Hi,

I really need some advice!

I have a new wet suit (Scubapro Everflex) - when I bought it I was told it was a seperior fabric and a lot more comfortable to wear and easier to put on. However, I have just come back from Jamaica where I experienced terrible *****ly heat on my forearms from my wrist to 3/4 of the way up my forearm - just where the tight rubber seal is. (This seal gripped my arms so tightly that when I tried to peal it off after a dive it felt like removing and plaster and literally pulled my skin up with it.) It seems strange that I didn't have the *****ly heat anywhere else on my body and that it was exactly where the seals were. (There are seals on the ankles but these were always bunched up due to my very short legs so didn't seal and didn't cause me a problem.) I wanted to know if anyone else has had *****ly heat with this or any other suits?

If you have had problems with suits causing *****ly heat are there any suggestions you can make regarding a better wet suit or a way of avoiding it? I am pretty desperate as the itching was very extreme and marred my holiday - it felt like my skin on my arms was crawling the whole time and I got no sleep at all. I am willing to buy a whole new suit if necessary, even though this is a new one or may be an exposure suit or something to wear under it - again any suggestions would be gratefully recieved.

On this subject I have also wondered about getting a suit specially made for me as I have such short legs and the legs literally bunch which is very uncomfortable. If the knee pads are in the correct place I have to have it all baggy around the ankles as the legs are physically too long by a couple of inches. Has anyone had any experience of buying a custom made wetsuit and what sort of costs am I looking at?

If you are someone who has suffered with this condition - have you got any advice to avoid it or treat it when it happens? I have tried hydrocortizone (sp) cream to no effect. I even tried quadrupaling (sp) the amount of anti-hystimines recommended I was that desperate - I have never felt such awfull symptoms ever before - the itching was soooo intense. I do not want this to put me off going to tropical countries but at the time I was ready to jump on the first plane home!!!

Thank you in advance to anyone answering my questions or giving me advice - I am so grateful for your contributions. :-)

Regards,

Ingrid