Everything you need to know about prickly heat in babies

Baby's sensitive skin is quite prone to prickly heat. Prickly heat or what is known in the medical term miliaria can usually heal on its own. However, the symptoms of prickly heat on your baby's skin may keep him fussy due to the itching. So that it can be handled properly, let's understand more deeply about prickly heat in the following babies.

Causes of prickly heat in babies

Prickly heat is an inflammation of the skin caused by a blockage in the sweat ducts.

Supposedly, the sweat produced by the glands under the skin can flow up the surface through these channels and out through the pores.

In the top layer of the skin, the sweat will then evaporate itself. However, because the duct is blocked, the sweat fluid is trapped under the skin. This causes inflammation and a rash in the form of blistered bumps.

What causes clogged sweat ducts isn't always clear. However, launching the Mayo Clinic, the appearance of prickly heat in babies is generally caused by imperfect sweat ducts.

Everyone sweats to cool off themselves. However, the sweat ducts in the baby's body are not fully developed. The resulting sweat can get trapped in a duct that is still weak, then burst and leak trapped under the baby's skin.

Prickly heat is common in babies in the first week of life. The reddish rash caused by this skin disease is especially likely to appear influenced by increased body heat or ambient temperature.

Various things that can cause a baby to sweat more, include:

Living in a tropical climate
The baby has a fever
Wear thick clothes in hot weather
The baby is cared for in an incubator

Sweating is closely related to hot temperatures. Well, this heat can trigger the baby to sweat a lot, which may not be all that can be removed.

Signs and symptoms of prickly heat in babies

The human body is filled with sweat glands, so that prickles can appear on the skin of any part of the body.

Even so, prickly rash blisters most often appear on the folds of the baby's skin, such as the armpits, folds of the elbows, thighs, and neck. Sometimes, prickly heat can also be found on areas of the skin that are covered with clothing, such as the back, chest, and groin.

Apart from seeing the location of the rash, other signs and symptoms of prickly heat in babies are:

Lumps in the form of red, water-filled lumps that are very small on the skin.
The blisters appear not only one, but many at the same time and spread over one area of the skin.
Mild skin swelling.

In older babies, the blisters can be very itchy and tend to be painful and sore, like a prickling sensation.

Your baby may not be able to talk to let you know that he is itching and sore. However, you can notice the symptoms of prickly heat when you find lots of red spots on the baby's skin and your little one is acting very fussy or restless. Babies may also have more difficulty sleeping than usual when they experience prickly heat.

When to see a doctor

If your baby continues to be fussy and makes you worry, don't hesitate to consult a doctor. The following are some of the signs and symptoms that require your little one to be taken to the doctor:

The appearance of a rash is accompanied by fever
The small blisters are not filled with water but pus
The rash spreads, when touched feels warm and swollen
There are swollen lymph nodes in the armpit, neck, or groin

The doctor will evaluate the cause of prickly heat in the baby. Then, recommend a suitable treatment for the baby. This can include home remedies alone or in combination with prescription medications.

How to treat prickly heat in babies naturally

Mild prickly heat can heal on its own. Especially if the baby is no longer sweating and you are drying the skin properly. However, that does not mean you can underestimate this condition.

Prickly blisters are sweat bubbles that can burst at any time. If not treated properly, prickly heat can get worse and cause infection to fill up with pus. Prickly heat that is filled with pus and can burst is called miliaria pustulosa.

Well, here are some natural ways to treat prickly heat that you can try on babies at home:

Oatmeal baths

Oatmeal baths are often used as a home remedy to treat skin problems such as prickly heat. However, the oatmeal used is colloidal oatmeal not the oatmeal you normally eat. Colloidal oatmeal is known to reduce itching and soothe the skin.

To do this, mix 1-2 cups of raw colloidal oats in a baby bath filled with warm water. Mix the bath water well and then let the baby soak for no more than 20 minutes.

You can also make a paste from a mixture of oatmeal and water in a 1: 1 ratio. Then, mix well and apply on the baby's skin. Let stand a few moments and after that rinse the baby's body until clean and dry.

Scrub the oatmeal porridge should be done a few minutes before the baby shower.

Aloe vera gel (aloe vera)

Aloe vera (aloe vera) contains anti-inflammatory properties that can relieve symptoms of prickly heat in babies. Aloe vera can also provide a cool sensation on the baby's skin so that the pain will be reduced.

In addition, this gel also contains compounds that are antiseptic so that it can prevent infection of the baby's skin. You can apply this gel directly to the problem areas of the skin.

Neem powder

Neem or neem leaf is a plant that is often used as herbal medicine, because of its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory compounds. You can use the powder as a remedy for prickly heat.

