What are Sweat Pimples and Ways to Treat Them

Sweating either from exercise or heat can be the reason for a specific form of acne called sweat pimple. It is caused by heat, sweat and friction that results in the clogging of pores.

The sweat on our body keeps the acne-causing bacteria in place, and it becomes the major reason for sweat pimple. People who are prone to this skin issue always feel uncomfortable and look for the best product for acne treatment.

These pimples can appear on our body when sweat blends with pressure and friction from different items like hats, headbands, clothes, etc. This type of acne is different from bumps caused by heat. Let’s read further to understand how to get rid of sweat pimples.

There is no rocket science in treating sweat pimples. It is just like other acne treatments. Sometimes home remedies and basic hygiene, and sometimes medicines are recommended by dermatologists. However, there are a few steps that we can follow to treat sweat pimples at home.

• Use products that are oil-free, non-comedogenic, and non-acnegenic.
• Do not scrub, but wash the area gently.
• Use the best pimple gel.
• Avoiding touching and picking pimples.
• Keep clothes such as pillowcases, bedsheets, towels, etc., clean by washing them regularly as they touch your acne. 

These are the best ways to treat sweat pimples. Of course, frequent treatment is not the permanent solution for anything we need to prevent it from occurring regularly. Either we need the best product for acne, or we need to follow some measure that won’t allow sweat pimples to occur again and again.

Here are some best ways to prevent these pimples.

• Follow the acne treatment routine of washing the face with anti-acne face wash or soap and use the prescribed medication.
• Wash the clothes that you wear during workouts regularly.
• After heavy sweating due to workouts, take a shower using the best acne soap.
• If your skin is prone to sweat pimple then, avoid wearing tight accessories and clothes.
• Whenever possible, try to stay in cool areas where there is lower humidity. Do this mainly during the hottest hours of the day.

Don’t get confused between sweat pimple and heat rash

Remember, all bumps on your skin are not acne it might be heat rash. Heat rashes are caused by excess sweating. These rashes majorly happen during hot and humid weather, when blocked sweat ducts hold perspiration under the skin, it breaks out as heat rashes.

Maintaining hygiene and following the above-mentioned precautions are can help to treat sweat pimples effectively. If the problem persists, contact a dermatologist without any second thought.

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The Difference Between Acne and the Health Condition Called Heat Rash

Since you’ve been hitting the gym regularly, your biceps are growing and your belly is flattening.

But there might be one not-so-attractive physical consequence of your gym sessions: tiny, red bumps that sprout up on your shoulders, the edges of your armpits, and around your groin.

They look like acne, and they very well might be.

Related: 7 Myths You Shouldn’t Believe About Acne If You Want Clear Skin

But they could also signal a skin condition called miliaria, also known as heat rash.  

Acne and miliaria look pretty similar, but they have different causes—so if you use treatment meant for one, it won’t help you at all if you’re actually suffering from the other.

So read on to discover what’s behind your tiny red bumps. (And for 2,000+ more ways to live your best life, check out The Better Man Project from Men’s Health.)

What’s the Difference Between Acne and Heat Rash?

First, the similarities: Acne and heat rash can both crop up when your pores get clogged and irritated.

But acne—which is much more common that miliaria—develops when a pore’s oil duct get blocked with dirt or dead skin cells, says Bruce Robinson, M.D., a New York-based dermatologist and fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. 

Bacteria gets trapped in the duct, sparking irritation and inflammation, which makes the pimple red and tender. 

(Whiteheads and blackheads, which also count as acne, are just trapped dirt or dead skin cells without any bacteria or inflammation. ) 

On the other hand, miliaria, or heat rash, forms when a pore’s sweat duct gets clogged with sweat, which forms small clear or red bumps, which resemble a rash. 

Deeper blockages tend to become inflamed, making the bumps look red, Dr. Robinson says.  That inflammation can also make them feel itchy or prickly.  

Related: 11 Common Grooming Problems, Solved

It’s actually pretty easy to tell zits and heat rash apart if you know what you’re looking for: Pimples are usually larger with a white, pus-filled center, and you might just get one or two in a given area. 

Milaria are tiny and appear in clusters, resembling more of an itchy rash, says Dr. Robinson.

Why Do You Get Acne or Heat Rash After Exercising?

Working out is a major trigger for both acne and heat rash: The more you sweat, the greater the chance that dirt or dead skin cells—or sweat itself—could clog your pores and cause a blockage, says Dr. Robinson.

So avoid hanging out in your sweaty workout clothes before changing or showering. 

Related: 6 Things You Should Never Do In the Shower

Exercising in a damp or humid environment can up the risk for heat rash even more, since high humidity makes it harder for sweat to evaporate off your skin. 

How Can You Prevent Acne or Heat Rash?

Neither a pimple nor heat rash is harmful, and both usually clear up on their own within a few days, says Dr. Robinson. Unless they’re bothering you or you want to try a new treatment, you don’t need to see a dermatologist.

But they can be ugly and annoying, especially if your pimple is sensitive or tender, or your heat rash is itchy. 

