Red Rash of the Legs Golfer’s Vasculitis Leg Heat Rash

We saw a 60 year old patient with complaints of a red rash on both legs above the sock line area. The patient had spent a hot day walking with her grand kids 2 days earlier. The  rash  had red patches and splotches up the calf. The rash was not itchy or painful. Dr. Jain examined the patient and diagnosed as her having a leg heat rash with a history of walking in the heat and then having a rash afterwards. The patient had blood drawn for CBC and to check the platelet count which was normal.

This rash is more common in people over 50. Most walkers can’t pinpoint anything new they have used that may be causing a reaction. And since so many walkers have it, they couldn’t all have contacted the same irritant. The source is simply heat and age–the leg blood vessels get irritated from the heat and bleeding in the skin and causing the petechial rash of the legs.

The rash is more common in people over 50. Most walkers can’t pinpoint anything new they have used that may be causing a reaction.  The source is simply heat and age–your leg blood vessels getting irritated from the heat.

Heat leg rash is common in golfers and is called golfer’s vasculitis which is simply an irritation of the blood vessels following prolonged exercise in the heat, such as walking for extended periods or playing 18 holes of golf.