Monsoon Blisters?

[petergarrity]

Can anyone tell me what a monsoon blister is and how it is caused (ideally what it's proper name is as well). My wife has one which she has had since she was a child in Singapore but doesn't know much about it's origins.

[modge]

I have never come across anything called a monsoon blister - perhaps it is a local name in Singapore. Can you describe it?

[adryley]

Monsoon blisters are a form of chicken pox, often quite severe and tending to leave scars.

[jeffinergiraffe]

I lived in Singapore as a child from 1963 to 1966 and on arrival my brother and I developed Monsoon blisters. Most children did! It was very common. Our old instruction book for Singapore says they were a result of infection introduced into the skin by scratching insect bites or itchy skin from prickly heat (also very common). Legend was we caught it from playing in the monsoon drains which was great fun but not allowed which is an invitation to be disobedient! They were quite large blisters and we had to put a load of antihistamine or antiseptic cream on them and cover them with bandages which was so embarrassing at school. As usual kids were unkind and said we were dirty. Anyway, that is monsoon blisters and nothing to do with chicken pox. It's a thing of the past now.

[guttorm]

We lived in Singapore about the same time as Jefiinergiraffe and all 5 of us kids contracted monsoon blisters at some time or another. I too think they are a version of prickly heat and the UK Navy handbook from that date seems to agree with me http://www.axfordsabode.org.uk/pdf-docs/introfa3.pdf .... I don't recall anyone having these as a long term complaint and wonder if peter garrity's wife had some other infection

[Pinny]

My brother got monsoon blisters in 1966 (aged 6) whilst we were stationed in Aden. He had them all over his body. My mother was told that they were highly contagious and be prepared for us all to catch them. In fact, none of us did catch them due to her vigilance. I’m sure they must have a correct medical term - but I’ve never found what it is.