Prickly heat is often caused by exposure to warm temperatures and will normally clear up on its own after a few days. There are a few simple treatments to help reduce symptoms, but a visit to the doctor may be necessary in some situations.
The face, neck, shoulders, and chest are the most common places for prickly heat to occur, although it may show up anywhere. It can affect anyone, but children are more likely to have it than adults.
Prickly heat is usually easy to identify due to its straightforward symptoms. Tiny red bumps and itching on an area of skin that has been exposed to heat and sweat for a long time are common signs of prickly heat.
Sometimes the red bumps can develop into a series of tiny blisters. The bumps or blisters may swell, become irritated or itchy, and redden as the rash progresses.
Prickly heat may spread on the body, but it is not infectious. Under normal conditions, there is no way to pass the rash on to other people.
Prickly heat is caused by trapped sweat. When the body is hot, it activates the sweat glands to create sweat on the skin. The sweat then cools the skin as it evaporates.
