With the heat comes a few annoying problems that include excessive sweating that lead to the prickly heat rash that attacks the areas of the body where we sweat a lot like our necks, behind our knees, waistline etc…
What actually causes these rashes is the fact that when we sweat excessively it, the sweat gets trapped in our sweat glands that blocks them eventually.
The medical term for prickly heat rash is miliaria. It usually clears up on its own. But in some cases the rashes lead to a lot of inflammation and itching.
Here are 10 home remedies to soothe and reduce these prickly heat rashes:
- Honey
Honey is known for its anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory properties. Directly apply to the skin and watch how your skin instantly responds to it and heals rapidly.
- Aloe Vera
The antibacterial and antiseptic properties of Aloe Vera reduce the effect caused by prickly heat rashes. It gives the inflamed area a cool effect that makes it disappear sooner than you can imagine.
Squeeze the gel out of the leaf and apply it to the area as you would do with any regular cream.
- Oatmeal
Oatmeal has natural soothing, anti-inflammatory and anti-irritating properties. The oatmeal when scrubbed onto the skin in a oatmeal bath can gently scrub off dead cells and even unclog the blocked sweat glands or pores and bring instant relief from the problem.
- Gram flour
Gram flour will help soothe the inflammation and also keep the excess moisture away from your body. It might also gently scrub off all that dead skin and unclog those pores.
Make a paste of gram flour using water and spread on the affected area and wash off when dry. Repeat till the rashes disappear.
- Sandalwood
Sandalwood has cooling properties non-irritant and cooling properties that will bring down the temperature of the body.
Make a paste of sandalwood powder mixed with water or rose water and apply to the affected areas and wash off when the paste dries.
- Baking soda
Baking soda also acts like oatmeal. It acts as a gentle exfoliating agent to unclog the sweat glands and pores on the skin and push away the dead skin and dirt.
Sponge a cloth soaked in baking soda solution to the affected areas.
- Cold compress
A cold compress will provide you with instant relief form the itchiness, prickly sensation and burning sensation. Simply apply ice directly to the area or apply it to the area wrapped in a cloth.
You can even take a soak in a bath of cold water or even a cold shower will do the trick.
- Fuller’s earth
Fuller’s earth has been used over the years to treat prickly heat. The medicinal properties of fuller’s earth will help heal the heat rash and also soothe it.
- Margosa leaves
Margosa leaves are also known as neem leaves. They have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. It also has the ability to cool the body.
So grind neem leaves into a paste, using a little water. Apply to the affected areas for a couple of minutes and wash off.
Keep applying to the affected areas at least twice a day and repeat the practice till the rash disappears.
- Cucumbers
Cucumbers are natural coolants. They soothe the prickly feeling and also provide relief against the itching and burning sensation.
Make a paste of cucumbers and apply on the affected areas till the rashes disappear. You can even decide to place slices of cucumber to the affected areas.
Try these natural home remedies for prickly heat rash before you seek medical treatment. But even after two weeks of experimenting with natural cures the rashes don’t disappear, or get worse, do visit a doctor to seek treatment for it.
Written by: Rasha Ashraf
