Heat rash is a major skin problem that bothers many people during the summer. In English, it is called Miliaria or Prickly heat. These appear as small red bumps on the neck, chest, back, armpits, and thighs and cause severe itching and stinging. Here are the 5 main scientific reasons behind the occurrence of heat rash:
Blocked Sweat Ducts: There are millions of sweat glands under our skin that produce sweat. When the body sweats excessively due to the extreme heat in the atmosphere, these sweat ducts get blocked due to dead skin cells and bacteria. The sweat that cannot escape gets trapped under the skin and this causes heat rash.
Humid Weather: Heat rash is most common in tropical regions with high humidity and heat. When sweat does not drain from the skin quickly, the sweat ducts swell and burst, causing swelling and discomfort on the skin.
Wearing synthetic and tight clothing: Wearing synthetic clothing such as jeans, nylon, and polyester that is not breathable can trap body heat and sweat close to the skin. This can quickly clog the sweat glands.
Presence of bacteria on the skin: Staphylococcus epidermidis, a bacteria naturally found on our skin, forms a kind of sticky film (biofilm) when mixed with sweat. This also leads to clogging of the sweat pores.
Physical exertion and immature sweat glands in children: Sweat production is much higher in those who do strenuous exercise and in children who run. Also, since the sweat glands in young children are not fully developed (immature sweat ducts), the sweat ducts rupture very easily and heat rash spreads quickly in children.
