Why do I get heat rash every summer?

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Heat rash - miliaria, or prickly heat - happens when sweat glands get blocked: sweat produced in hot, humid weather cannot reach the surface, backs up under the skin, and inflames the area into clusters of small red bumps or clear blisters with a prickly, itchy feel. MedlinePlus notes it is especially common in babies, whose sweat glands are immature, but adults get it reliably in the same conditions: hot humid weather, heavy sweating, tight or synthetic clothing, skin folds, and long periods sitting or lying on sweaty surfaces - car seats and lawn chairs are classics.

It is harmless and self-limiting: move somewhere cooler, dry the skin, and most rashes fade within days. What helps: loose breathable cotton, staying in airflow or air conditioning during heat waves, showers after sweating, and letting skin dry fully before dressing. Skip heavy ointments and oily lotions on the rash - they block glands further; a light calamine or cool compress eases the itch.

When heat rash is more: bumps that get increasingly painful, swollen, warm, or pus-filled suggest infection and need a doctor. And remember the real summer danger is not the rash but heat illness - cramps, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and stopping sweating in extreme heat are the emergency signs, not the bumps.

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Why do I get heat rash every summer?

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