heat rash/prickly heat- help suggestions?

cutnstick

Big sympathy fellow itchers. I've not had prickly heat for years and now my arms, neck and upper chest are covered. I've been using some P20 that's not new (understatement) and I am starting to wonder if that has made it worse.
Taken the antihistamines and hoping for the best. Having a right year of the mosquitos loving me too. Any tips for that too? (feel like I'm 7 again not in my 30's!) Just one mass of ginger bitten rashy itchiness - lovely!

peat

I've found that my PMLE is brought on by UVA exposure so make sure that any sunscreen you use has UVA protection

[Deleted User]

I get prickly heat too, around my chin and neck if I am not careful. Titanium based suncreams work plus I always use a very good factor 50 hat from http://www.equatorsun.com/uv_protective_sunhats.jsp

I have several of the very wide brimmed hats and have even bought one for a wedding. I have managed to avoid ph since wearing the hats

System

I have had this since a small child, i am now in my forties,it drives me nuts!

I try to stay out of the sun but even being in the car,walking to get shopping,putting washing on the line has started it.

I have found also the high UVA suncreams help a bit (boots owm make are all 5 star i think)

I am trying antihistermines again,which make/drug do people find best for
this problem
when on antihistermines it helps but doesn't stop it totally.

When driving me crackers i put ice packs on the worst areas and i find that soothing,though not always possible to have one attached when
out and about!

Also i have never found dr's to be much help on this,as i was told i would grow out it! i'm still waiting :rolleyes:

darcy_craig

I have suffered with this for the last 17 years when ever i go abroad within 2 days i am a mess with the rash and the unbelievable itching that comes with it. my mother "diagnosed " prickly heat when i was 15 and i never thought anything else about i have tried every sun cream on the market (which only helped to encourage the rash).

On my honeymoon i spent most of it sat in a cold bath with my hubby attempting to convince me i was not ruining our trip on the plus side though we caught up on the episode of alias we missed (so glad we payed all that money) lol.

So i have avoided going away for fear of the dreaded rash, now i have seen DR`S about this and they have all been quick to say it is because i was over weight (which i thought was odd as it started in grease when i was 15 and a size 6) so to the Internet i turned, i tried all the home remedies copious amounts of vitamin d and c taking antihistamines before i traveled nothing worked.

from what i gathered on the net and read in medical journals the term prickly heat is an umbrella term for all rashes that arise when in a hot country, and prickly heat is often confused with pmle (polymorphic light eruption) the difference being prickly heat affects the arias where you sweat is the back of the knees, armpits ,under the breasts, and where clothes at on the skin and causing friction.

pmle on the other hand affect the skin that is exposed to sunlight any part that is covered by sufficient light filtering clothing will not become affected (this was where my mother and numerous DR`S has fallen down) because this is the only arias i was affected.

So for our anniversary darling hubby booked a trip to Florida (he has been running around excited at our impending trip to the house of the mouse while i had been positively sullen at the thought of ruining yet another holiday) so after three years of avoiding the DR i bit the bullet and booked an appointment i took with me articles and all manner of other things and was fully prepared not to leave until they listened to me.(this was a new DR as i had moved house) as it turned out she knew at once what the problem was and how to treat it i have pmle and now a long prescription of things to take with me to Florida.

Over the counter antihistamines have no affect on pmle nore does any over the counter cream, the only way to prevent it is dermatological sun screen, super strength antihistamines and if the an out break does arise steroid cream and a course of oral steroids all of which can only be obtained from the DR on prescription.

So i was told to try the sun screen (factor 50+ uva &uvb broad spectrum) before my trip and i have been sat in the garden today marveling at the result not one little bump not a sign of the itching!! i have about 8 125ml bottle to take with me.
i have also started the antihistamines 180mg`s compared to the 10mg once you get over the counter can only help.
my steroid cream is 10% as apposed to the 1% over the counter equivalent and i have a 5 day supply of 5mg steroids if worst comes to the worst and i do suffer a breakout these babies will knock it on the head in a matter of hours. so all in all i am good to go...

i am writing this because if it helps one person who has suffered anywhere near as much as i have it will be worth the cramp in my fingers lol

so in short its always worth a trip to the Dr because sometimes you might get a good one lol

for those that do suffer prickly heat and know for sure thats what it is, i might still be worth a trip to see if you can get the higher does antihistamine because from what i have read it really does help with prickly heat also there is a new product called magicool they have brought out a spray they say is proven to help (i have a couple of cans myself) its about £5 a can but it really does work at cooling you down on a hot day! now im off to Disney and i think i am more excited than hubby !!!:T

vatic

I've been suffering from prickly heat for about 10 years or so. It started randomly when I was a teenager and has continued on into adulthood. All of the doctors I have seen about it have been rubbish, and their recommendations/creams they've given me have always made it worse. Also, for the record, I'm not overweight (so the docs who say it's due to that are full of it!).

The only thing I've have found that helps is using mineral sunscreen. I used at least 20 different 'normal' sunscreens before reading about them on the internet. Unfortunately most mineral sunscreens turn you white and are significantly more expensive, so you have to experiment with what doesn't cause the rash. One that I've found that works well (with minimal whiteness) is Beyond Coastal, but it's an American brand. California Baby (also American) and Badger (sorry, Yankish too) have also had good reviews from people. Badger is available in online shops over here like Lovelula.com

If you are really worried about prickly heat and don't mind looking a bit nerdy, I have also found that those shirts with SPF built in (can be bought at outdoorsy stores) have been a godsend. The worst areas affected for me are my forearms and I purchased two long-sleeved 'SPF' shirts. I wore them all the time (not exactly glamourous beach wear!) and even while swimming in the ocean. They were fantastic because I didn't even have to worry about the possibility of getting a rash.

Having said that, I was extremely encouraged last summer when at the end of my beach holiday with family, I tried some Coppertone Sport Continuous Spray SPF 50 (and then later bought some spf 30) and I have used it several times since then with no rash!! So if you are Florida/US-bound that is another one to keep your eye out for.

Fen1

This Australian medical research might be useful:

http://melanotan.org/

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00472901

loupee

For those suffering from prickly heat or PMLE it might be worht trying a product called Uvistat. It is a sun lotion made to pharmaceutical standards, and is often precribed be doctors as a first step in dealing with these conditions. The range also offers 5 star UVA protection, suitable for all skin types, fragrance free and available from most large boots stores.
I have no affialation with these products, but great customer feedback from those I have recommended it to.
hth

SkipE

Im another sufferer. Most my family do actually.

My brother uses the Canesten cream (yes the girl stuff) he says that works brilliantly and he hasnt needed it for a while now.

I was also advised to put powder on affected sweaty areas. I have put powder on the back of my hands, arms, chest etc I dont have it to hand right now will go and check. This has worked well for me.

you have my symapthies its a horrible uncomfortable thing!

chrisaj

I suffer with pmle, I find taking beta carotenefor a few weeks before going on hols and anti histamines a few days before, it seems to help. It's not nice when it breaks out. I never used to suffer with it until about 8 yers ago. It's supposed to get better after the menopause............here's hoping