Heat rash treatment: What to know about the condition and how to get rid of it quick

For most, summertime shine is a welcome change after a cold winter, but the summer heat comes with its own dangers.

Heat rash is something that adults, children and infants can experience when sweat gets trapped underneath the skin, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms of heat rash can range from small blisters to inflamed bumps, itching can also be caused by heat rash.

The severity of the heat rash, also referred to as "prickly heat" or "miliaria," depends on how deep the sweat is trapped underneath the skin. 

Heat rashes can be annoying and even painful, so here are how you can notice the signs of a heat rash and treat heat rash: 

Heat rash treatment

Let your skin cool down naturally. Avoiding the heat and the sun, especially in the area where the heat rash is located, will help the skin cool down and allow the rash to heal quickly, according to the Mayo Clinic.  

Dress in cotton clothing. Clothing made of cotton helps airflow travel through the material to your skin, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Synthetic, tight material could trap heat on your skin.

Avoid irritation. It is best to avoid any tight-fitting clothing and stick with looser options to avoid any irritation on or around the heat rash, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 

Anti-itch medication. If your heat rash is causing serious itching or pain, there are creams and lotions that your healthcare provider may recommend to calm the area, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 

Fever medication. If you are experiencing a fever due to your heat rash, over-the-counter medication, like Advil or Aleve, can help bring down your temperature, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

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Heat rash symptoms

There are a few levels of heat rash, and based on your form of heat rash and how deep the sweat is stuck under the skin, the symptoms vary:

Miliaria crystallina is the mildest form of heat rash, and it is shown by “tiny, clear, fluid-filled bumps that break easily,” according to the Mayo Clinic. These occur when the sweat duct opening on the skin’s surface is blocked.

Miliaria rubra is also known as the "prickly heat," and this is shown through “small, inflamed blister-like bumps and itching or prickling,” according to the Mayo Clinic. If these bumps are filled with puss, then it is called milaria pustulosa. 

Miliaria profunda is the least common form of heat rash, and it causes painful or itchy bumps that are representative of goosebumps and may pop open, according to the Mayo Clinic.

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