Home remedies for prickly heat
CEBU, Philippines – Oatmeal is a popular treatment for prickly rash due to its anti-irritating, anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. It has a soothing effect on the skin and give instant relief from inflammation and itching caused by prickly heat.
Add one cup of finely ground oatmeal powder to a bathtub filled with cool water. Stir well, until the water gets a milky color.
Soak in this bath for 20 to 30 minutes. Pat dry your body with a soft towel. Do this twice daily for a week to get relief.
Cold Treatment
Using a cold compress over the affected area provides immediate relief from inflammation, prickling sensations and itching.
Wrap a few ice cubes in a dishcloth. Place it on the affected areas for five to 10 minutes at a time. Repeat every four to six hours for two to three days. This will prevent the rashes from getting worse and spreading further.
Alternatively, you can soak a cotton cloth in cold water, wring out the excess water and place it over the affected area for five to 10 minutes. Repeat three or four times a day for about a week.
You can also take a cold shower or bath as needed to reduce the intensity of prickly heat symptoms.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is another useful prickly heat treatment. It works as a gentle exfoliating agent that helps unclog pores by removing dead skin cells, dirt and other impurities. This in turn relieves the itching and inflammation associated with prickly heat.
Add one teaspoon of baking soda to one cup of cold water. Soak a clean washcloth in the solution and wring out the excess water. Put the washcloth over the affected area for five to 10 minutes. Repeat four or five times a day for a week.
Neem Leaves
Neem leaves have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties that can help control the symptoms of prickly heat like itching and inflammation.
Grind a handful of fresh neem leaves into a paste. Apply the paste on the affected skin and allow it to dry on its own. Rinse it off with cool water. Follow this treatment once daily for a week.
Alternatively, you can simmer a handful of neem leaves in two cups of water for 20 minutes. Strain the solution and allow it to cool. Soak a cotton cloth in the solution and place it over the affected area for five to 10 minutes. Do this four or five times daily for a week.
You can also create a paste of 15 to 20 crushed neem leaves mixed with one-half cup of gram flour (also known as besan) and a little water. Spread it on the affected area, leave it on for 15 minutes and then rinse it off with cool water. Use it daily for a few days or about a week.
Aloe Vera
Owing to its anti-inflammatory, soothing and cooling properties, aloe vera is an excellent home remedy for prickly heat.
Extract fresh aloe vera gel from an aloe leaf. Rub the gel over the affected skin. Leave it on for at least 20 minutes, and then take a cold bath. Do this at least two times a day for about a week.
Gram Flour
Gram flour helps absorb extra moisture off the body, which in turn helps treat prickly heat. Also, it removes dead skin cells, opens up clogged pores and provides relief from inflammation.
Add a little water to two to three tablespoons of gram flour to make a paste. Apply it on the affected area. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes, and then wash it off with cold water. Do this once daily for about a week.
Raw Mangoes
Raw mangos are one of the best foods for effectively cooling down the body and providing relief from itching and other symptoms of prickly heat.
Boil two thoroughly washed raw mangos in two cups of water until they become soft. When cool, remove the mangos from the water and squeeze out the pulp. Add the pulp to the cooled water, along with rock salt and sugar according to your taste. Drink it once or twice daily for a week to speed up the healing process.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers have a cooling effect that soothes and helps cool the affected skin. It can also give relief from itching.
Cut a cucumber into thin slices. Soak them for a few minutes in a bowl of cold water mixed with two tablespoons of lemon juice. Place the soaked cucumber slices on the affected areas for 10 minutes. Do this three times daily for a week.
You can also rub cucumber pulp on the affected area. Leave it on for 30 minutes, and then wash it off with cool water. This will cool the area and lessen the itching. Do this several times a day for a week to promote healing.
As cucumber has high water content, also eat it daily to keep the body hydrated.
Usually heat rash disappears within a week using these natural treatments. If you do not get relief within a week or if some kind of skin infection develops, seek medical help.
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