler months. I don't get it if I walk around for less than 5 hrs, or so. But, if I am on my feet, during the summer months, all day in the parks, then I know I am going to get that 'rash' (for lack of a better word). Since changing my B/P meds, it isn't nearly as bad as it used to be. Takes longer to show up and goes away more quickly.

 

[sherabby]

These types of things can happen at WDW. But truly, what a lot of us get is really 'golfers vasulitis', not prickly heat, not 'concrete sunburn', not a reaction to 'glass chips' in the paving. It comes from being on your feet, nonstop, during the heat/humidity. I never get it during the cooler months. I don't get it if I walk around for less than 5 hrs, or so. But, if I am on my feet, during the summer months, all day in the parks, then I know I am going to get that 'rash' (for lack of a better word). Since changing my B/P meds, it isn't nearly as bad as it used to be. Takes longer to show up and goes away more quickly.

I came home with it and went to the doctors. He couldn't figure it out either! He said it looked like contact dermatitis or an allergic reaction to something that my legs came into contact with. Told me to use Aveno lotion or hydrocortizone creme. Also mentioned that my heel was sore and got an x-ray. Now I get to go to a specialist due to more arthritis than he wanted to see in someone as young as myself. Arthritis in my ankle.

 

[cumphrey]

Just a quick note to says "Thanks" to all of you who took the time to post this information. As a DVC member we spend several weeks a year at Disney and have this problem everytime we are at the parks in the Summer months. I was starting to become concerned that I had a larger issue looming here rather than just "Disney Rash", so happy to see that others have experienced the same thing. I will tell you that although the rash may happen at Disney frequently, it's not exclusive to Disney. I have experienced the same thing at other parks like Kings Island when we were there for more than 2 days. For me it's always after the 2nd or 3rd day of exposure that the rash really takes off and becomes nasty. I will try more suncreen in the future. It seems that frequent application of suncreen slows the process if you can stay on top of it but once it's started you just have to deal with it until your back home and then mine disappears within 2-3 days of normal activity? Quite bizzare if you ask me, so THANK YOU all for taking the time to share your stories. I'd hate to think how much time and money I would have spent going to various doctors who have no idea what this is!

 

[Rhongepooh]

My wife and I just returned from a week at WDW and Universal. We had a wonderful time but on the next to last day we noticed a rash developing around her ankles. It now covers most of her lower leg from the top of where her socks ended (nothing on her feet) up to below her knees. We Googled "Disney Rash" and found many references to it but no definite answer. The day the rash broke out we had done a lot of walking - probably in excess of five miles - but we're both in good shape and that amount of walking is not something we can't handle. She's more on the thin side rather than stout. From what I've read on the Google search the rash goes away quickly but I was just wondering what causes it. Any thoughts?

Where did you stay? Were you in the grass much? Sounds like it could be red bug bites. Nasty little almost invisible devils from here in the south. Bites you from your knees to your ankles

 

[macraven]

I just returned from my annual trip to the Motherland.
I have been going there since 1974.


I am now an official member of the 4F club.
First time I have had the disney rash........


I suffered through it as I was not prepared for it happening to me.


Next year I will be prepared since I am now a member of the club........