It's that time of year when sweating is just what you do. There is no question of whether it's hot enough to break a sweat, it's more like can I avoid soaking though my shirt just by walking to the  mailbox.

With sweat comes another host of summertime problems. There is body odor, extremely prevalent among pre-teen boys and Walmart shoppers. There are unsightly stains under our arms and the backs of shirts. There is also that summertime malady that does get to see the light of day. That my friend is heat rash.

It's not a pleasant topic but then again neither is Bobby Jindal's run for the White House. Unlike Jindal heat rashes can't be ignored because they really are uncomfortable. Heat rashes occur when sweat glands get blocked and the perspiration leaks into the surrounding tissue.

This leakage gives a sensation of a prickly feeling. The skin becomes red and irritated and there are usually little red bumps that occur. For me it's a feeling worse than sunburn because heat rash usually occurs in areas of the body we don't like to discuss. If you have a heat rash on the small of your back or on your butt it can make sitting in an air conditioned office uncomfortable.

The good news about heat rash is it usually cures itself once the skin gets cool. You might try applying some calamine lotion or other hydrocortisone creams on the affected area just to relieve some of the discomfort.  If the condition becomes chronic a dermatologist might need to be consulted for lasting relief.

 

 

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