morecowbells
Contributor
Sorry I have no pics from my rash I encountered about 2 months ago while diving in Roatan. After five days two dives a day diving in a full wetsuit, we walked back to the house. The journey involved about 10 minutes of walking up a steep hill. Near the end, I noticed a abrupt, burning on my left upper, inner thigh. I thought perhaps my swim shorts were rubbing and made my skin raw. Back at the house I took a shower and the burning rash was becoming super painful. I suspected possible fire coral or hydroid as the rash was about 5" long and 2" wide. Skin was red and had the appearance of chicken skin. Bumps were fine and red. I noticed a petechiae type of rash(broken capillary). I tested it by pushing against the rash with a clear glass, and it did not blanch which I feel confirmed the petechiae.
That night burning went away and rash almost gone by the next day. We did one dive(at this point I did not suspect skin bends). While loading up the truck to head back home the burning became intense. Area even more inflamed with intense burning. No blistering, no open wound. Just petechiae and scarlet red skin. At this point I started suspecting skin bends. No diving after that as our trip was winding down. There were no issues with flying and within a couple of days, rash almost completely gone, area almost leathery and tan.
Conundrum: I wore a full wetsuit the entire time, so the possibility of hydroid or fire coral in that area of wetsuit would be slim. The rash did not have the marbled or mottled appearance that I have heard about in cases of skin bends. I used regular air instead of Nitrox. Dive profiles were very conservative.
Any input on that could have caused this rash? I do not have any other dive trips until Oct. I am slightly apprehensive about staying in a more remote location if this may be a problem in the future. Thanks in advance for any input or theories.
That night burning went away and rash almost gone by the next day. We did one dive(at this point I did not suspect skin bends). While loading up the truck to head back home the burning became intense. Area even more inflamed with intense burning. No blistering, no open wound. Just petechiae and scarlet red skin. At this point I started suspecting skin bends. No diving after that as our trip was winding down. There were no issues with flying and within a couple of days, rash almost completely gone, area almost leathery and tan.
Conundrum: I wore a full wetsuit the entire time, so the possibility of hydroid or fire coral in that area of wetsuit would be slim. The rash did not have the marbled or mottled appearance that I have heard about in cases of skin bends. I used regular air instead of Nitrox. Dive profiles were very conservative.
Any input on that could have caused this rash? I do not have any other dive trips until Oct. I am slightly apprehensive about staying in a more remote location if this may be a problem in the future. Thanks in advance for any input or theories.
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