If sweat glands clog in warm temperatures and high humidity and sweat can no longer evaporate, heat rashes often occur. How to recognize the heat rash, what works against miliaria and whether there are ways to prevent the skin disease.
In itself, heat rashes are a harmless skin condition that indicates that the ducts of the sweat glands are blocked. Typical are vesicles up to the size of a pinhead, light to reddish in color and filled with liquid. Heat rashes are also common in babies and indicate a build-up of heat on the body.
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Identify skin diseases with these images
What are heat rash?
Heat rash is an inflammatory skin condition and is medically known as miliaria. They are caused by clogged sweat glands that prevent sweat from evaporating normally. Other names include heat rash, Frizzy sweat, sweat blisters, sweat blisters or dermatitis hidrotica.
Typically, heat rashes develop on areas of the skin where many sweat glands are located. These include the cleavage, armpits and upper back. Heat rashes also develop on the groin, below the chest or in babies’ diapers – these areas are where body heat often accumulates.
What heat rashes look like
Depending on the location and appearance, there are two types of heat rash. In Miliaria cristallina, the sweat gland is superficially blocked, while in Miliaria rubra the blockage occurs in deeper layers of the skin.
Miliaria cristallina:
Light-colored vesicles bulging with liquid
mostly the size of a pinhead
often on the torso (armpits, cleavage, back, neck)
without inflammation
can be easily opened by pressing
Miliaria rubra / Red dog:
Inflamed, red-colored heat pimples
itching
Swelling and pain in the skin are also possible
cannot be opened by pressure
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Large area with reddish heat pimples.
© iStock.com/ARISA THEPBANCHORNCHAI
Causes: This is how heat rashes develop
Usually, heat rashes occur when the air is warm and humid. They can also be the result of profuse sweating from a fever or exercise. Clothing that is too warm, tight and / or synthetic that prevents perspiration from evaporating can also lead to miliaria. If bacteria or fungi then settle, the skin can become inflamed – recognizable by the reddened heat rash.
Heat rash in babies and children
Parents often see heat rash in their baby or child during the summer months. In most cases, clothes that are too warm and that do not allow any air to reach the skin are to blame for the heat rash. In babies and children, heat can easily build up on the small body, but overheating is often not noticed that quickly. If the body cannot release the heat to the outside, the sweat glands become clogged.
Diagnosing a heat rash
Since heat rashes are usually harmless and go away on their own, medical help only needs to be sought if the person concerned is severely itchy or inflamed. The doctor usually makes the diagnosis on the basis of a visual diagnosis of the affected skin areas. Parents who experience heat rash in their baby should contact their pediatrician.
What to do against heat rash?
Most often, no special treatment for heat rash is necessary as it will heal on its own. It is often enough if the skin is no longer exposed to the high temperatures and the affected areas of the skin get air. The type of clothing also plays a role: instead of being tight-fitting, it should be wide and airy, preferably made of natural materials such as linen or cotton. Babies and toddlers in particular should be dressed according to the onion principle in warm temperatures so that they can put on or take off items of clothing when necessary.
However, if the skin is severely inflamed and itchy, antihistamines can be taken. Other drugs help against inflamed heat rashes: ointments containing cortisone, a drying zinc oxide shaking mixture from the pharmacy and antibiotic or antifungal ointments against bacteria or fungi.
Recognize skin diseases in children
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