Related: How to Recognize, Treat, and Prevent 4 Common Rashes

So play the prevention game for both health conditions: Try toweling off with a wet cloth periodically throughout your workout, Dr. Robinson recommends.

This will remove dirt, grimy buildup, or sweat from your skin’s surface, so it can’t clog your pores and cause pimples or heat rash. 

And get out of your sweaty clothes and take a shower as soon as you’re finished exercising, to prevent dirt or sweat from getting trapped in your pores, Dr. Robinson says. 

Take frequent breaks if you’re exercising in the heat, or hot, humid environments, like a sweaty gym.

Drinking some cool water or finding a breeze gives yourself a chance to cool down, allowing sweat to evaporate without clogging your pores, Dr. Robinson says.

And make sure your exercise clothes aren’t too tight. Loose clothing helps your sweat evaporate, too.

Related: Why Some People Sweat More Than Others

How Can You Treat Acne and Heat Rash?

If you’ve noticed pimples popping up after a workout, acne-fighting body washes that contain ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid can help with treatment, says Dr. Robinson.

Look for kinds like that contain 2 percent salicylic acid or 5 to 10 percent benzoyl peroxide, like Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash or PanxOyl Acne Foaming Wash.  

But talk to your dermatologist before using them, since they can irritate your skin, Dr. Robinson says. 

Related: 6 Surprising Reasons You Should See a Dermatologist

As for miliaria, there’s not much you can do to make the blemishes go away any sooner. But if they’re itchy, try an over-the-counter anti-itch cream or lotion like Sarna, which contains cooling ingredients like menthol and camphor, or a cream that contains 1 percent hydrocortisone.

That should help the itching and make your rash feel better.

In either case, call your doctor if you notice any pain or swelling, or if your heat rash has any pus. Those symptoms could be signs of infection. 

Marygrace Taylor

Marygrace Taylor is a health and wellness writer for Prevention, Parade, Women’s Health, Redbook, and others. She’s also the co-author of Prevention’s Eat Clean, Stay Lean: The Diet and Prevention’s Mediterranean Kitchen. Visit her at marygracetaylor.com.

Prickly heat in newborns

Causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention

Almost all young parents face prickly heat sooner or later – unfortunately, this unpleasant phenomenon is very common. Especially often prickly heat occurs in newborns, because their delicate skin still cannot cope with the thermal loads of the external environment and cannot maintain the temperature that is optimal for the whole body. The fact that the baby needs to be warmed will certainly be reported by the caring staff of the maternity hospital. But at the same time, doctors often forget to mention how important it is not to overdo it, so as not to create prerequisites for the occurrence of various skin irritations.

Causes of prickly heat in newborns

Prickly heat is always caused by overheating. If the child’s body is exposed to high temperatures and there is no skin contact with fresh air for a long time, profuse sweating begins. But due to the fact that the excretory function of the baby’s skin is not yet working properly, sweat accumulates in the pores and ducts of the sweat glands. This inevitably leads to irritation and inflammation in the upper layers of the skin.

How to recognize prickly heat?

Sometimes prickly heat can be confused with food allergies, so it is best to consult a doctor for a qualified diagnosis. Prickly heat in different cases manifests itself individually, but there are common symptoms that are almost always present:

– red rashes on the surface of the skin;

Vesicles with clear or yellowish liquid;

– dry crusts that cause itching and anxiety.

In addition, prickly heat most often affects the skin in those places that are most closed and isolated from fresh air: armpits, folds on the neck and under the knees, buttocks and perineum. Prickly heat may not bother the child at all, but in no case should parents ignore its slightest manifestations. Miliaria is not a particularly dangerous disease, but it creates favorable conditions for the reproduction of microbes that can cause serious harm to the health of a newborn baby.

Prevention and treatment of prickly heat

First of all, it is necessary to eliminate the causes of prickly heat. To do this, it is necessary to reduce the air temperature in the children’s room to 21 degrees and constantly ventilate the room at any time of the year. During airing, the baby must be taken out of the room.

Use only quality diapers that will allow the skin to breathe and change them more often. For a newborn baby, a diaper change is carried out every 3 hours. When changing for a few minutes, you can leave the baby naked so that the affected skin areas are slightly ventilated.

Close attention should be paid to the child’s clothes: they should be made of soft natural fabric and always correspond to the temperature regime at home and the weather conditions outside during walks.

To speed up the disappearance of the rash, you can try bathing in decoctions chamomile , string or special herbal preparations. In addition to bathing, you can use baby care products : powders and creams containing zinc oxide.

Miliaria with proper treatment resolves quickly, but it is much easier to prevent than to treat.

Miliaria: causes, symptoms and recommendations for the treatment of the disease. Dr. Peter

• Directory of Diseases

September 18, 2022

Prickly heat is a heat rash that occurs mainly during the summer or while on holiday in tropical areas. They appear as itchy blisters, usually on the décolletage, on the back, or under the arms, and mostly occur in newborns and young children, but can also occur in adults.

