Expert Lists Panacea To Skin Rashes

The skin should be well ventilated this hot season to avoid prickly heat rashes, a dermatologist, Dr Ovico Ugbedeojo, has advised.

“It is important to ventilate the skin, especially now that the weather is hot, so as to avoid this skin condition,’’ Ugbedeojo told newsmen in Abuja.

“Basically, heat rashes as the name implies, are caused by extreme heat, and in some cases, trapped sweat in the glands that appear as tiny water bumps,’’ Ugbedeojo said.

He noted that although anyone could develop heat rash, individuals like babies, athletes, obese or overweight persons, and bedridden people were prone to prickly heat rashes.

The dermatologist said that the most obvious symptoms of heat rash were bumps and itching.

“Heat rash usually appears as tiny pinpoint bumps, and it is usually very itchy when there is contact with excessive heat,’’ he said.

According to Ugbedeojo, the condition is usually self-limiting and resolves within hours to a few days without treatment, although there are rare cases when the condition becomes severe and require professional medical care.

He recommended cool baths, staying in air-conditioned rooms, application of mild rash resistant creams, antibiotics and general self-care measures.

“Sometimes, heat rashes resolve within hours or days, but there are rare occasions where the condition is severe and requires medical attention.