10 Home Remedies for Heat Rash
Heat rash occurs most commonly in babies, but it does affect adults as well. It’s most common in hot climates, and often occurs during hot and humid weather. Heat rash happens when blocked sweat pores stop perspiration from leaving your skin, causing many unpleasant symptoms that can lead to different levels of discomfort,
Types of heat rash:
The different types of heat rash are classified by how deep the pores are blocked, and the symptoms vary for each type of heat rash.
- Miliara crystallina is the heat rash that when the blockage in the sweat duct occurs in the top layer of the skin. The symptoms for this type of heat rash include fluid filled blisters that break easily
- Miliaria rubra is the next deepest blockage, and this type of heat rash is often referred to as prickly heat. The most common symptoms for this are red bumps, itchy skin and prickling in the area that has been affected.
- Miliaria pustulosa is when miliaria rubra becomes inflamed and filled with pus.
- Miliaria profunda is the least common form of heat rash, and it’s the deepest. This is when the dermis (a deep layer of skin) becomes blocked. This type of heat rash causes firm and skin coloured lesions that look similar to goosebumps (goose pimples)
Heat rash can be treated at home in most cases, but under some circumstances it’s advised to see your doctor.
- If your child has symptoms that last longer than a few days and the rash seems to be getting worse
- Signs of infections such as increased pain, warmth around the affected area, swelling and redness
- Pus draining from the lesions
- Swollen lymph nodes (groin, armpit or neck)
- If you develop a fever or chills.
Most common causes of heat rash:
- Sweat ducts that haven’t been fully developed. This is one of the reasons that heat rash most often occurs in children
- Hot and tropical climates
- Intense physical activity
- When your body overheats
- Heat rash often occurs in people who have been confined to bed rest for long periods of time.
If you or your child isn’t experiencing any of the symptoms that would lead you to seek professional medical attention, you can handle the heat rash on your own. Here are 10 home remedies for heat rash:
10 Home Remedies for Heat Rash
#1 – Turn down the heat in the shower and bath Heat rash responds well after the skin has been cooled, that is why it’s recommended to bathe and shower in cool water. It’s also recommended to gently, but thoroughly wash your skin in the area of the heat rash, this will help unclog the pores. Since it’s clogged pores that are responsible for heat rash in the first place, keeping clean is a priority.
It’s also important to note that drying your skin off thoroughly after showering or bathing is important, because wet skin becomes irritated much easier.
#2 – Dress light This one is a no-brainer. Sweat and heat are what causes heat rash, so you’ll want to wear clothing that will help you avoid sweating and over-heating. It’s also a good idea to wear moisture-wicking clothing if you plan on sweating. Moisture wicking clothing takes the sweat away from skin and onto the outside layer of the clothing. This also helps cool down your skin, and you may feel a cooling effect when you sweat.
#3 – Ice packs or cold compress Continuing on with the theme of keeping your skin cool, you can take that one step further and apply cold directly to your heat rash. Cold packs and compresses are great for soothing irritated skin, just make sure to never apply ice directly to your skin. If you have heat rash on your face, it’s a good idea to soak a clean cloth in cold water, ring the cloth out slightly and apply to your face.
You can do this 3-4 times per day, applying the cold compress or icepack for up to 20 minutes to your heat rash.
#4 – Oatmeal Oatmeal is an old home remedy for heat rash, and it’s been scientifically proven to work. Oatmeal reduces inflammation and itching, and because of this is also a great remedy for many other skin conditions.
The best way to apply oatmeal is to make a paste of one part water and one part oatmeal, and mix together until it forms a paste. Apply this paste to your heat rash for 20 minutes at a time, 3-4 times per day until your heat rash is gone.
#5 – Aloe vera Aloe vera is perhaps the best known, and one of the oldest natural remedies for all kinds of skin conditions. Aloe vera is anti-inflammatory and antiseptic and also has a cooling effect on the skin. You can use natural aloe vera or the store bought aloe vera gel. You can apply aloe vera to your heat rash directly several times per day.
10 Home Remedies for Heat Rash
#6 – Topical antihistamines These are available over the counter, and they work great for relieving your heat rash. Although this may not be the most effective remedy for heat rash, if you’re experiencing itching an antihistamine is a great way to relieve it. Check with your doctor before giving/applying antihistamines to your child.
#7 – Baking soda Baking soda has many uses, and one of those is its ability to soothe the skin. It’s also a great remedy because most of us already have it on-hand in our pantries, making it easily accessible remedy if you’re in a bind. All you have to do is add 4-5 tablespoons to a lukewarm bath and soak for about 20 minutes. You can repeat this daily until your heat rash is gone.
#8 – Talcum powder (unscented) Talcum powder is great at keeping your skin dry and sweat free. This helps keep your pores free and clean. It’s important to use unscented talcum powder because the scented powder can irritate your skin or your already tender heat rash. This also works great at preventing heat rash in the first place if applied to the sweat prone areas of your body before getting dressed. Use talcum powder much in the same you would use deodorant.
#9 – Keep yourself in shape and healthy A good clean diet and regular exercise go a long way in preventing heat rash from occurring in the first place. When you regularly sweat due to exercise and your body is used to clean and healthy food, you have a much lower chance of getting heat rash. This is because your body works more efficiently, your pores are cleaned from regular sweating, and you have fewer toxins in your body due to a healthy diet and regular sweating.
#10 – Calamine lotion This lotion is worth it’s weight in gold for people with skin conditions. Calamine lotion has many benefits for the skin because it contains zinc oxide, and this is one of the reasons it is an effective treatment for heat rash. All you have to do is dab some calamine lotion on to your heat rash, and re-apply 2-3 times per day until your heat rash is gone.
If you’re experiencing heat rash, these natural home remedies are a great way to deal with it without having to resort to harsh pharmaceuticals.
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Heat Rash References and Heat Rash Information
- Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heat-rash/symptoms-causes/syc-20373276
- NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heat-rash-prickly-heat/#:~:text=Heat%20rash%20is%20usually%20caused,as%20adults%20and%20children%20can.
- MedicineNet: https://www.medicinenet.com/heat_rash/article.htm
- Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heat-rash/symptoms-causes/syc-20373276#:~:text=To%20help%20protect%20yourself%20or,as%20warmly%20as%20an%20adult.
- US National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6301073/
- National Library of Medicine: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17373175/
- Pharmacognosy: https://www.phytojournal.com/archives/?year=2014&vol=2&issue=5%E2%88%82=B&ArticleId=249
- Taylor and Francis Online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09546630410024862
- Pub Med: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24014789/
- Read Also: https://homeremediesapp.com/10-home-remedies-for-sunburn/