Baby heat rash on cheeks

Heat Rash

Is this your child's symptom?

• A fine pink rash caused by overheating
• Mainly on the neck, chest, and upper back

Symptoms of Heat Rash

• Tiny, pink bumps
• Mainly on the neck, chest and upper back
• Occurs during hot, humid weather or after lots of sun
• Heat rash can be itchy
• Older children may have a "prickly" pins and needles feeling
• In babies, the rash can have some tiny water blisters
• No fever or illness
• Also called "prickly heat"

Causes of Heat Rash

• Heat rash is caused by blocked-off sweat glands.
• Hot Weather. Hot, humid weather can cause the sweat glands to be overworked.
• Ointment. Babies can also get it in the wintertime from ointments put on the skin. Reason: Ointments can block off sweat glands.
• Location. Heat rash of the forehead can be caused by oil or ointment on the hair. Heat rash of the face of a breastfed baby can be caused by lanolin put on the nipples. Heat rash of the chest can be caused by menthol ointments put on for coughs.
• Exercise. Older children can get heat rash with hard exercise.

When to Call for Heat Rash

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

• Fever and looks infected (spreading redness or pus)
• Your child looks or acts very sick
• You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

• Looks infected (spreading redness, pus), but no fever
• You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

• Rash is not gone after 3 days of treatment
• You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

• Heat rash

Seattle Children's Urgent Care Locations

If your child’s illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.

• Bellevue
• Everett
• Federal Way
• Seattle

Care Advice for Heat Rash

1. What You Should Know About Heat Rash:
   • Heat rash is caused by blocked-off sweat glands.
   • It's common in hot, humid weather.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. Cooling the Skin:
   • Cool off the skin to treat and prevent heat rash.
   • For large rashes, give your child a cool bath without soap. Do this for 10 minutes. (Caution: Avoid any chill.) Let the skin air-dry. Do this 3 or more times a day.
   • For small rashes, put a cool, wet washcloth on the area. Do this for 5 to 10 minutes. Then let the skin air-dry.
   • Dress in as few layers of clothing as you can.
   • Lower the temperature in your home if you can.
3. Sleeping Cooler:
   • When your child is asleep, run a fan in the bedroom.
   • During sleep, have your child lie on a cotton towel to absorb sweat. (Note: Only for older children age over 1 year.)
4. Steroid Cream for Itching:
   • Use 1% hydrocortisone cream (such as Cortaid). No prescription is needed.
   • Put it on itchy spots 3 times per day.
   • Avoid hydrocortisone ointment.
   • Calamine lotion can also work.
5. Do Not Use Ointments:
   • Avoid all ointments or oils on the skin. Reason: They can block off sweat glands.
   • Be sure the rash isn't caused by a menthol ointment being used for a cough.
6. What to Expect:
   • With treatment, heat rash will clear up in 2 to 3 days.
7. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Rash lasts more than 3 days on this treatment
   • Rash starts to look infected
   • You think your child needs to be seen
   • Your child becomes worse

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the 'Call Your Doctor' symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.

Last Reviewed: 01/27/2023

Last Revised: 12/30/2022

Copyright 2000-2023. Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines LLC.

Types, pictures, treatment, duration, and more

A heat rash can appear suddenly and look alarming, but it is not usually a cause for concern. Babies have delicate skin and are more likely to get heat rash than adults.

Heat rash, which some people call prickly heat or miliaria, is a skin flare that occurs when sweat glands and ducts become blocked. This causes sweat to flow back into the epidermis and dermis, the surface of the skin and the layer of tissue below it. These rashes can feel itchy, uncomfortable, and prickly.

Although anyone can get heat rash, babies are more susceptible because they have immature sweat ducts.

This article overviews heat rash in babies, including pictures to help identify it. It also outlines causes, treatments, and prevention methods.

Miliaria occurs when the skin traps sweat. The sweat irritates the outer layer of the skin and causes a rash.

With rashes that cause redness, the redness may be easier to see on light skin and more difficult to see on dark skin, though the process causing the redness is the same.

Doctors divide heat rash into three types according to its severity.

Miliaria rubra

Miliaria rubra, or “prickly heat,” is the most common type of heat rash and commonly affects newborn babies aged 1–3 weeks. This type of rash develops when there is a blockage in the sweat glands near the surface of the skin, or the epidermis, and the layer of tissue underneath, the dermis.

Symptoms of miliaria rubra include:

• tiny, red bumps or blisters
• discoloration such as redness
• itching

Miliaria rubra often itches, so babies may persistently scratch their skin.

If the rash has spots containing pus, it is called miliaria pustulosa. This may indicate a bacterial infection.

Miliaria crystallina

Miliaria crystallina or sudamina is common in newborn babies, particularly those aged 2 weeks or under. It is the least severe form of heat rash. It happens when there is a blockage in the sweat glands in the epidermis.

The only symptom of miliaria crystallina is tiny clear or white blisters that resemble water droplets. They do not look red or inflamed.

The rash usually resolves within a day after the affected layer of skin rubs off.

Miliaria profunda

Miliaria profunda is the most severe type of heat rash, but it is uncommon.

When sweat repeatedly leaks into the dermis, it can cause intense flushing and burning. Babies with extensive miliaria profunda may also develop signs of heat exhaustion as their blocked sweat glands stop producing sweat to cool the baby down.

Symptoms of miliaria profunda include firm, large, flesh-colored spots that may look like pimples and mild to intense itching.

Additionally, if a baby scratches their rash, they can contract an infection.

For most babies, the only symptom of heat rash is a rash on parts of the body that have had heat exposure.

Swaddling, warm clothes, poor ventilation, and being near heat sources, such as space heaters, can all increase the risk. A parent or caregiver might notice a rash on an area of the body that became particularly warm.

Heat rashes are also more likely to appear in skin folds, such as in the neck or groin.

In most cases, heat rash clears up fairly quickly and does not cause too much discomfort, so it may not require medical attention.

The signs of a heat rash are obvious, especially in hot weather. If a parent or caregiver is unsure about a rash, a doctor can usually diagnose it according to its appearance.

Learn how to identify baby acne versus a rash.

Miliaria usually goes away on its own within a few days without treatment.

Parents and caregivers can ease a baby’s discomfort and speed up healing with the following methods:

• Move the child to a cool area at the first sign of a heat rash.
• Keep their skin cool and dry.
• Apply a cool compress to the affected area.
• Rinse away oil and sweat with cool water, then gently pat the area dry.
• Regularly clean skin folds to make sure trapped sweat and oil do not worsen the rash.
• Allow the baby to go naked to keep the skin cool.
• Use air conditioning or fans to help keep the skin cool.
• Keep the baby well-hydrated. This may involve nursing breastfed babies on demand and ensuring that older babies have constant access to water.

Do not use rash creams on the skin unless a doctor recommends a specific cream. A heat rash is not an allergic reaction, so using creams that treat these conditions may not help.

For severe heat rashes or rashes that do not go away on their own, a doctor might prescribe a steroid cream to speed up healing.

In rare cases, heat rashes can cause an infection, especially if a baby scratches them. A heat rash with an infection may cause a fever and other signs of illness.

If a baby has a fever or seems sick, a parent or caregiver can speak with a doctor. Healthcare professionals may prescribe antibiotics to clear up any bacterial infection.

Learn about 12 natural remedies for heat rash here.

Risk factors for heat rash in babies include:

• wearing clothes that are too warm for the season
• living in a very warm climate
• sitting near heat sources, such as space heaters or heat lamps
• swaddling, especially if the weather is warm or the baby is sweating
• having thick creams or oils on the skin that can block sweat ducts

To reduce the risk of heat rash in babies, parents and caregivers can try the following:

• Dress babies in seasonally appropriate clothing. There is no need for babies to always be in a swaddle or under a blanket, especially in warm weather.
• Choose loose-fitting, breathable clothing, such as cotton pants or a gown.
• Keep babies out of direct sunlight.
• In hot weather, use air conditioning and fans to keep babies cool.
• Avoid putting babies directly in front of space heaters or other heat sources.
• Monitor babies for signs of excess sweating. If a baby looks flushed or is sweating, move them to a cooler area.

How long does heat rash last?

If a baby’s skin is kept cool, heat rash usually resolves within a few days without treatment.

Why do babies get heat rash?

Heat rashes appear when sweat gets trapped under the skin. Because babies have smaller sweat glands and are less able to regulate their body temperature, they are more vulnerable to heat rash than adults.

