Learn More about Heat Rash and Get Rid of It

Heat rash is also medically termed as prickly heat or miliaria. It is a common condition of skin. Actually heat rashes come out on your skin and instantly they start itching due to overheating or after heat exposure. Heat rashes actually look like small bumps over the skin that are surrounded by an area of reddish skin.

Usually heat rash occurs on the covered parts of the body, including the back, neck, upper chest, abdomen, groin and armpits. It actually goes away naturally, most of the times on its own within some days.

Severe heat rashes can interfere with your body’s heat-regulating mechanism and may cause fever, heat exhaustion and sometimes death.

Heat rash occurs most often in hot, humid conditions. It is most common in infants. Active people, newborns in incubators, and bedridden patients with fever also are more likely to get heat rash.

Causes of Heat Rashes
There are some reasons behind the heat rashes. The most important reason is excessive perspiration that usually occurs in humid and hot environment. This excess perspiration actually damages cells that are on the surface of the skin.

Perspiration also forms a barrier and traps sweat under the skin, where it actually builds up into the characteristic bumps. As the bumps start bursting and the trapped sweat is released, you feel the prickly and stinging sensation.

Symptoms of Heat Rash
If you are suffering from heat rash then you need to watch for the symptoms mentioned below and consult an expert if the symptoms become severe.

• Increased pain, redness, swelling, or warmth around the affected area.
• Drainage of pus from the area.
• Red streaks expanding from the affected area.
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck or armpit.
• Fever of 100F or higher, or sometimes chills with no other known cause.

Treatment of Heat Rashes
Frequently these rashes heal on their own. But here are some of the ways that can relieve those symptoms.

• You need to cool down the area. You should wear loose clothing as much as possible and try to be in a shady area.
• Take cool bath twice or thrice. Make the affected area cool by putting cold, wet wash clothes there.
• Allow your skin to become normally dry instead of using towels.
• If your skin has become very irritable to touch, calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream can be used. But it should be used with your health professional’s approval.
• Try to avoid ointments and other lotions because there are chances that those lotions can irritate the skin.

Precautions for Heat Rash
Below are the tips that can help in preventing future episodes of the rash.

• During summer or excessive heat you can wear few clothes.
• Keep the sleeping area cool.
• Keep the skin cool and dry.

More Heat Rash Treatments

Some affected patients may require treatments which include:

• For secondary infections, use antibiotics
• Use compresses with cool water
• Calamine lotion
• Sometimes, mild strength topical steroids are used
• Take the sufferer away from the hot environment
• Reduce clothing on the patient
• Move to an air conditioned, cooler, environment