How to Get Rid of Heat Lumps

Heat lumps appear as rashes that may be inflamed or cause discomfort. They are much synonymous with prickly heat rash and can occur on legs, buttocks, stomach, armpits and other parts of the body. Here are causes and how to get rid of prickly heat lumps and bumps.

What are heat lumps?

By definition, this is a skin condition that occurs when sweat gets trapped in the skin. This leads to the clogging, blockage, and malfunctioning of the sweat glands that are located in the middle part of the epidermis.

Sweat that is trapped promotes the formation of raised and clear or reddened bumps on the area of the skin where clogged sweat glands are located. Heat rash is a skin condition that often affects children and adults in hot, humid weather conditions.

Heat bumps can develop anywhere on your body. Some of the more common places they form are areas where skin-to-skin contact is constant, such as under your breasts, or where air flow is restricted, such as the groin. Other common areas likely to develop heat bumps are the chest and in the skin folds on the neck.

Generally, if these are the effects of clogged sweat glands, the bumps are not itchy. On the other hand, if the deeper layers of the epidermis get infected due to prolonged outbreaks, itchiness develops. This can therefore at times go unnoticed as a condition.

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There are very many types of rashes that exist. They can be concerning, uncomfortable, or downright painful. One of the most common types of rash is heat rash or miliaria. The development of heat rash in adults is normally in the areas of their bodies that rub together like the inner thighs or under the arms.

Babies, on the other hand, develop heat rash on the necks although it can also develop in the skin folds such as the armpits, the elbows as well as the thighs. Proper care and parenting should, therefore, take this into consideration.

There are various formations on the skin that are clear or main symptoms of heat lumps on your skin. Normally, it appears as pinpoint bumps at the entrances of sweat glands. In some other areas, there are many red or even pink patches on the skin. More advanced heat lumps may have more irritation and large welts and raised red bumps. The irritation might vary from one person to another.

Causes of heat lumps

There are several causes and factors that are responsible for the appearance of heat lumps. As mentioned above, the heat lump occurs when the pores become clogged and cannot expel sweat. This is more likely to happen in warmer months, in warmer climates, and after intense exercise. Wearing certain clothing can trap sweat leading to heat rash and using thick lotions and creams can also lead to heat rash.

On the other hand, it is possible to get heat rash in cooler temperatures if you wear clothes or sleep under covers that lead to overheating. Babies are more likely to develop heat rash because their pores are underdeveloped.

The appearance of heat bumps is brought about by clogging and malfunctioning of the sweat glands. As mentioned, these trap sweat in the skin. There are many factors that promote this process and they include:

Certain fabrics like wool which will not allow perspiration to evaporate.
Certain prescription drugs used to treat problems of the bladder, high blood pressure, acne, ADHD or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and various types of cancers.
Cosmetics like creams and ointments can cause sweat ducts to clog.
Hot and humid weather which is typical in places with tropical climates.
Immature sweat ducts.
Long periods of inactivity which allow sweat to accumulate and become trapped.
Overheating like wearing too many layers of clothes or using an electric blanket while sleeping.
Strenuous activities like intense exercise or any hard work and activity that cause extensive perspiration.
This is true for infants who develop heat bumps all the time.
Tight clothing which does not allow the skin to breathe.

In order to have yourself not affected by heat lumps, you could either prevent or treat. The treatment can include both chemical treatment or home based remedies. Usually, it is always the best thing to prevent the occurrence before going ahead to treat. The various prevention measures include:

Avoid putting on tight clothing that does not allow the aeration of your skin. In that regard, moisture-wicking fabrics help to prevent the buildup of sweat on the skin.
on the other hand, do not use thick lotions or creams that may end up clogging your pores
Also, try not to over-warm yourself especially during the warmer months. As an alternative, seek outside air conditioning.
Similarly, use a soap that will not dry your skin and lacks fragrances or dyes.

Heat rash is a minor discomfort that will resolve itself in a matter of days for most people. Talk with your doctor if you believe you may have something more serious or if you have heat rash that frequently recurs.

Aloe-Vera

Aloe-Vera is also known as ‘wonder plant’. This is due to its countless health benefits, it can cure a number of health issues and diseases and treating heat lump is one of them. It contains many medical properties which work effectively on healing heat lumps with a cooling effect. The procedure is as follows:

Collect some amount of fresh aloe-vera gel from aloe-vera leaves.
Then apply it thoroughly over the lump area and leave it for at least 25 to 30 minutes before taking shower.

Sugarcane Juice

You could help yourself a great deal if you consume some adequate amount of sugarcane juice. This because it has cooling properties that assist in cooling the human body. During scorching, moist weather conditions, drink at least 1 glass of sugarcane juice.

The bark of a Banyan Tree

The bark of this tree is known to be an effective home remedy in treating prickly heat. The procedure is as follows:

Take some dry barks and crush them into a finely powdered form.
Apply this powder on the lumps to fasten the healing process.

Plum

The procedure is very simple as you only need to mash a few leaves of plum and add baking soda to it. In order to get immediate relief, apply this on the affected area.

Use Baking Soda

Baking soda assists in healing swelling and soothes your skin from itching or burning sensation. To prepare the remedy you can:

Blend 1 teaspoon baking soda in a cup of cold water.
After that, dip a clean towel into the solution and press it to eliminate the dipping portions.
Then rub it gently over the lumps.
This, in the long run, provides you relief from the irritation.
For the best results, you can follow this at least 4 times a day to get the desired result soon.

Oatmeal Bath

Oatmeal, although a common kitchen ingredient, it can be extremely useful while you are suffering from heat lump.

Procedure

You can mix some amount of oatmeal in your bath water.
Then soak your body in the bathtub and relax for at least 15 minutes.
This will help to eliminate the burning sensation and provide a soothing effect to your skin.
If you follow this remedy at least two times a day you will soon notice the improvement.

