Sudden Sensitive skin on leg

[grump123]

Hi,
just yesterday i developed a sensitive area of skin on my right leg.  It came on suddenly and only bother me when the area is touch by hand or clothing.  I am thinking it my be from using too much laundry detergent since it came on suddenly a few hours after wearing a pair of slacks i had just washed the day before. and the fact the load of laundry was quite large and maybe all the soap didnt get rinsed off.  However there is no redness at all, it doesnt itch.  just feels kind of like sunburned skin and bothers me the most when wearing clothes.  It has only affected my upper right thigh. This is an area where my pants constantly rub against my leg.  It is very bothersome as it hurts to walk. Feels like i am rubbing a rash even though again it is not red at all.  Any ideas what this could be.  Never had anything like this before.

[knbmack]

I had the same symptoms within a few days following a C-section, nearly five years ago.  My OBGYN told me it was probably Cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection brought on by the surgery.  I have read that there are also other causes.  I also did not have any rash or redness.  He gave me antibiotics and it cleared up, never to return.  I came on the internet to search more for this condition, because my husband just started to complain of the same symptoms; sunburn like sensitive skin but no rash or redness.  

[Erin1234]

It's now Jul 26, 2008 and still no shingles as to what is causing this sensitive skin on my right upper leg, front and back.  But it is very sensitive to the touch.  Still no outward appearance of a rash or anything else.  My original onset of this was at least 2 weeks ago.  Never have had this before.  Does anyone this your soap could cause it.  Let me know if anyone out there knows.  Thanks

[saratrainer]

Hi Erin- I'm not sure you can say you don't have shingles yet.  I didn't have any outward appearance or rash until this morning and I've had the sensitive sensation for about 3-4 days already.  So, keep an eye on the area.  I'm heading to my doctor this afternoon for an official diagnosis.  I'll try to post back up here later when I know something for sure.  I've never had shingles either, just chicken pox about 25 years ago.  I have heard that stress can be a contributing factor to "reawakening" the virus, and I just moved, so maybe that's what's bringing it on.  Everything I've read here and on other medical sites is pointing to shingles as the cause of the sensation, so be prepared to have that diagnosis.

[Erin1234]

I have the same symptoms exactly.  I just came onto the computer to see if somebody can help with this.  No outward appearance of redness and NO rash, just a very sensitive area from the top of my buttocks down to the knee on the front and back of my right leg.  I've never had shingles and that is not what is going on here.  I really don't have a clue, but it sounds like there are several of us having the same symptoms and warrants checking further by Dr Rockoff. I've never had any health problems at all and am on no medication.  If I spend the money to actually go to a Doc, I am supposing by this forum they won't know what it is also.

[saratrainer]

I have been experiencing the exact same sensation on my left leg for the past 3-4 days.  It doesn't hurt me to walk, but it does feel exactly like a sunburn - sore to the touch, sore to have clothing rub, painful when scrubbed in the shower.  Just this morning I noticed a dozen or so very small, very slightly raised red spots in the places where the soreness was concentrated.  Now I'm wondering if it is shingles (oddly, the only explanation I could find when I searched "skin pain" in an online medical source).  I'll be on the phone with my doctor as soon as I find the number, but I'm interested to hear is Dr. Rockoff has any more to say about this.

[Mowie2]

Hello,  I'd be really interested to know how you get on with this, as I have had the same problem (but mine has reoccurred - goes away for a couple of weeks then comes back for 4-5 days) ongoing over the past year.  As with your soreness,  there's nothing to see on the skin's surface, but it feels like a deep sunburn along my left shin, always in exactly the same place.  I'd been wondering if it was some kind of nerve inflammation, but why it keeps occuring, then calming down I have no idea.  I did suffer severe sunburn on my shins as a teenager (I'm 42 now), and wondered if it could relate to that (as I've read that the skin does have a VERY long term memory for severe sunburn), but feel that if it were a sinister sign connected to this,  surely it would have progressed to another stage by now rather than continuing in the same cycle. Anyone else had something similar and managed to solve the mystery?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Not sure.  It could be the sensitivity that is felt before zoster (shingles) appears, although no one will be able to tell that until a rash appears in the affected area, and that may take 3-4 days.  If no rash appears by then, then something else is going on.  I don't think laundry detergent can explain this.  I suggest you check with a doctor in a couple of days if the symptoms persist or if a rash appears.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff