View Full Version : Heat Bumps
I get them every time I hike. I get them when I run but only one or two. When I hike its really bad the next day. Is there a way to stop this from happening. I have hiked in different types of clothing. The last was Saturday in board shorts (superman swimming shorts from target).
i hate them,i get them during hot weather to:cool: neo
Hammerhead
07-25-2006, 22:11
same here, i get get them all the time in the summer. the only fun comes with popping ones that shoots really far. :eek:
Amigi'sLastStand
07-25-2006, 23:12
I feel for you folks. Lots of my fellow soldiers got it bad in S. America. I had a lot of fun treating it (NOT!!!).
Prickly heat as it is usually known has no known cure and the preventive is impossible when out hiking in warm, humid weather. It is caused by sweat getting trapped under the skin where there has been damage done (polishing), as from rubbing or abrading from clothing or skin to skin contact like under the arms, the n--sack, the back of the knees, etc. I can tell you what to do, but it wont help other than to try and wash daily. What not to do is to not apply ANYTHING to the bumps other than hydrocortisone to alleve itching or nonpetroleum, non-sealing antibacterial ointment after they pop, dont apply a powder before hand, as this just helps the abrading, and dont use a skin softener or lotion as this will just clog the pores further. "Try" to keep the area dry until they heal. But, good luck with that on the trail.
As a side note -- one of the Colombian soldiers we had with us used to wash under his arms with M.E.K. He said it dried out his skin so he didnt get "da bumps". I suppose you could try isopropyl on prone areas, but try at your own discretion.
Chuck
Turbo Joe
07-25-2006, 23:52
i never got them till i hiked last year and now i get them every time my legs break a sweat i just pop them like pimples but they still hurt just not as much
Its nice too know that I'm not the only one. Its a good thing I'm married. At least when I drop em my wife knows why my a** looks like it got hit by a 12 gage.
Everyone I know who is overweight has this problem. I never used to have heat rash, but when I was doing the major packing of the house, I lived off of McDonald's and pizza. Not only did I pack on a few pounds, but my diet was loaded with greasy wanna-be-food. I got heat rash on an all-day hike. I never want to go through that again. I don't know how someone could stand it all the time! I don't go through the drive thru anymore!
Thanks for calling me fat. I would like you too know that I run 3 days a week and I am at the gym another 3. At a yearly physical a month and a half ago I was told I have 12% body fat and told by the nurse to keep doing what I'm doing; but thank you for calling me fat.
QHShowoman
07-26-2006, 13:17
Jazilla: Ha! I was thinking the opposite -- I am overweight and despite the fact that I hike, paddle, bike, etc., I've never had prickly heat.
From what I've read, prickly heat is essentially caused when the pores of your sweat glands get clogged. Certainly, if your diet is high in fat and generally unhealthy, you'll be predispositioned to prickly heat because your skin will be unhealthy. But I don't think one can assume that only overweight people get prickly heat.
Anumber1
07-26-2006, 14:17
put vaseline on the affected area prior to hiking. works for me to prevent itching and chaffing, would probably do the same for the bumps
QHShowoman
07-26-2006, 14:25
I don't think Vaseline will cut it. Vaseline is just going to clog your pores even further and exacerbate the prickly heat. Amigi was on the right track when he mentioned keeping the affected area clean and dry using hydrocortisone and drying out the rash.
Jazilla: Ha! I was thinking the opposite -- I am overweight and despite the fact that I hike, paddle, bike, etc., I've never had prickly heat.
From what I've read, prickly heat is essentially caused when the pores of your sweat glands get clogged. Certainly, if your diet is high in fat and generally unhealthy, you'll be predispositioned to prickly heat because your skin will be unhealthy. But I don't think one can assume that only overweight people get prickly heat.
I did not call any of you "fat". I said that everyone I know who has had this problem is overweight, and then I gave the McDonald's example. I said this, because I think the problem is caused by an unhealthy diet, not how many fat cells you have. I have no way to prove this. It's just a limited observation.
Footslogger
07-26-2006, 14:51
[quote=QHShowoman]I don't think Vaseline will cut it. Vaseline is just going to clog your pores even further and exacerbate the prickly heat.
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Absolutely ...vaseline will seal things off and can even cause swelling of the inflamed tissue.
Most likely what you are experiencing is called Miliaria or Prickly Heat (not "Malaria". It's a product of sweating and possibly further irritated in some people by direct contact to the sun. The sweat is being produced at a rate faster than the tissues can transport it to the surface of the skin for evaporation. It gets trapped under the skin and obstructs the sweat glands, which in turn gives rise to the tiny bubbles or vessicles.
I personally get it on the edge of my forearms because of their position (facing the sun) while I am hiking with trekking poles strapped to my wrists.
The cure is to avoid conditions which cause excess perspiration and to limit or avoid direct exposure to the sun. No one likes to hike in long sleeves when it's hot and humid outside but if you end up with a really bad case of prickly heat you might want to consider trying a loose fitting long sleeve shirt that blocks/reflects the sun and keeps the skin somewhat ventillated and relatively cool. Corticosteriods sometimes help once the lesions appear but that is generally less effective than cooling the skin and keeping it clean/dry and out of the sun.
'Slogger
blackbishop351
07-26-2006, 15:01
It sounds like you guys are talking about an acne-type problem, what with clogged pores, itching, and popping.
I get what I call a 'heat rash'. When I've been home a lot (I keep my house pretty cool) and then hit the trail, I develop tiny bumps on my arms, shoulders, and chest. But they don't appear to be fluid-filled like a blister or a zit, they're really really small, and they don't itch at all. They also usually go away after getting used to the heat for a couple of days.
I did not call any of you "fat". I said that everyone I know who has had this problem is overweight, and then I gave the McDonald's example. I said this, because I think the problem is caused by an unhealthy diet, not how many fat cells you have. I have no way to prove this. It's just a limited observation.
I apologize. I have fat issues. Was fat kid in school.
I don't have the best diet. I am from Louisiana what can I say. Food is my one vice.
Time To Fly 97
07-26-2006, 15:50
I use vaseline to prevent chafing. This also does a pretty good job of preventing heat bumps. I only apply to dry skin prior to hiking. Another thing that helps is making sure your clothing wicks well. The whole trick is to keep your skin from prolonged heat/wet. Some traditional hiking clothing wicks well and dries fast as advertised... unless it is compressed onto your skin by a heavy pack.
I found some hiking shorts by HIND that work great. However, I don't recall the fabric blend.
TTF
Amigi'sLastStand
07-26-2006, 15:56
It sounds like you guys are talking about an acne-type problem, what with clogged pores, itching, and popping.
I get what I call a 'heat rash'. When I've been home a lot (I keep my house pretty cool) and then hit the trail, I develop tiny bumps on my arms, shoulders, and chest. But they don't appear to be fluid-filled like a blister or a zit, they're really really small, and they don't itch at all. They also usually go away after getting used to the heat for a couple of days.
I dont know what that is, but it's not prickly heat rash. If it doesnt itch and there's no fluid and they go away, I wouldnt worry about it.
:confused: Vaseline is just about the worst thing you can do. To state this again, I was a second specialty medic for nine years. That means our primary medic pushed all the small stuff on me, like this condition, along with all the other nasty stuff like staph infections and athlete's foot:eek: . I've treated 100s of soldiers and civilians with this. The only thing to do is keep it clean and let it dry out. Preventively, you need to stay in a cool dry place, but that isnt what trail life is like, so try improving your diet and keeping clean.