Cornstarch

This compound has absorbent properties that help to absorb sweat and prevent new heat lumps. To do this, adherence to the following procedure helps you achieve the best results.

Mix together cornstarch or corn flour with some water and prepare a smooth paste.
Apply this paste on prickly heat and leave it on for about half an hour.
Once it gets dry, wash it with cold water.

Chickpea Flour

This can be very useful if you:

Mix together chickpea flour and some water to make a thick paste.
Apply it onto the affected site and leave it on for about 15 minutes.
Rinse off the paste with cool water.

Raw potato

This is one of the simplest remedies to ease the prickly sensation. In order to sort you out completely:

Cut some medium sized potatoes into a number of slices
After that, rub them on the affected portions.
You can also prepare potato poultice and apply it directly on heat lump.

Ice Cubes

All you need to do in this case is to:

Put some ice cubes in water.
After a couple of minutes, wash the affected skin using this cool water.
Better still, you may even rub ice cubes on your skin to get relief from prickling sensation.
Shower or wash your skin frequently to get rid of prickly heat.

Watermelon

Watermelon is known to contain β-carotene and lycopene. These are the very important carotenoids in human tissue and blood that is why they can modulate skin properties. They can be ingested as supplements or can be taken as dietary products.

There are several studies that have proved that they can protect skin from sunburn and prickly heat by enhancing the basal defense against UV radiations. To do this:

Take a watermelon, remove its seeds and make a pulp.
Apply this pulp onto the lumps for instant relief.
Alternatively, you can also drink a glass of crushed watermelon juice.

Talcum Powder

Another option is talcum powder that you can take and apply it all over your body. Avoid using scented talcum powder as it may enhance the irritation. It will assist in keeping your skin dry in humid conditions, thus, cures lump speedily.

Ginger

This plant product is used because of its high medical or therapeutic value. It reduces the stinging sensation caused due to prickly heat because of its anti-inflammatory properties. To do this, you need to:

Crush some fresh ginger root and allow it to boil in water.
Once the water cools down then wipe your skin with this solution using a soft cloth or sponge.

Lime Juice

This product has powerful antioxidants that speed up the healing process. To do this;

Squeeze fresh lime and mix it with some amount of water.
To sweeten the taste, you may add a teaspoon of honey.
Drink 3 to 4 glasses on a daily basis.

Honey

Honey is well known for its antibacterial properties. Apart from that, it has antioxidants that fasten up the healing process. Simply,

Apply some natural honey directly onto your skin.
Leave it on for 15-20 minutes and subsequently, wash it off.

Papaya

This has been used for years to treat various skin conditions. To this,

Take a ripe papaya and mash it.
Apply the pulp onto the affected skin and let it stand for 20 to 25 minutes.
Rinse it off with tap water. This will relieve the skin from burning sensation and reduce itching.

Cucumber

Cucumber has anti-oxidant properties that aid in the function. To relieve yourself from the petrifying burning sensation,

Apply peeled slices of cucumber onto your skin.
As an alternative, you can crush or squeeze the cucumber and dab the pulp on the skin.
Leave the pulp to stand for 30 minutes and then rinse it off.

Gram flour

This flour soaks up all the extra moisture from your body and as a result, it helps to treat prickly heat. In addition, it also eliminates dead skin cells and provides relief from irritation. The procedure is as follows:

Take 2 to 3 tablespoons of gram flour and add some water to prepare a smooth paste.
After that, apply this paste to the infected area.
Then let it dry for 10 to 15 minutes, and subsequently clean it with cold water.
Finally, repeat the same process once in a day for a week.

Camphor

It becomes very important and efficient if the lump has become very itchy and irritating. The procedure is as follows:

Crush the camphor into a powdered form using a mallet.
Applying camphor induces both cold and warm sensations in the skin and it also enhances blood circulation
Add some margosa oil in it to make a sticky paste.
Apply it on your lumps. It gives cooling and refreshing feel.
You can also apply margosa leaf directly to the skin to calm burning sensation.

There are various chemical treatments that can be used to overcome the appearance of heat lumps on your skin. The first medication is mild cortisone creams like hydrocortisone or a prescription of cortisone creams like triamcinolone for the treatments of rashes from eczema.

On the other hand, oral antihistamines are also very crucial in the treatment. They include diphenhydramine. They can help decrease itching mostly through sedation associated with these medications.

Pictures of heat lumps

Here are sample pictures and testimonials of how heat lumps look like in real sense. The pictures are generated from internet sources and might not be able to reflect the true image of the condition that affects you. Careful diagnosis and examination by an examining dermatologist is the key to determining the truth about the condition that affects you from time to time.

Heat lumps pictures

Dry heat lumps on the back

Heat lumps on horses

Exposure of the horse to a lot of heat could also be a factor that causes the formation of heat lumps. The clogging of the sweat pores and gland could create a conducive environment for the colonization of microbes like the bacteria. The clinical signs of the lumps are present upon the colonization.

The appearance of such in horses is referred to us allergy, which is a hypersensitivity reaction. It ranges from mild to a life-threatening systemic reaction known as anaphylaxis to a mild but rather disagreeable skin reaction like the hives or itching.

In horses, hives are the major contributor of the formation of the heat lumps. They have a different appearance to collagen deposits as they flatter, they are wider and some other times inches across and can give rise to wrinkling of the horse skin.

These lumps are usually not painful and while starting soft, quickly become firm. They can be found singly or in multiples and vary from small to moderate in size. These lumps most commonly are found along the neck, withers, and down the back of the horse, although they can be anywhere on the body.

References and Sources

heat lumps

How to Get Rid of Heat Lumps

What are heat lumps?

Causes of heat lumps