To do this, mix the neem powder with water to make a paste. Then, apply the paste in a thin layer to the baby's skin for a few minutes and rinse thoroughly. Do this a few minutes before taking a shower so that it doesn't get cleaner.

This treatment is shown to cure mild prickly heat in babies. You can get ingredients or drugs without a doctor's prescription. However, you have to do this treatment with caution because the baby's skin condition is sensitive.

In addition, it is possible that the baby also has allergies to certain substances. So, do a sensitivity test first on the skin to avoid a more severe allergic reaction. Just apply a little of the natural ingredients used as medicine on the baby's healthy skin and wait for at least 1 hour.

If a red rash appears on the baby's skin, you should stop your plan to do this treatment. If not, you can apply a thin layer of the medication to part of the skin. Observe the treatment you are taking is effective in dealing with prickly heat in babies or not. To be safer, don't hesitate to consult a doctor.

Some of the more common over-the-counter medications used to treat prickly heat include:

How to treat prickly heat in babies with medicine

Apart from home remedies, you can also use drugs that are sold in pharmacies to cure prickly heat in babies. Ask the pharmacist what medicine is appropriate for the baby's age and how to use it.

There may be some drugs that cannot be used over the counter for babies, so you need your doctor's approval first. Here are some medicines that can be purchased at a pharmacy, including:

Calamine lotion

Among all drugs, calamine lotion is the drug most commonly used. This lotion contains zinc oxyde which helps relieve itching and irritation by creating a special coating on the surface of the skin.

How to use it, pour a little lotion on the cotton. Then, apply the cotton to the baby's skin with problems. You can use this lotion as needed when the baby's skin is clean.

Oral or topical antihistamines

To reduce itching, you can use antihistamine drugs. This medication is available in topical form (applied to the skin) or orally (taken by mouth). However, before use, consult your doctor first. Your doctor will help you weigh the benefits as well as the side effects.

Hydrocortisone cream

Apart from antihistamines, hydrocortisone cream can also be used to treat prickly heat. However, the use of drugs must be supervised by a doctor. The reason is, improper use can cause skin irritation and aggravate prickly heat in babies.

Home remedies to relieve prickly heat symptoms

In order for the skin to recover quickly from this skin problem, home care is needed. In addition, home care can also reduce symptoms so that the baby is no longer fussy and the skin looks better.

Here are some baby skin care at home that you can do to support treatment, including:

Make sure the air in the house is not hot

Hot air can cause a baby to sweat a lot. This oozing of sweat can exacerbate existing prickly heats and even cause a new rash. Set the cooler at home, be it air conditioning or a fan, so that the baby is not too hot.

If you use a fan, do not aim it in one direction only or deliberately bring the baby close to the fan. Heavy wind exposure can make it difficult to breathe and get cold.

Choose clothes that are soft and loose

Prickly blisters can break and cause open sores. This can happen because of the friction from the clothes against the skin. So that the friction of the skin and clothes is not too big, choose clothes that are loose in size and made from soft materials.

If the prickly heat also attacks the abdominal area, you also need to loosen up the diaper fitting. Loose sizes of clothes and diapers allow air to enter and allow the skin to breathe.

Apart from clothes, you need to trim baby's nails regularly. The goal is that the touch or rubbing of the baby's nails does not break prickly heat blisters.

Use powder

To reduce friction on problem skin, cover the baby's skin with powder. However, choose a fragrance-free powder that is safe for baby's skin. When using this powder, you need to be careful.

Using loose powder is very risky for young babies, so it is better if you have liquid powder.

Look for products that are fragrance and preservative free so they don't cause irritation. Apply a thin layer of this powder on areas prone to sweating, such as the armpits, back, and body folds.

Tips to prevent prickly heat in babies

Prickly heat generally can be cured easily. However, it can also reappear. So that your little one doesn't experience these skin problems in the future, follow some of the following prevention tips.

Wear thin clothes and absorb sweat during hot weather

Thick clothes do cover the baby's skin from exposure to dirt in the air. However, it can cause problems if used at the wrong time, for example during hot weather.

Choose clothes that at least let your skin breathe. Not only clothes, blankets, hats, and gloves should also be removed so that the baby's body does not sweat and triggers prickly heat.

Keep the baby from sweating too much

Prickly heat is prone to occur when the body sweats a lot. For this reason, avoiding sun exposure during the day or being in a room without good air ventilation is one way to prevent prickly heat from growing in babies.

You can use an umbrella if you take your little one outside during the day so that the baby does not overheat. You can also take the baby out of a room that you think is hot to a cooler area.

Choose the right baby product and use it properly

Sweat clogging can also be prevented by choosing products for the right skin. Avoid products that contain alcohol, fragrances, and dyes because they can irritate the skin.

In addition, apply the product thinly on the skin so that it doesn't clog pores and interfere with sweating.