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How to Get Rid of Heat Rash

medical dermatology New York, NY It’s safe to say that the hottest months of the year are July and August. And although you may spend your free time cooling off in the pool, your skin could easily be heating up without you noticing it. As a condition that causes your sweat glands to become clogged, heat rash or prickly heat can cause red, itchy, prickly bumps all across your body. If you or your loved one gets heat rash this summer, use the tips listed below on how to combat it. Read on to learn more.

Get Out of the Sun

The first thing you should do when you get heat rash or a sunburn is to get out of the sun and heat. The sooner you can give your skin a break from the sun, the faster you are going to recover.

Air Dry

One of the best things you can do for heat rash is to let it breathe. Rather than covering your body in tight layers of clothing or drying it with a towel, try to air dry and wear loose clothing. If you can, allowing your entire body to air dry for about 30 minutes is ideal but not possible for many people.

Avoid Too Much Lotion

Even though your natural instinct may be to reach for a dermatologist recommended body cream or lotion to get rid of the red, itchy skin, that’s the last thing you should do. Remember that heat rash is caused by clogged sweat glands and so adding more products to your skin will only clog them more. However, if your heat rash is severe, you may want to try a more medicated cream like Calamine lotion or anhydrous lanolin to soothe the itching and open up the sweat glands.

Your heat rash should subside in about 12-24 hours, if your symptoms persist for more than a couple of days or if they get worse, contact Dr. Barry Goldman and schedule an appointment. If you would like to learn more about how you can protect your skin from the sun, contact Dr. Barry Goldman’s office today!

Posted in: Medical Dermatology