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Beach related foot rash

I live in a northern climate and every April I visit Myrtle Beach, SC.  After a couple of days on the beach, I start to develop a red, bumpy rash on the tops of my feet. By the end of the week it has spread out and formed masses of bumps, some of which blister and are almost clear.  It spreads to the tops of all the toes and begins to creep up my ankles a little.  The rash begins mildly ichy but becomes almost intollerable by the time we pack up to head home.  Over the years, I've experimented to see what the cause is....I think it is the salt water, not sun poisoning as some have suggested.  (Two years ago it was very overcast, rainy, and cool, but I did venture into the tidal pools to collect shells.  Every year I wade through the surf collecting sharks' teeth).  If I rinse my feet with fresh water frequently it delays the onset by a day or two...does anyone know what is causing this?  I'm attaching photos from the end of the week's exposure to whatever it is that causes this.
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Avatar universal
Have you found out any further answers? This started for me as well around the same age you noted it started for you. Always on the feet and so far on every beach trip where I spend hours on the beach. The itch I get is so severe it wakes me up all night and isn’t responding well to Benadryl or steroidal prescription creams from the dermatologist but he suggested it’s a sun allergy.
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Avatar universal
I have the same issue every time I do a resort vacation. I have it happen if I lay by a pool (no sand or ocean). My dermatologist had no idea so I took videos and photos.  Have you had any new info?
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I don’t know either.  I moved to Florida 2 years ago.  I never had a problem until now.  The last three times I went to the beach my foot has broken out.  When I get in the water in the river my feet are fine.  It’s very itchy with fluid filled bumps and then they go away and I have flaky skin.  
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Avatar universal
So, the best I have been able to figure out is it seems to be more severe when there are more jellyfish washing ashore.  Perhaps it is a result of the jellyfish stinging cells from the broken off tentacles in the surf.  I've been to the Pacific Ocean (West Coast USA and the Galapagos Islands), and the Atlantic Ocean (Bahamas & NJ shore).  No problems.  No jellyfish either...  Last year back at Myrtle Beach, pretty much no jellyfish and no bumps.
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Avatar universal
I don’t have an answer either. I live on the West Coast and have always lived near saltwater. I recently got this top of foot rash while on vacation in Maui last year.  It cleared up within about a week after getting home. NowI just recently got it again on day 3 of a trip to San Francisco. I did not have any contact with salt water and yet I still developed this rash. It doesn’t really itch right now, but it is definitely red and bumpy. Any suggestions for preventative measures I can take for future trips?
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Avatar universal
It's heat rash..put some ice packs and cortisone cream on it. Keep it dry.
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Avatar universal
I really do not have an answer either- I am experiencing the same problem. I love the beach, I live in Florida but every time I walk the beach(and I do not go into the ocean)  I break out in small bumps on my feet and ankles itch or burn. I am allergic to shellfish. So I was wondering if it could possibly be from that?  It is so weird because I use to walk the beaches up north ( Ohio/Michigan) and never had a problem.
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Avatar universal
Hi
im sorry i dont have an answer but i get the same thing. Hopefully someone can pinpoint a solution for this. I live in NY. Mine rash is really bad. I got it the first time in 2014 and consequently in 2015 on a trip to the dominican republic and Bahamas . I thought it was realated to the Caribbean heat but yesterday went to Coney island in NY and stepped in the sand and this thing cane up again. It starts itching and as the day progress my feet get swollen. I just dont understand i was born in the dominican republic and spent all my life going to the beach and this never happened.  i wish i can post pictures its really bad right now
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Avatar universal
I am 48yrs old.  This started happening to me about ten years ago everytime we took an ocean vacation.  It first started with me just getting the red itchy small bumps on my feet.  Over the years on the next vacations the rash seems to get more wide spread, now it affects my feet, legs and arms.  Bummer, I really love the beach activities.  Fortunately I can put up with the itch and it mostly goes away after a few weeks back home.  It does seem that hot showers and the sun exposure makes the rash worse.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for this post. I just had the same issue for the first time from gulf coast. I grew up going to the same area but never had this "top of foot rash" until this trip. Hopefully this is not what I have to look forward to going forward.
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Avatar universal
This is a rash called "swimmer's itch" or "duck itch" and is caused by parasites (from water fowl) that live in shallow water along the shore during warm temps. The parasite dies within days, but the reaction is horrible. Supposedly you can rinse off immediately after getting out, then towel off, and that should prevent an infection. Wish I had known that before taking my toddler to the beach in Louisiana where she got this rash. What a nightmare.  Each time you get this rash, it is worse.
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Avatar universal
It scares me because I developed the same problem on my hand after going to my cousins football game in the summer. I went to a doctor and physically showed him the rash on my hand. He eventually contacted a dermatologist who told me it was it was a severe heat rash. Hope I could help.
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Avatar universal
My daughter and I have experienced the same problem.  We are from New York, and this has happened to me on the Florida and North Carolina coasts.  This year we are in the Outer Banks, NC in April and we both have itchy rashes.  Can anyone shed some light on this?  Should we be avoiding the sand or the water?
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Avatar universal
Sorry to hear you've suffered the same rash...I still don't know what it is.  Last year I took Zyrtec every day and it delayed the onset and severity, however it still came out.  It has been my experience that it usually lasts about a week+ after I've left the beach.  I've also used a prescription steroid cream on it (that I had on hand) which helped, however I've never had it long enough after returning home to have it checked medically.  Feel better :)  I'll be going in a few weeks and will probably get it again.
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1 Comments
I think it is more than heat when it happens with certain conditions always being present like ocean + sun, etc. I have experienced something similar and found using only zinc oxide sunblocks, avoiding seafood and taking betacarotene during the vacation have helped it to not spread or kept it at bay.
Avatar universal
I would like to know the answer to the beach related foot rash too, because I just left myrtle beach today and got a horrible rash like you described on the top of my foot.  It looks horrible and itches.  Please let me know if you figured out what caused it and how long it lasted for.
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