What is Heat Rash and What Causes it?

What is Heat Rash?

From the outside world, the job of the skin is to protect the inside of the body. It functions as a preventive barrier against intruders that causes infection, chemicals or ultraviolet light from invading or body damaging process. It even plays a crucial role in the body’s temperature control. Sweating is one source that keeps the body cool and allow that sweat or perspiration to evaporate. Sweat glands are situated in the dermis or deep layer of skin, and are functioned by the temperature control centers in the brain. Sweat from the gland gets to the surface of the skin through a duct. A heat rash exists when sweat ducts become clogged and the sweat cannot get to the surface of the skin. Rather, it becomes trapped beneath the skin’s surface causing a mild inflammation or rash.

For a variety of heat-related skin conditions, the term heat rash is consistently used as a catch-all. Therefore, it is better to get aware of what is the true definition of heat rash and the typical heat rash symptoms? Going-through, how to spot heat rash can help you and your doctor pinpoint the best-in-class heat rash treatment.

What Causes Heat Rash?

Harsh rash even known as prickly heat or malaria is a skin condition that affect babies, children and adults in hot summers. In general, the rash exists when your sweat ducts become blocked and perspiration is trapped under your skin.

Heat rash mostly occurs in the summer or in humid climates.  

The top candidates are said to be the babies for heat rash when their parents dress them in clothing which is too hot for the temperature. Although, adults can even experience heat rash when they are dressed too warmly or when they stay under the sun for long hours and in the humid weather.

Know the Heat Rash Symptoms!

It is not that difficult to detect the heat rash symptoms. A common sign of heat rash is a cluster of red bumps that showcases pimples on the skin. The red bumps that can look like blisters, mainly pop up on the neck, chest and arms. They tend to assemble in places with creases like elbow creases, armpits or under the breasts. Few types of heat rash can cause you itching difficulties or prickly sensation on your skin. Well, there are numerous forms of heat rash that can range in extremity, so if you think you may have heat rash, look out for the doctor or professional.

Heat Rash Treatment

The best heat rash treatment relies on the severity of the situation. Shifting yourself from the warm environment to a cooler, less humid atmosphere can resolve the problem in several cases based on the survey taken by Centers for Disease Control.

“Consider utilizing a dusting powder for the promotion of comfort, and an anti-itch cream can help relieve the itching and discomfort”

Medical Treatment for Heat Rash!

Once the skin cools, heat rash resolves on its own but one occasion, the sweat glands can become infected. The signs of infection becomes the consequence of pain, increased swelling and redness that fails to resolve. At the site of the rash, pustules might form. This infection exists as bacteria have invaded the blocked sweat gland. With this, antibiotic treatment might be required. A health care professional and dermatologist, a skin specialist can make a proper treatment of chronic and recurrent heat rash.

Heat Rash can be Prevented! How?

Avoidance is the most crucial treatment for heat rash. The potential for sweat ducts to become blocked and the glands to become inflamed diminishes that allows the skin to be exposed to circulating air. Other methods to avoid heat rash include:

• Avoid exercising in hot, humid weather.
• Wear loose clothes made of breathable fabrics such as cotton
• Use air conditioning.
• Keep the skin clear with frequent baths and showers to avoid sweat glands from becoming blocked.
• Lower down the amount of overlapping skin-on-skin for weight loss.

 Protect Your Health When Temperatures Are Extremely High!

The body can adapt very well in hot weather, but it takes time to respond psychologically. The original temperature is just one factor when a person make a decision to work, play or exercise in the heat. The heat index adds humidity to the equation since sweat cannot evaporate if the water content in the air is high in volume. There exists no place for sweat to go and evaporation cannot cool the body if the air holds as much water as it has the capacity to keep the hold of.

Try to avoid working or exercising in extreme heat to minimize the risk of heat-related illnesses. One can also take frequent breaks to get out of the heat and drinking plenty of water or other fluids to freshen up fluid lost by sweat by avoiding dehydration and other complications.

Signs of heat-related illnesses involves lightheadedness, weakness and nausea. It is crucial to stay away from the heat, cool off and rehydrate immediately to prevent severe heat-related problems and other vulnerable diseases such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

The Bottom Line

Drink Plenty of Water!

It is difficult to quantify how much water is lost through sweat and the thirst mechanism might not be sensitive enough to give a reminder to a person to drink much. In particulars, the kidneys are a good guide to whether there is enough water in the body. The kidneys will try to keep the hold on to as much water as possible if the body is dehydrated. The diminished urine production, urine concentrated in color, and a strong urine odor are the symptoms that the kidneys are trying to conserve the body’s water supply. When there is enough fluid in the body, urine is clear.

A person must drink enough water to make the urine clear in a hot environment and make sure the body is producing sweat. Sweat and urine loss even entails electrolyte loss.