Prickly Heat

[welshyshelly]

Does anyone out there suffer with prickly heat in the warmer months? I have been told to use a sun bed once a week to get the skin ready for the sun but I havnt tried this yet. Anyone know of any thng else that can sort out this horrible thing?
Shelly

[SRH]

Not sure where you got that advice but I can't recommend it. I get really bad prickly heat - and I don't tan. Someone suggested a few sessions on the sunbed before going on holiday would help get my skin ready - and I just ended up with really bad prickly heat; even worse than I usually get in summer. Maybe it will be different for you, but I'd be very very careful. One of the triggers of prickly heat is sweating, which you do when you go on a sunbed - the sweat glands get blocked and the skin can't cool down properly. I find the only thing that keeps it at bay is antihistamines, staying as cool as possible and covering up in the sun. Not fun, but better than turning into an itchy beetroot.

[lady_p_gold]

I have been a sufferer and I find the one thing that triggers it off is either using something like Johnson's baby oil in the bath or sun tan lotion ... it seems to block the pores and that is what makes mine start. Trouble is once you have it once it always seems to come back and it really is the most horrible thing.

[sunflower71]

OMG shelly NO WAY use a sunbed.

I suffer from pricky heat and the sunbed will NOT help.

It may occur when you sweat a lot in hot or humid weather. Dead skin cells and bacteria block the sweat glands. The skin becomes inflamed with a spotty rash that may blister.

Tips on how to avoid it include, wearing 100% cotton items, keeping the skin cool, cool baths and showers. Don't use heavy purfumed items either.

[banjobabe]

I have olive skin but have been suffering from prickly heat for the last 10 years. Sunbeds will have the same effect as the sun and will just start the prickly heat earlier. Aloe Vera is very effective. The best thing is to use a piece of the plant or buy Aloe Vera juice.

Good luck x

[PringlesQueen]

Prickly heat is the bane of my life in the summer.
The only advice I can offer is stay cool in the shade - just as SRH says.
I use a moisturising self tanning lotion during the summer which has been a godsend - I no longer look like a freaky pale thing while everybody else has golden glowing skin!

[lilacben]

I used to suffer really badly from it but started to use different sun lotion. I now use Allergy free and have not had it since. Also Aloe Vera is the best thing to put on it to calm it down. Brenda

[bug123]

You have my sympathy - prickly heat is bloody horrible, isn't it?! I found that using an organic sun cream helps (try Green People or Liz Earle), wearing cotton clothes and generally keeping covered up helps. I would also recommend to stay out of the heat in the middle of the day (i usually have a siesta!). I try and do all these things and i still suffer from it a bit, but not half as bad as I have done so in the past.

[condor66]

taking an antihistimine liken piriton works for me . Take it for two weeks before hols and while i am there, it seems to help me !

[Bellringer]

I got prickly heat when I was at sea. The cure. Soak in a salt water bath, it worked.