Cycling shorts issue - any thoughts?

[bmccasland]

Yeppers, BabyBlue, I've seen that too, up close and personal. Looks like heat rash to me. The rubber grippers aren't allowing our skin to breathe so that's why it's worst right there. Ring around the thigh. I don't ride every day (call me lazy ), so mine ususally goes away between rides. That and I have different brands and/or lengths of shorts - and so far haven't had one really big band of heat rash.

[GLC1968]

Yep..that's it! Except mine was much more swollen than that...they stuck out from my skin more. The worst case I got stuck around for about 4-5 days and left discoloration after the swelling was gone. Since then, I've been more careful.

Oh, and cooling off the legs helps, but it's actually more effective to keep your overall body temp down by cooling off the head and body and utilizing shade whenever possible.

I'm SO glad to hear that I'm not alone (not that I'd wish this on anyone else, but...well...you know...)!!

[Jo-n-NY]

My husband actually gets hives from chilly weather. If he takes Claritan a few hours before he is ok. It doesn't matter what he wears, if it is chilly or damp, his skin just hives up. It began years ago when my son began playing ice hockey. He found there is a name for this type of thing but I forget what it is called.

~ JoAnn

[NMRider]

Hi there Tulsa - you courageous woman!
Mine too are quite a bit worse than that, but that's just what mine look like --
today (2 days after a mid-day 63-miler - wanna get through Hell's Gate!) they are just sort of a brown pink discoloration - but on Sunday afternoon they were like big mottled raised pink bands across the tops and over the sides of my thighs.
I, too, am happy to hear GLC's practical advice, esp what she said last re overall body cool down...
Wichita Falls or bust!

[Dianyla]

What the OP is describing really does sound like hives to me, which may suggest a latex allergy. Does it happen with shorts that have silicone leg grippers (like Sugoi)?

Note: It is entirely possible to be allergic to something in general, but the symptom only manifests itself under high heat. Sun-warmed latex is likely to offgas and emit more reactive allergenic particles than cold or room-temperature latex. Also, high internal body heat can make your immune system more likely to react. I'm fairly prone to hives/urticaria caused by certain food colorings and additives, but I have more outbreaks during hot weather or when I have a fever.

Jo-in-NY, the term for what your DH has is cold urticaria. My ex used to break out in hives on his cheeks whenever he went playing in the snow.

[NMRider]

Dian - any thoughts on why it would only happen on top of the legs instead of all the way around? Just because the sun is hitting the tops of my legs? Granted, it's 90+ degrees when it strikes. Not sure what the grippers are - shorts are Cannondale, grippers are smooth/clear. I've never been allergic to anything before. You're thinking hives as opposed to rash? It seems like many of us get this sort of thing... way more than I expected when I posted.
Thanks.

[BabyBlueNTulsa]

What I think is interesting about the latex theory is that the shorts I was wearing don't have any type of gripper.. Its just really a soft, but probably doubled layer of spandex. Most of the welts were exposed to sun...but there were some under the short too-just right there on the leg. Weird!!

NM - you go girl!!! 63 on a mid day deal... that's where I got my first outburst of welts and my knee issue (a 58 mile mid-day deal). I'm still nursing my knee issue, but I'm off in a few to do some light spinning. You'll probably hear me boo-hoo'ing tomorrow about missing my group night ride (hilly and fast). WAH. I've gotta do this right though, or I won't be able to get back on track with my mileage for HHH!

HHH or bust - that's right!!!

[Dianyla]

Dian - any thoughts on why it would only happen on top of the legs instead of all the way around? Just because the sun is hitting the tops of my legs? Granted, it's 90+ degrees when it strikes. Not sure what the grippers are - shorts are Cannondale, grippers are smooth/clear. I've never been allergic to anything before. You're thinking hives as opposed to rash? It seems like many of us get this sort of thing... way more than I expected when I posted.
Thanks.

Well, latex allergy is very common so I wouldn't be at all surprised to see many people having symptoms of it. I would think that a field of small red bumps is a mere rash, while large raised welts are actual hives. But, I think there is also a grey area in between rash and hive, and at a cellular level they are pretty similar events.

However, the smooth/clear grippers sound like silicone, not latex. Which leans more in the direction of being a simple heat related problem. Heat can trigger hives, just like it can trigger rash. Black fabric heats up considerably in the sun, so the tops of the legs will be more likely to have the problem. I wonder if it happens to anyone with light-colored shorts? Anyone?

[NMRider]

FYI...

Did a ride yesterday, 30 miles, 97 degrees, 25% humidity - not in my Cannondales, but in my ancient shorts. Same hives problem - so seems to be the heat issue, not the shorts.

[denda]

Add my name to this list. I have them on my thighs right now! I rode 30 miles yesterday, 97 degrees and humid. I am getting ready for the HHH in Wichita Falls, TX.

[Righteousbabe]

I get them, too, and at first I though they were related to the shorts elastic...or the detergent I used to wash my clothing with. But it turns out I get them regardless of whether the elastic is rolled up or not....or what type of detergent I use. I even went to the dermatologist to get his input, and he had no idea and gave me a Rx for hydrocortisone cream. I tried using it after the rides...but with very minimal relief. For myself, I think it is directly correlated to heat/sun/core body temps. (there was a posting last year here on the forum where we discussed this before). I don't get them when the temps are below 90 or when it is mostly cloudy. But when it is hot and very sunny, that is when I get them.

I have just learned to live with them. I don't like it because it is ugly and even a little painful at times, but I have not found a way to avoid getting them during the summer.

[Aint Doody]

Another victim here. On me it is definitely heat related. I hadn't thought to try cooling down all over. What about pouring cold water on the area? Anybody try that? Does it help?

[GLC1968]

Nope - cold water (or ice) on the area does NOT help. Only keeping the body/core temp down does...and that's not always easy to do.

FYI - I got these on my century on Aug 11th - it was cloudy all day and temps never topped 90 degrees. BUT, I did get hot/wilted near the end when I had no cold beverages left... I ended up with a slight break out. So, it's definitely not sun related.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

YEP- I occasionally get the very same itchy heat-rash looking rash on the tops of my thighs underneath my shorts too. Same thing!

I came to the conclusion it was a reaction produced somehow by the sun hitting lycra material.
One morning we were having pre-ride breakfast in our outdoor cafe, and I was sitting in the sun. The morning was still pleasantly in the 70's, and I hadn't exerted myself yet. After a while I felt my legs itching under the shorts and went in the ladies room and sure enough- the rash was starting! Only under the shorts, on the tops of my thighs only. It had been activated merely by my sitting in the sun in my shorts....not really so much from being overheated or sweaty. I put on some cool feeling hand cream, sat with my legs in the shade, and it went away.

When this rash is mild, it can go away in a few hours. When it's bad, it stays for a day or two. I found it did help to put sunblock or other lotion on my legs there before putting on my shorts.

[redrhodie]

Have any of you tried "body glide" on the problem area? I got it at a runner's shop for the blisters I get from ALL of my shoes, and it's worked great. If it's a chafing problem, it may help. It looks like a deodorant stick.