Heat rash


Is prickly heat powder effective for children's prickly heat?
When children develop heat rash, using prickly heat powder is useful. Heat rash in children is caused by the blockage of sweat ducts in the skin, leading to a type of skin disease. Conditions such as poor development of sweat ducts in newborns, overly hot external environments, and prolonged bed rest can make children more prone to heat rash. Once a child develops heat rash, measures to cool and dry the skin are usually effective in improving the condition. Topical medications can also be applied locally, including ingredients like calamine, prickly heat powder, etc. The principles of using topical medications are cooling, itching relief, and astringency. The components of prickly heat powder include talcum, borneol, zinc oxide, and menthol, which can help remove dampness, disperse wind, cool the skin, and relieve itching. Therefore, using prickly heat powder is useful when children develop heat rash. (The use of medications should be carried out under the guidance of a physician)


Can children with prickly heat take baths?
Children can bathe when they have prickly heat, and it is even recommended to bathe frequently. Prickly heat is caused by the blockage of sweat ducts. Factors such as the underdevelopment of newborns' sweat ducts, humid and hot external environments, prolonged bed rest, and skin infections can all cause prickly heat. When children develop prickly heat, we can apply mild topical medications. In terms of diet, it is also important to avoid spicy, irritating, and allergenic foods, and to ensure frequent bathing and proper ventilation to improve the skin's external environment.


Can bathing with mugwort remove heat rash?
Bathing with mugwort can effectively help remove heat rash from the body, as mugwort itself has the effects of relieving itching and dispelling cold. It can adjust the skin well, and can dredge meridians and promote blood circulation, leading to effective improvements. It is particularly effective in treating heat rash, especially in cases like itchy eczema. To prevent heat rash, it is crucial not to stay in damp environments for too long and to bathe regularly to maintain dryness.


Do children get itchy from heat rash?
It itches. Miliaria, caused by blocked sweat ducts, commonly occurs in newborns due to their underdeveloped sweat ducts, as well as in hot environments and situations like prolonged bedrest, which can easily lead to the condition. Some skin infections that block sweat ducts can also cause miliaria. Miliaria is classified into types such as clear miliaria, red miliaria, pustular miliaria, and deep miliaria. Red miliaria is characterized by a burning and itching sensation. In areas with pustular miliaria lesions, there is also a burning, itching, and painful sensation, while the symptoms in areas affected by clear and deep miliaria are less noticeable.


What should I do if a baby gets prickly heat?
If babies develop prickly heat, it should be considered that their sweat glands are underdeveloped, making them susceptible to changes in temperature which can lead to increased sweating. Their sweat can block the sweat glands and increase the occurrence of prickly heat. In terms of treatment, first of all, it's important to pay attention to the temperature of the baby's living environment, ensuring a certain level of humidity and temperature to reduce the stimulus of sweating. Additionally, care should be taken that the clothing is not too tightly wrapped; preferably choose cotton and loose clothing to keep the skin breathable. Furthermore, if prickly heat occurs, you can apply baby-specific prickly heat powder for topical application. Also, pay attention to any symptoms of skin infection, and if present, timely medication should be administered to avoid exacerbation of symptoms leading to infection.


How to distinguish eczema from prickly heat
Eczema and heat rash have clear differences, including different causes. Eczema is primarily caused by allergens, as well as excessive mental stress, anxiety, and hormonal imbalances. Heat rash, on the other hand, usually arises from overly humid and hot environments that affect normal sweating function, leading to blocked sweat ducts. Their clinical manifestations also differ. Eczema typically presents as polymorphic and symmetrically distributed lesions, usually manifesting as papules and vesicular papules, and in severe cases, erosion, exudation, and significant itching are observed. Heat rash clinically appears as tiny, pin-sized blisters that emerge in clusters and merge into patches, typically found at skin folds without symmetry. White heat rash generally has less noticeable itching, whereas red heat rash is itchy and can also feel burning.


How to relieve itching from prickly heat in children
Heat rash in children is primarily caused by blockages in the sweat ducts, due to the poor development of neonatal sweat ducts, a humid and hot external environment, and prolonged bed rest. Based on the appearance of the heat rash, it can be categorized into white heat rash, red heat rash, pustular heat rash, and deep heat rash. Red heat rash can feel itchy and burning; pustular heat rash can cause burning, itching, and pain; white and deep heat rash do not typically present noticeable symptoms. When a child's heat rash feels itchy, topical medications can be applied for relief. Local cold compresses or ice packs can also be used to alleviate itchiness and pain. Naturally, providing a cooler environment for the child is beneficial, including frequent baths to help clear the sweat ducts.


Can children eat eggs when they have prickly heat?
When children develop prickly heat, it is best not to feed them eggs. Prickly heat in children primarily occurs because the sweat glands in the skin become blocked, leading to a type of skin disease. When children develop prickly heat, we need to cool and dry their skin, which will improve and relieve the condition. In terms of diet, we should also avoid spicy and irritating foods, greasy foods, and foods that are likely to cause allergies. Eggs, being rich in proteins, can easily trigger allergies. Therefore, when a child has prickly heat, it is best to avoid giving them eggs. If the child's prickly heat is severe, we can also apply topical medications to the affected area. The principle for using medications should be based on cooling, astringent, and anti-itch properties.


Are heat rash and prickly heat the same?
Heat rash, also known as miliaria, is actually what is referred to in medicine as herpes simplex. It is different from prickly heat. Herpes simplex is caused by a viral infection, specifically the herpes simplex virus. It is characterized by clusters of small blisters and often occurs at the junctions of skin and mucous membranes. It is self-limiting but tends to recur, especially when the immune system is weakened. On the other hand, prickly heat occurs in the hot summer months when high temperatures and humidity make sweat evacuation difficult, leading to narrow and blocked sweat ducts, which results in prickly heat. It is usually intensely itchy. Thus, it is advisable to avoid rapid changes in skin temperature, such as moving from sweating heavily to suddenly entering an air-conditioned environment. This can cause sweat glands to close while sweat is still being produced heavily, leading to prickly heat. Treatment for herpes simplex involves antiviral therapy, whereas treatment for prickly heat primarily involves cooling, inducing sweat, and astringent measures.


How to remove baby's prickly heat
Baby prickly heat is mainly caused by the hot and humid living environment, which damages the skin. Therefore, it is important to enhance skin care, especially by improving the environmental temperature. Keeping the room ventilated by exchanging air is the best treatment method. If the skin symptoms are severe, Calamine lotion can be used, which can effectively alleviate the symptoms of prickly heat. The main treatment for prickly heat is prevention. Therefore, especially in summer, the clothes worn by infants should be loose and made of pure cotton. Avoid tight clothes or synthetic fabrics, as these can aggravate the symptoms of prickly heat by causing friction between the skin and the clothing. Also, pay attention to the diet and try to eat less spicy and stimulating food, choosing instead light and liquid-based foods. (The use of medication should be carried out under the guidance of a physician.)