Heat rash (oftentimes called prickly heat) can suddenly appear on your skin after a nice, long jog or a day of working out at the gym. These would appear as red bumps all over your skin, usually on your back and upper chest. You may suddenly feel a prickly sensation or a very itchy feeling around the areas where the heat rash appears. This is not really something that should cause you to worry, as this is often caused by blocked sweat glands which prevent perspiration to escape and dry up.
Perspiration is an important body function which aims to cool down your body temperature. A heat rash will appear on your skin if your sweat glands are blocked, and perspiration is trapped in the skin cells. When this happens, you should go to a place where there is adequate ventilation, preferably an air-conditioned room, which will allow you to relax until your body cools off. You can also take a cold shower to lessen the prickly and itchy sensation. If you are at home and you suddenly see heat rashes all over your body, you can try any one of these home remedies for heat rash:
Use baking soda or oatmeal powder.
Put either baking soda or very fine oatmeal power on your lukewarm bath water and wait until completely dissolved. Then soak in the tub for a few minutes, until you feel relieved from the prickly, itchy feeling. You will notice your heat rash healing and drying after doing this for a few days.
Use cold compress.
One way to stop the heat rash from affecting other areas is to put some ice cubes inside a sealed plastic bag and put a dishcloth around it. Apply on the affected areas for a few minutes to relieve the itch. Do this at least three times a day.
Use talcum powder, baking soda or cornstarch for dusting.
After your showers, use unscented talcum power, baking soda or cornstarch to dust yourself. These ingredients can capture the excess sweat and prevent you from getting heat rash.
Air-dry your heat rash for faster healing.
One of the simplest home remedies for heat rash is simply to leave the rash exposed to fresh air. Do not put a bandage over it or anything to cover the heat rash. Leave the skin free to breathe in order for the heat rash to heal faster.
Use special creams and lotions for heat rash.
Calamine lotion or smooth mentholated skin ointments and creams are effective home remedies for heat rash. You can also try using the gel from an aloe vera leaf, which is well known for its healing and moisturizing properties. Try applying this lotion two to three times every day, making sure to wash the infected area before reapplying the lotion. Do not use creams, ointments and lotions that are too thick, as these can further block the skin pores.
You should also avoid wearing very warm clothes or those fabrics that stick to the skin and block the sweat glands. If you live in a hot and humid country, you should wear loose, cotton clothes that will allow the skin to breathe.
These are easy-to-follow home remedies for heat rash that can help you alleviate the pain and discomfort caused by heat rashes. Make sure to consult your doctor if the heat rash does not disappear after weeks of treatment, as this may be a more serious case of infection.
