Prickly heat rash

The medical term for prickly heat rash is miliaria rubra and it refers to the condition marked by the appearance of red itchy rash on the surface of the skin. This condition is popularly called prickly heat rash since it is characterized by rash that causes a prickling sensation. This skin disorder is also well known as sweat rash or heat rash.

Prickly heat rash typically occurs when the weather is hot and humid because this weather causes profuse sweating. When one sweats, the pores may become clogged with dead skin cells and bacteria, thus resulting in the inflammation of the skin marked by rash that may develop blisters.

This skin condition is frequent in obese people, as well as in those who sweat excessively. The rash may appear at any part of the body, particularly on the parts of the body which are rubbed by the clothes. It is estimated that the children and babies are more prone to develop this skin disorder than the adults. The sweat glands in the children and babies are not developed completely, which is the main reason why they are more prone to this kind of rash.

The prickly heat rash only lasts a couple of days and it usually disappears without any treatment. However, if the person with this condition spends more time in the hot and humid weather, it may last longer.

Symptoms of prickly heat rash

The people who come to develop this type of skin rash may notice patches on the skin, which are full of small red bumps that are very itchy and that cause a prickling sensation. In the severe cases of this skin rash, salt crystals may be formed in the sweat gland ducts, while the blisters may emerge as a consequence. The skin may develop an infection, when the intense itching forces the person to scratch.

Treatment for prickly heat rash

The prickly heat rash is not difficult to cure, especially if one treats it right away. The symptoms may be effectively reduced by a cold shower and frequent exposure to the fresh air. When the blisters break out, then the doctors recommend applying of certain ointments that can dry them. Wearing of tight clothes should be avoided since the symptoms may be aggravated by doing it because the tight clothes may stimulate the sweat glands to produce sweat. The creams for this skin condition should contain aloe vera and oatmeal. Furthermore, the antihistamine medicines may provide a great help when prickly hear rash occurs.