Thread: Catcher's helmet causing a rash???

It's Oklahoma. It's summertime. It's hot. Rashes are common. I got that.

DD is 14. We got her a new helmet at the end of last spring's ball season. She used it about a month, then went to school ball, where she didn't catch many games.

We lugged the gear to several tryouts and practices over the fall, but not too many games.

She has complained before of getting a rash on her chin from her helmet. Yesterday, she was up at the high school, catching for the Sr pitcher's lessons. We were indoors and she didn't even have the helmet on for the whole hour. Maybe 30 minutes tops, total time. When she was done her whole chin and around her lips were all covered with a rash. Today she still has it, and she says it feels like it has spread.

She also is playing TB where she is one of 3 catchers, but the rash has never stuck around for very long after a game.

Any ideas as to what is causing this? Or ways to prevent it? We need to figure it out over the summer, before she has a constant rash during school ball that carries over into her school day. (A girl has to look good, you know.)

Originally Posted by 99&beyond

It's Oklahoma. It's summertime. It's hot. Rashes are common. I got that.

DD is 14. We got her a new helmet at the end of last spring's ball season. She used it about a month, then went to school ball, where she didn't catch many games.

We lugged the gear to several tryouts and practices over the fall, but not too many games.

She has complained before of getting a rash on her chin from her helmet. Yesterday, she was up at the high school, catching for the Sr pitcher's lessons. We were indoors and she didn't even have the helmet on for the whole hour. Maybe 30 minutes tops, total time. When she was done her whole chin and around her lips were all covered with a rash. Today she still has it, and she says it feels like it has spread.

She also is playing TB where she is one of 3 catchers, but the rash has never stuck around for very long after a game.

Any ideas as to what is causing this? Or ways to prevent it? We need to figure it out over the summer, before she has a constant rash during school ball that carries over into her school day. (A girl has to look good, you know.)

I'd have a doctor look at it to be safe. Same thing happened to us and it ended up being ring worm. It didn't look like ringworm. It was a real pain to get rid of. The doctor said it is common and can actually come from the dirt or a shared mask from someone that has it but has no symptoms. She ended up taking an oral perscription for it.

I never thought of ringworm. NICE!

She does not share her helmet, all of our catcher's have their own gear.

I'll call the dr. Thank you!!

My daughter had a mask with nylon/foam chin padding, and had the same issues. We ran it through the washing machine and the problem went away. I suspect old sunscreen or bug spray had permeated the padding.

Nowadays both my girls have leather chin padding in their masks, which they wipe down with Simple Green or just a wet rag. No problems since then.

Could be the chin pad. DD's old gear had a leather or leather like pad that caused the same type of problem. New helmet from Allstar has removable microfiber padding that is machine washable. Hasn't been a problem since.

Going under assumption shes using an Easton, helmet may be to tight.
Try a Schutt.
My daughter LOVES Schutt gear. We've had several sets of Easton, none of which fit well or lasted long.
Schutt fits girls well, especially the chest protector. Schutt protects 'thing' better than Easton design. Mask doesn't have a chin 'cup.

Although DD is not a catcher, she has had issues with a past glove. Apparently it was made overseas and the type of chemicals they used to tan the leather was irritating her hand and causing a rash. The more often she wore it, the more sensitive she became to it, the quicker it came and the longer it stayed. Just a thought.

BTW, ended up getting rid of the glove and buying a Nokona.

I soak the chin piece in a anti bacterial soap/warm water, rinse well. I also place WHOLE helmet in dishwasher, slight bleaching effect, hot water (anti fungal, ant-bacterial agent), air dry. Not sure what to with a leather one.