What is red rash around lower leg above the ankle?

[MBaker6826]

Recently returned from Disney World and develop a red blotch rash just above the ankle bone on the inside of my leg.  The rash looks like specks of blood under the skin and in some areas form large red blotch.  There is slight swelling in the lower ankle area.  I did a lot of walking and the temperatures were in the upper 80's and lower 90's.  Is it weather related, lack of fluid?  I have never experienced this before.  Have read the blogs, seems others suffer from the same or similar symtoms.  


This discussion is related to Lower Leg Rash.

[dorriepace]

Theresa.... thank you thank you thank you! I was shocked at all the Disney incidents...like mine. You were so smart to consult Disney's first aid. I feel you have answered me, and that answer brought me peace of mind. Please know you have helped someone today.

[Dmhicks1234]

We visited Disney World December 3 - 5, 2013. We did not stay at any of the resorts in Orlando. We stayed at a timeshare in Cocoa Beach.  We live in Northern California.

I developed this same rash the first day there.  I didn't notice it until later in the evening. We were watching the fireworks show at Epcot and my lower legs felt warm. It was dark, so I couldn't see my legs very well.  I had on long pants, ankle socks and tennis shoes, but they appeared to be red.  When we got back to the timeshare that evening and I removed my pants, my legs just above my socks and below my knees were bright red. They felt warm to the touch and tight, slightly swollen.  The next morning my son looked it up on the internet and found all of the posts regarding the rash, many of them from Disney World.  

My husband and son reminded me that a few years ago when we had visited Disneyland I had this same thing happen.  I had forgotten.  I believe it is related to our genetic makeup, lots of walking, time onour feet and heat.  It was in the low 80's, but we were on our feet for 8 to 10 hours.  I'm female, 55 years old and in pretty good physical shape.  It did not happen to my husband, son or daughter in law.

On one of the posts the individual used aloe vera gel, so I picked some up along with some knee high socks.  I also took some ibuprohen. We took a break the next day and it started clearing up some.  I also spent some time walking in the surf at the beach, hoping it would help to clear it up.  We went back to Disney World the next day and it came back, but not as bad.  We left two days later on a cruise and it was just about completely gone.

Sounds like something that some of us will just have to deal with if we plan to spend alot of time on our feet.

[Dan2963]

We too had the same problem.. in Aug of 2012 for 10 nights we went to WDW and my 10 yrs. old daughter developed a rash on her lower legs...at Magic Kingdom. it got so bad that we had to wheel chair her out because she could not walk. And we went to seek medical help at Centra Care. There she received a steroid shot and was put on antibiotic's, we were bed ridden for two days at Pop Century, We thought it was the pool...NOW we just returned from a short 4 day visit to WDW during 11-15-13 threw 11-18-13, spent the first two days at Epcot and walk a lot but no rash, as soon as we went to Magic Kingdom...boom it happened and the weather was much cooler and to say the first two days at Epcot was drizzly and light rain...but as soon as the weather cleared and we went to MK it came out. We applied cortisone 10 and it helped and it finally went away a few days later. I have her Pedi on alert and I think my daughter will be going to a allergy specialist. seems as if there's something in the grass or ground there at MK causing this...also to mention we vacationed in Hawaii this summer for two weeks and we did a 2 mile hike up the diamond head crater to view Waikiki and my daughter did get a little bit of a rash on the lower leg area and it went away with the cortisone crème but it was nothing like the rash she just got at MK for one day. Hawaii was warm too in the mid 80's to 90 degrees...either its some kind of allergic reaction to some type of weed or grass or its something WDW uses on the grounds... or both. I wish WDW could make a statement about this...

[Zjenopks]

I think there are separate issues at play here.  I believe that GV may be an explanation for the bright red, non-itchy variety, but my rash is thick raised itchy welts that are definitely an allergic reaction to something at DW.  I visit theme parks frequently, walk for long periods of time, and I never have this issue anywhere but at DW.  In fact, I have stayed at two different resorts at DW, and I have only suffered from this while staying at Port Orleans Riverside (twice).  I developed my rash after I used my shoe to rub a spot on my leg that was itchy.  From there it spread like wildfire on both ankles.  My rash has continued to get worse after arriving home and staying off my feet.  My lower legs are swollen, the rash itches and burns like crazy, I have huge hive-like bumps, but very little discoloring.  Topical Benadryl does not help the itch or swelling.  The only thing that helps is to take an oral dose of Claritin (that's what I had on hand).  This is acting more like poison ivy or a reaction to a pesticide, but I do not have pustules or blisters.  I did not go in the pool.  No one else in my family develops a rash like this.  I am young-ish at 40, the first instance was when I was 33.  The first time I developed it, I was wearing flip flops.  I made sure to wear shoes and socks this time; however, that didn't help, it just started at the sock line.  I would be interested to know where other people have stayed.  Between POR visits, I visited and stayed at All Star Music following all the same routines and did not develop a rash.  This is why I think it is a Disney issue -- specifically a resort issue -- and not GV.  I tried very hard NOT to rub my ankles with my shoes on this last trip, but standing in crowded lines made it impossible to bend over to scratch and I finally caved, much to my disappointment.  I will have to go see my doctor because it shows no sign of abatement after a few days at home.

[chellen322]

I had the exact symptoms you described recently this past two weeks myself. It started out as small red patches near both the bottom of both ankles so went to the dermantologist who said it looked a lot like tick bites so did a lyme test which came back negative but was given steroid creme and told to take a prescription of doxycyclyn for 10 days. Took the meds and was doing better then by the end of the week, felt an itching on the bottom of my legs which felt like something biting me and all of sudden these large red/brownish dots appeared all over my bottom legs so went to the ER...however they could not figure out what I had...One said Purpura, Vascullitus, and another possibly cellulitus....then did a bunch of blood tests...all came back normal. Now after continuing the medications...and went to the beach yesterday and got in the salt water...my legs look a lot better.  

[epworker]

I break out with a rash just above my ankles in the summer when I am at work. It can get really hot and I do walk a lot all day. It is not a raised up rash, just looks like blood under the surface of the skin. It does how ever have a slight tingling sensation. Is this a heat rash or what?