Rash from Bike Shorts

[Kiwi Stoker]

I get this too. I actually got a blister welt on one leg with lots of red dots further up. They weren't itchy but sore and hot to touch. So I am not sure if it's an allergy to the gripper (which is silicone)

I suspect it was a combination of heat, sweat and the grippers rubbing on my skin to form the blisters but I don't know what causes the red raised dots further up my legs.

[Crankin]

I get deep, red lines, irritation every place a waistband, bra, grippers etc touches me. It takes hours for it to go away. Even my socks cause a slight line. I just live with it. It's allergy related, gets worse when I'm under stress, or having a real allergy thing. It seems to get more "reactive" at times and I have no idea why. No allergist has ever figured it out. I can just brush my hand on my skin or normally scratch an itch and I will have marks for a day.

[ny biker]

I get deep, red lines, irritation every place a waistband, bra, grippers etc touches me. It takes hours for it to go away. Even my socks cause a slight line. I just live with it. It's allergy related, gets worse when I'm under stress, or having a real allergy thing. It seems to get more "reactive" at times and I have no idea why. No allergist has ever figured it out. I can just brush my hand on my skin or normally scratch an itch and I will have marks for a day.

Dermatographia. I have this too.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/Dermatographia/DS00755

When I had several food allleric reactions last year, they were a combination of this and hives -- the hives broke out in places where there was pressure and irritation from elastic, wrinkled clothes and seams pressing against my skin, stuff like that.

But I have always had deep red marks from waistbands, elastic bands, edges of things pressing on my skin. When I wake up every morning I have red lines from wrinkles in my sheets and pajamas pressing on me.

[beccaB]

I get those "hives" too from the silicone leg grippers. It's irritating, but I can't do much about it. It really only happens on century rides when it's hot. I also get winter hives, so I have to dress warmer on my legs in the cold that I want to. I rubbed ice on my elbow tendonitis and noticed it was giving me hives. About the shorts, I found a PI pair that doesn't have silicone in the grippers, but the compression isn't as good. I like the way the compression feels, so I will have to compromise I guess.

[denda]

I know exactly what you are talking about. I get the same thing in the heat. It is not caused by grippers in the shorts. My new shorts do not have grippers and it still happens. I will also get it right above my sock line. It doesn't itch, it just looks bad