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People may sweat profusely, especially on hot days or after sports. If the secreted sweat cannot be drained sufficiently due to blockage of the sweat glands, fluid-filled blisters form. Heat rash is colloquially referred to as prickly heat. This is usually an unpleasant but harmless condition that resolves fairly quickly. In addition, rashes can be easily avoided, and if they appear, treat them with home remedies. Medicines are used only in exceptional cases.

Causes

Prickly heat is understood by physicians as a predominantly harmless skin disease that manifests itself in the form of a rash. In technical jargon, it is also called milium. The term comes from the Latin word “Milium” which means “millet” and describes the appearance of acne.

Particularly affected are people who perspire profusely, for example during sports, and whose sweat is difficult to drain from the surface of the body. The cause of prickly heat is a blockage of the sweat glands. It can appear at any age, but it occurs much more often in infants and children because their sweat glands and ducts are not yet fully developed and their skin is much thinner and more sensitive than adults.

Because babies, in particular, cannot yet tell when they are too warm, they overheat more quickly. Other causes may be tight or breathable clothing, or high humidity in extreme heat or tropical climates.

Symptoms of prickly heat

Depending on the form, prickly heat manifests itself as itchy small transparent blisters or small red pimples from light to milky in color, filled with liquid. They are about the size of a millet and can occur both directly on the surface and in the deeper layers of the skin.

Changes are most pronounced in the décolleté, under the armpits, on the back or thighs, between the shoulder blades, at the back of the knees, or in skin folds where moisture can accumulate. These areas are especially rich in sweat glands, which can cause heat to build up here.

Depending on the location of prickly heat, its appearance and severity, doctors distinguish four main types of pathology:

• Miliaria cristallina ( hydrotic dermatitis ). With this form of prickly heat, the ducts of the sweat glands on the surface of the skin are clogged. This can happen due to heavy sweating or feverish infections, or clothing that is too warm. Therefore, Miliaria cristallina occurs mainly in infants and young children and most often on the trunk. Vesicles are pin-sized, clear, filled with clear fluid or, in the case of the Milaria alba subtype, milky fluid, and may burst easily. Normally, they do not itch and practically do not become inflamed. If the affected areas of the skin are well cleaned and cooled, the blisters will disappear on their own within a few hours or days.

• Miliaria rubra This form is characterized by sharp, itchy, bright red pinpoint blisters, pustules, and wheals. They occur mainly on the trunk and almost never on the face, palms and soles of the feet. The reason is blockage of the ducts of the sweat glands in the deeper layers of the skin. Sweat cannot reach the surface and accumulates in the gland until it bursts. Inflammation occurs when sweat leaks into the surrounding tissues. Tightly packed blisters may even coalesce and form weeping red spots. There is a particular risk of bacteria entering the skin folds, which can lead to infection. This form of the disease is often found in babies in the diaper area and on the trunk if they are too warmly dressed.

• Deep miliaria . Pimples of this form are similar in behavior and appearance to pimples red prickly heat. However, blockage of the sweat glands begins already at the transition to the next lower level of the skin – in the dermis. Hard, itchy nodules that often become inflamed are also characteristic. As a result, victims can no longer sweat at all or only slightly in the affected areas. In infants, deep prickly heat occurs only after a few episodes of erythema.

Possible complications and risks

Pustular miliaria – elements with inflammation and suppuration. If red prickly heat turns into inflammation with pus, it is called pustular prickly heat. It occurs in the deeper layers of the skin between the epidermis and dermis. This form is characterized by dense pustules – pustules with severe itching.

Diagnosis

Mostly prickly heat is harmless and does not need treatment, but it is advisable to see a doctor if the skin becomes inflamed or the itching is severe enough. Depending on age, you can consult a pediatrician, therapist or dermatologist. The doctor makes a diagnosis based on the patient’s medical history and typical skin changes.

How to treat prickly heat

As a rule, the disease resolves on its own when exposure to heat or sweating stops. Severe itching can be relieved with antihistamines (adults only) or with zinc oxide ointment. This dries the skin and has both antipruritic and anti-inflammatory effects.

In severe cases, an ointment containing cortisone can also be used for a short time. If the skin is already inflamed and bacteria have penetrated, antibiotic ointments will help. With simultaneous fungal infection, the victims should resort to antifungal ointments, which should be selected by the doctor.

In mild cases, you can take a warm shower or wipe the sweat with a clean cloth. Be sure to wear dry, loose, breathable clothing made from cotton or linen, especially in summer. You can also cool the affected area with ice cubes wrapped in a cloth, a damp washcloth, or cold compresses. Be careful not to scratch the pimples as this can cause the skin to become inflamed.

Prevention

1. Wear loose, breathable clothing made of cotton or linen to prevent prickly heat.

2. Choose a water-based sunscreen without fragrance or preservatives.

3. Avoid strenuous activities such as sports or heavy work when it is very hot.

4. Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol, coffee, spices and spicy foods.

5. Take a warm shower in the evening and do not use shower gel as it may irritate the skin.