Tight clothes, swaddles, and blankets can also cause heat rashes. In most cases, the rash will go away without treatment.

Babies are more likely to get heat rash for several reasons:

• They have little control over their environment and cannot take off extra clothing or move away from heat sources.
• Their bodies are less effective at regulating temperature.
• They tend to have more skin folds, which can trap heat and sweat.

Heat rash is not usually dangerous. However, it can indicate that a baby is at risk of overheating. Overheating can cause serious health issues, so it is important to heed the warning and move the baby to a cooler spot. Keeping them cool and comfortable can quickly clear up the rash.

If the rash does not go away on its own within a couple of days, if the baby seems very uncomfortable, or if the rash begins spreading, parents and caregivers should speak with a doctor.

Sweating in a child: causes, treatment, symptoms

Pediatrician of the highest category - neonatologist

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Maryam Zakareevna

Experience 33 years

Member of the Union of Pediatricians of Russia

Make an appointment

Prickly heat in children up to a year and older is a fairly common skin lesion, which is a rash against the background of severe sweating or illiterate care for the delicate skin of a child. It is important to understand that the baby's thermoregulation processes are not yet perfect, and therefore the slightest negative factors can cause an undesirable reaction - parents should not be scared and think that this is a rare occurrence. Almost all babies go through this. nine0003

However, this problem should not be neglected either: ordinary prickly heat without treatment tends to become more complicated and aggravated, and in this case a longer and more complex treatment will be required - it is better not to bring it to it.

Symptoms

Symptoms of diarrhea in children include:

• Appearance of a characteristic rash on the neck, in the area of ​​the ears, on the back of the head, along the hairline, under the armpits, on the upper chest, and also on the back, in the inguinal folds and on the buttocks. nine0024
• Small eruption in the form of blisters with transparent contents. In more complex cases, these are reddish nodules with an inflamed rim. The rash reacts to temperature, so it may decrease or increase depending on the environment.
• Weeping foci - they occur with extensive damage to the skin.
• Pustules, swelling, redness of the skin and putrid smell. This is not so much a symptom of prickly heat in children as a signal that a bacterial or fungal infection has joined it. nine0024
• Soreness, itching and other unpleasant sensations that cause anxiety in the child, make him capricious. With ordinary prickly heat, this is not observed, but if the condition is complicated, such negative factors will progress, simultaneously causing an increase in body temperature.

At any stage of prickly heat in a child, even if it is very mild, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician. If complications arise, you should immediately consult a doctor - either a pediatrician or a pediatric dermatologist deals with such issues. nine0003

Causes

The main cause of prickly heat in a child is overheating, and already it is caused by various factors, including:

• Too warm and also synthetic.
• Untimely diaper changes, especially in hot weather or in a warm room.
• Minimal air baths and infrequent bathing, because of which the skin does not cleanse and does not breathe.
• Use of skin cosmetics that are too oily and thick and do not allow heat to be released properly. nine0024
• Diseases associated with fever. Especially if parents also use warming methods of treatment.

Add to overheating factors such as allergies to various materials, friction and pressure of clothing, the effect on irritated areas of feces and urine.

It may seem that the causes of prickly heat in children are due solely to parental errors in care, but this is absolutely not the case. There are children who themselves are prone to developing this condition. These are allergy sufferers, overweight babies, children with various endocrine diseases (for example, diabetes mellitus). Also at risk are formula-fed babies and premature newborns. When caring for such babies, you should be especially attentive to the condition of the skin and body. nine0003

Diagnostics

A pediatric dermatologist or pediatrician will examine the child and interview the parents, as well as a series of tests to rule out dermatitis, chickenpox, scarlet fever and many other diseases with similar symptoms. Most often, a visual examination is enough, but tests (scraping) may be required to help identify the causative agent of a secondary infection (if any). Often a general and biochemical blood test is done, as well as an analysis of the contents of the vesicles - it all depends on the recommendations of the attending physician. nine0003

Treatment

Usually, the treatment of prickly heat in a child is carried out in a complex manner and includes the following points: The same goes for humidity, which needs to be monitored - 50-70%.

Regular hygiene procedures - washing, bathing using gentle cosmetics designed specifically for delicate baby skin. nine0024