Dermatology-Online

Heat rash

definition

Heat rashes are a visual diagnosis. Small pimples that are almost evenly distributed in a certain skin area, such as forehead, legs, arms, buttocks or back, which can also be reddened and itch slightly to severe, are typical.

Read more on the subject at: Rash from heat

causes

When the body is exposed to an increased outside temperature, the body temperature also begins to rise. To lower the temperature, the body begins to build up sweat that comes out of the pores to wet the skin in order to cool it down. Especially with small children, it is the case that they sweat heavily and quickly at an elevated temperature. When a certain amount of sweat production is reached, the pores slowly begin to close, which leads to a small bulge if sweat production remains constant.Heat pimples develop (rash from sweating) These are completely harmless and subside as quickly as they came, namely when the child's body temperature has dropped again. Special treatment is usually not necessary.

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Concomitant symptoms

Most often, heat rash is accompanied by a rash as an accompanying symptom. The affected areas of the skin on which the pimples or blisters form are usually very red. An agonizing itching is often an accompanying symptom. Young children and babies can also feel tearful and restless. A possible accompanying symptom to which special attention should be paid is an increase in body temperature as a possible sign of heat stroke. At this point at the latest, a cool place should be sought without cooling the body drastically. In the case of a baby or toddler, a doctor should also be consulted.

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Heat rash and rash

When heat rash occurs, it is usually accompanied by a rash. This usually results in reddening of the skin, red spots, small pimples or blisters in the affected skin regions. The rash with heat pimples occurs predominantly on the face, in the cleavage area and everywhere where skin is on skin. For example, the armpits, back of the knees or belly folds can be affected. The rash is usually not painful. Sometimes it causes itching in the affected areas. The rash can be relieved with a cooling moisturizing cream, for example. Measures similar to those used for sunburn, for example quark compresses, also provide relief. In addition, further heat should be avoided as much as possible. Then the rash with the heat pimples usually regresses within a few hours to a few days. However, if you continue to be in the heat or scratch the heat pimples, this can lead to inflammation of the skin, which causes discomfort for longer.

Duration

The length of time that heat rash persists depends primarily on the measures that are taken to make them go away. If the skin symptoms appear, one should withdraw from the heat and above all avoid direct sunlight. Depending on the extent of the heat rash, it may take a few days for it to completely disappear. The duration also depends on the skin type and the sensitivity of the skin. If you have to scratch the affected areas a lot due to itching or if you continue to stay in the heat, the heat rash can persist for weeks. If you even scratch them off, they can become infected and in some cases small scars remain for a lifetime. If heat rash persists for several weeks despite taking appropriate measures, a doctor should be consulted. There may be another cause of the skin symptoms.

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Heat rash by region

Enzyme peels can also help to ensure the purity of the skin and allow the pores to breathe. One example of this is the Dr. Severin enzyme peeling from the pharmacy.

Heat rash on the forehead

When the child is exposed to a certain outside temperature, they begin to sweat in order to lower their own body temperature. In principle, this can happen in the area of the whole body, but most often the areas where sweat glands can be found are covered with sweat. The back and forehead should be mentioned here in particular. If the child sweats heavily in the forehead area, the sweat pores on the forehead can become clogged. Bulging areas develop in the area of the skin. The so-called heat rash. These are completely harmless and do not need any further treatment. Heat rashes subside when the body's sweat production is reduced again.

If there are long-lasting pimples in certain areas of the skin that do not go away when the body temperature normalizes and the sweat has evaporated in the corresponding area, it must be considered whether the heat pimples might be an allergic reaction (e.g. detergent or lotion). In case of doubt, a doctor should be consulted and asked. If in doubt, he or she would take a skin swab from which it would become clear whether it was a harmless heat rash or a skin disease of an allergic or infectious cause.

Heat rash on the face

There are numerous sweat pores on the face, which are intended to ensure that, if necessary, sweat is secreted, which lays on the skin in the area of the face. With the evaporation of sweat, there is also one Cooling. For this reason, more sweat is produced when the body is either through a increased outside temperature but also by one increased internal temperature (e.g. fever at infection) heated.
After perspiration is formed and secreted from the sweat glands of the face, the glands may be located in the area of the face clog and swellingwhat would classically be described as heat rash. Must have heat rash not treated become and disappear as soon as the sweat production has been reduced again. Compared to other areas where heat rashes occur, e.g. Buttocks or back, there is training in the forehead and face area kinda rare to a heat pimple. The main reason is that these areas are typically exposed to the air and are well ventilated.

Heat rash on buttocks and thighs

The skin area of the buttocks is covered with numerous sweat glands. Especially with Babies it comes to one in the heat increased sweat production in this area. Most of the time, wearing a diaper causes a corresponding one Heat build-upwhich can lead to increased sweat production in this area. As soon as the maximum sweat production is reached, the sweat glands begin to bulge outwards if there is further perspiration. Heat pimples develop. Often times these pimples cause you itchingwhich soon disappears when the sweat production is reduced by reduced heat. That too regular diaper changes prevents heat pimples.

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Heat rash in the baby

In warm temperatures in the summer months, babies in particular can easily develop heat rashes. These occur in particular on the face, under the arms, on the chest and in the diaper area. The hollows of the knees and other skin folds can also be affected. In addition, the baby is usually tearful or restless. The reason for this is that the sweat pores can become clogged in the heat when there is a lot of sweat production. Sunlight is not what triggers the skin symptoms, as is often assumed. Because of this, heat rashes can occur even if the baby is protected from sunlight at all times as required. Heat rashes are particularly common in babies because the sweat pores in the skin are still very small and clog more easily than in older children or adults. In addition, fair-skinned children are more prone to develop heat rash than those with darker skin color. When heat rashes occur, the body's own cooling system from sweat production and evaporation no longer works properly. The baby must be moved to a cooler place to avoid heat stroke. However, too drastic cooling measures such as air conditioning or a fan should not be used, otherwise the small body can quickly cool down and the baby can catch an infection, for example.

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Treating heat pimples

As a rule, no treatment is necessary to cause the heat rash to subside. As the skin cools down, sweat production is reduced and the pimples disappear as well.

The affected skin area should be exposed to the air in order to accelerate the resolution. As the clothes or diapers are loosened, the incoming air begins to cool the affected skin area. As a rule, most of the heat rash will then go away. Any itching gets better and better. Especially in children, you can still support the regeneration of the skin by applying gels made of zinc or silica. Cortisone ointments should only be used after consultation with a doctor and only if the first attempted measures have not helped and the child is long-term impaired by the rash.

If heat rash does not go away, it must always be considered whether it is actually a fungal skin infection. Any prolonged rash should be assessed by a doctor. The application of moist compresses or powder should be avoided completely if possible. Powder would also clog the sweat pores even more and thus lead to an undesirable effect.

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Homeopathy for heat rash

There are also some homeopathic approaches to treating heat rash in children and adults as well. First and foremost, the development of heat rashes should be avoided (e.g. by frequent ventilation of the skin, by wearing air-permeable clothing). If heat rash has developed, homeopathic medication can also be tried. Above all, the preparation should be mentioned here Toxicodendron quercifolium, which should be taken 3 times a day in the dosage D12.

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