My wife’s nephew in Viet Nam is suffering from what sounds like heat rash. Eager to provide him with the benefits of western medicine, we looked up the cure in our home health book. It’s one and only piece of advice? Move to a cooler climate. (This is why people turn to acupuncture and homeopathy.) It goes on to say that ointments should be avoided, and powders, while not actually damaging, are unlikely to help either. Presumably there are easier ways to keep cool than actually moving away from your home, so we’ll advise him to do that. Is there any other advice I can pass along?
That book you read is wrong. There are some creams that can relieve the painful burning. Ozonol which is available in Canada works very well on a heat rash. Also, powders such as Goldbond do help when applied in the morning. If the weather is especially hot and humid, it may be neccesary to dry the area and reapply the powder a couple of times during the day. Keeping the area as dry as possible is the sure fire way to eliminate the problem.
Heat rash, if it is heat rash, needs a layer of cotton (t-shirt, for example) between whatever is against the area and the area itself. For babies it often is under the chin, baby’s drooling and the chin rests on the neck and somewhere in those creases=heat rash. For babies, the neck of the undershirt is too scooped-necked to separate the two skin surfaces, etc… So look at the rash carefully and see what can be placed between the rash and whatever is against it. Don’t choke the little guy, apply the layer of cotton too tightly, etc. change the cotton often, keep the area dry.
If this person is living in the tropics, make sure it’s just simple heat rash. Lots of tropical nasty things look like a rash. I don’t think people should try to diagnose rashes at long distance.
Also, it could be an allergic rash, or a sensitivity to some fabric or rubber or something. They really ought to check with a local doctor.
Also symptoms of rubella, measles, etc. I’m a worrywart, I know.
Around our house we have been using hydrocortisone cream (Cortaid, TM, for example) to help after we already have heat rash-- it improves after a day or so of use.
Cold aloe vera-- works great on sunburn, too.
So…How about suggestions for dealing with heat rash under your arms? I don’t think in 95+ weather that going without deodorant is a viable option, but even my cotton T-shirts are irritating my skin, so I need to figure out something to help it. Before anyone asks, I’m almost entirely sure it’s not razor burn since it showed up before I shaved last. Thanks!
Benadryl usually works wonders for me.
Happy
As I apparently said at one point, use some hydrocortisone on it in the evening after you get home (or several times a day if possible). It won’t make it feel better right away but will fix it in a couple of days, in my experience.
Actually, the creams are supposed to be avoided, since heat rash is caused by trapped sweat under your skin. The creams help to further clog the glands, and make it harder for your body to release the trapped sweat. I had a nasty bout of heat rash this summer for a little bit, when my AC was dead for a month. I essentially just had to make sure I stayed dry…
Jman
Gah! Worrywarts? Don’t touch me!
Seriously though. Being a chronic itcher myself (skin reacts to standard irritants like urushiol, nickel, camphor, etc. but the rash is 100× worse than most will ever see), I can only offer what I have found to be the most effective treatment to eliminate the itch, even though it doesn’t do anything for the underlying condition: Hot Water.
Run hot water over the itchy area; as hot as you can stand it. The sensation is unusual, somewhat satisfying (as if you were scratching the itch) but not painful. Keep increasing the water temp as you become accustomed to it. I personally find that, after slowly increasing the temp, I can take it straight our of the water heater. After about 15-30 seconds of this, the intense itching will subside and the area will be itch-free for about 8 hours.
IANAD and this may or may not be a good idea for heat rash
For general treatment, I have had good results with methylprednisolone (prescription only). Lucky for me, my doctor now knows how sensitive I am to urushiol and will write me the prescription over the phone. But this only works if the rash is the result of an allergic reaction. I don’t know if heat rash falls into that category.
Word of warning about Goldbond powder: Do not let it get anywhere near your naughty bits. That’s all I’m going to say on the matter. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
The best topical OTC cream I’ve used is Aveeno. They also make an oatmeal bath that might be a good idea if the rash covers large parts of the body. I think colloidal oatmeal bath preparations are available from generic suppliers (i.e., CVS brand) as well.
How old is your nephew? If he’s an infant, I wouldn’t use Goldbond powder, or really any powder unless it’s unscented baby powder made with cornstarch rather than talc.
My daughter is prone to heat rash. On the places where her folds of skin get red and chaffed, I use Desitin Creamy. On more open areas, if the rash is very itchy I’ll use 1% hydrocortisone cream or ointment.