prickly heat

[toffee]

does anyone know what causes this?
one of boys gets it on sunny days.
Is it a reaction to the sunlight on his skin or is it because his body temperature is up?
Its just that he doesnt get if he gets hot running around playing but he does get it on hot sunny days.
A pal said it isnt caused by the sun???

any one know?
or is there anything to prevent it?

 

[keyplayer]

It's his glands.

 

[toffee]

would you elaborate a little please?

 

[toffee]

I have done a search.
It says creams and lotions can make this worse.
Difficult situation then for me.
My middle boy is very pale skinned and burns easily so needs plenty of sun cream.
poor mite!

 

[Adam_151]

there is a small explantion here: http://www.answers.com/prickly+heat&r=67

Until I just googled for it just now, didn't know what it was (had never heard of it), but it sounds very similar to something I get, if there is a sudden change of tamperature (comming in from the cold into the warm, starting do do some work standing on a ladder in the middle of the room in front of the window, or taking a hot shower, etc) Then all of a sudden and lasting for a few minutes, I get very intense itching on my back and the top of my head, it used to be worse with some other deorderant/anti-perspirant (I sometimes spray back as well as underarms)

 

[toffee]

I think that perhaps unless he is swimming, it may be better for him to have thin cotton shirt on instead of bare skin with sun cream.

 

[toffee]

adam, I wonder why your head? maybe because we lose most of heat from our heads ?

 

[empip]

Are you sure of the diagnosis?

Some stuff on P.Heat ..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prickly_Heat

http://www.healthinplainenglish.com/health/skin/prickly_heat/index.htm

 

[Adam_151]

adam, I wonder why your head? maybe because we lose most of heat from our heads ?

I don't know, but I think I do sweat a lot from my head, washing my hair daily is an absolute must, otherwise its so greasy it looks like its wet, when I was a teenager (well a younger one!*) and neglected to do this (I guess thats pretty typical for 14 y/o boys tho ) I used to suffer from the most terrible dandruff.


*theres a scary thought, in 6 months I'll be 20, and my career is still a way off ...

 

[toffee]

hm, no Im not sure of diagnosis empip, just going by what people say.
Next time he gets it I will check with pal who will know.

It doesnt last for weeks at a time, sometimes only hours or days, so is obviously mild.

Its just hard to keep an active child cool!!!

 

[empip]

.............. I used to suffer from the most terrible dandruff.
*theres a scary thought, in 6 months I'll be 20, and my career is still a way off ...

Flour power in the disco then?

 

[CG]

I have noticed since living in the back in the UK for the first time in 15 years that people have serious problems when the temp gets up to 25 deg, we just cant deal with it. Kids in OZ and NZ must take hats (proper sun hats not baseball) and wear them when out in the sun at school and you can be fined for letting your kids get sun burn so put sun cream on before you go out and keep slapping it on as it comes off easily. I remember we had a bottle for the whole summer when i was a kid but that is wrong we now use a tub every week at least - much better!

http://www.sunsmart.co.nz/sunfactsinfo.asp

The railways die, the roads melt, all shops are roasting, you only get 3 ice cubes at the pub and the AC is never on as it costs too much to run.

I have lived and worked regularly in 45 - 50 deg heat in the US desert and a few tricks work still work over here.

Drink 5 litres of water a day min (keeps pores unblocked to avoid itchiness), Wear natural breathable cotton materials not typical chav plastic trackies, roll down sleaves and wear light colours to reflect sun and always wear a hat. and finaly eat small but regular meals.

I never met anyone in Arizona who suffered from "Prickley heat" so i am sure it is an avoidable symptom, i know it is hard to tell kids what to do but as the country seems to be getting warmer every year we must educate them about the dangers of skin cancer etc.

 

[Kelinik]

Is it a raised rash or flat Toffee? Only asking because I'm allergic to strong sunlight and develop acute urticaria (hives) if exposed to it. Could it be this?

http://www.allergy-clinic.co.uk/urticaria.htm

 

[spice]

Toffee, I think its one of the symptons you can get with hayfever, I get it, and I scratch like mad, and have to take an antihisamene (spelling)This only started a few years ago, but up till then I was okay.
Now to make flippen matters worse, this year, not only have I got prickly heat to contend with, at the weekend, I devoleped another sympton of hay fever, my eyes were so painful I was crying, they puffed up, stinning like mad, and everything went blurred, I couldnt see the TV, and I know there was no way I could have driven.

So again, after all these years of being okay,I am now getting more than one sympton of hayfever,and I am not a happy bunny, as I love being in the garden.

 

[scatmanjohn]

That sounds like something that used to affect me.

For years i thought, and was told that it was prickly heat. So tried all the lotions and potions for prickly heat to no avail.

Then read something on the interweb about UVA allergy.

Got myself some of this:

http://www.boots.com/shop/product_details.jsp?productid=1043601&classificationid=1025500

No more rashes on sunny days