Prickly heat is a disease characteristic of infants. It occurs as a result of insufficient or improper hygiene of the baby's body (in most cases, overheating occurs due to tight swaddling). Slow evaporation of sweat and increased perspiration lead to the appearance of a small red rash on the skin, which contributes to the penetration of infection.
Yet prickly heat is not an exclusively childhood illness. In adults, after applying warming compresses for infectious diseases, fever, profuse sweating, and a rash can begin.
Sweating - reasons
Sweating is the result of increased sweating. In a normal state in adults, sweating increases during physical exertion or a reaction to overheating is possible. Excessive perspiration is also characteristic of chronic diseases, diseases of the nervous and endocrine systems. The chemical composition of sweat may change, becoming an unpleasant odor.
In babies, the thermoregulation of the body is not perfect, or rather, it is adapted for a long time to the aquatic environment. In adults, sweat glands react to overheating by sweating, the child's body can not yet perform such functions. If the baby is hot, then his skin produces a certain secret. If it is tightly wrapped or a too thick layer of cream is applied to the skin of the child - in this case, no secret is released on the surface of the skin, it accumulates in the glands. Therefore, there is a metabolic disorder and a rash appears on the skin.
Sweating may occur during the illness of the child. At elevated temperatures, the baby is sweating heavily and in the inaccessible areas of the body for ventilation (on the elbow bends, in the folds on the legs and neck, under the diaper, behind the ears) you can notice a pink small rash.
Sweating - Symptoms
In children and adults, there are several types of pruritus, which differ in symptoms.
Crystal prickly heat appears on the body in the form of a small rash and does not cause itching. These bubbles burst quickly, then dry and exfoliate. In most cases, this type of sweating is characteristic of heavily sweating, febrile and weakened children.
Red nodules with a bubble inside appear in the folds of the body - this is how red sweating appears. It causes severe itching and disappears in 1-2 weeks. If the infection joins, then the manifestations of the rash can drag on for a month.
Sweating - diagnosis
White prickly heat is characterized by the presence of milky white in the fluid bubbles. With yellow prickly heat, yellow pustules form, which subsequently form abscesses.
In adults, there are three types of pruritus. At high temperature and acute diseases, crystalline develops. Profuse sweating blocks the sweat pores and temporary cysts form in the sweat glands. This prickly heat is diagnosed by small bubbles, in which there is a clear liquid. They protrude on the skin of the legs, arms, chest and abdomen. In this case, any unpleasant sensations or itching does not occur. Such prickly heat lasts from one day to several days, and then it itself disappears.
Red sweating occurs most often after a prolonged stay in warm, “non-breathing” clothing, heavy physical exertion, or being in a room with a high temperature. It manifests itself in the form of a reddish rash on the knee and elbow bends, as well as on the trunk and does not disappear for 2 weeks.
Papular (tropical) prickly heat occurs in tropical countries. It is peculiar to people less adapted to heat. Symptoms reminiscent of red prickly heat.
Sweating - treatment and prevention
If you follow simple hygiene rules, then prickly heat will pass without any treatment. But through the irritated skin a variety of harmful bacteria can enter the body, so it is advisable to get rid of prickly heat as soon as possible.
To cure sweating, you must first get rid of excessive sweating. To do this, use a formalin solution, powders and other means. It is possible to use physiotherapeutic procedures, reflexology and sedatives that relieve nervous tension.
With the help of Botox, hyperhidrosis is treated. Botulinum toxin poison paralyzes sweat glands and nerve endings. When introduced under the skin, it acts for several months.
Surgery is also possible with sweating, which brings a lot of inconvenience. The doctor crosses the nerve, which innervates the sweat gland, after which sweating disappears.
To avoid skin irritation during sweating, you need to wear loose clothing made from natural fabrics, take baths daily (with potassium permanganate or on herbs) with disinfecting properties.
You can also use antihistamines, which will reduce the swelling of the skin and ointment (for example, menthol).
