Heat rash, prickly heat and miliaria rubra are three names for the hot, itchy red bumps that can develop on your skin during exercise. The skin condition occurs when your sweat glands become blocked or over-stimulated and cannot release the perspiration they produce. Hot, humid weather can cause heat rash, but so can exercise under certain conditions. Friction, tight clothing and a long wait for the shower can exacerbate prickly heat rash.
Step 1
Apply cornstarch-based powder to parts of your body where friction can develop during your workout. The powder particles act as tiny ball bearings that facilitate movement while minimizing rubbing. Depending on where your skin touches skin, you might powder your underarm area, inner thighs or under the breasts.
Step 2
Choose workout clothing made of fabrics that wick moisture away from your skin. If your exercise regimen requires stretchy clothing, look for blends of natural and synthetic fibers that snap back into place but also absorb moisture.
Step 3
Wear clothing that fits without being too restrictive. Loose clothing can create friction that exacerbates heat rash, while overly tight clothing compresses the sweat-producing eccrene glands.
Step 4
Exercise in circulating air whenever possible. Moving air carries away moisture on your skin, cooling you off and reducing your chances of developing an itchy heat rash. If you walk, jog or run outside in a hot climate, choose cooler times of day for exercise or take frequent breaks in the shade.
Step 5
Switch between exercise equipment that might block sweat glands. Shift your position on rubber yoga mats or exercise balls and sit up between sets on exercise benches. Staying on one piece of equipment can compress your skin and lead to localized heat rash.
Step 6
Shower as quickly as you can after your workout. Cool water will lower your surface temperature and direct your sweat glands to step down their production.
Step 7
Change into fresh clothes after your workout. Sweat-dampened exercise clothes contribute to sweat glands' inability to offload the sweat they produce.
Tips and Warnings
- Use only a small amount of powder where it's needed; too much powder will make a pasty mess as you sweat. Change your style of exercise clothing from workout to workout to give sweat glands along waistbands and under arms a break from the compression they undergo when you wear styles that constrict in the same spots every workout.
- If you suffer any shortness of breath or develop a rashlike series of bumps when you take a hot bath and when you exercise, you may have exercise-induced hives. Dermatologists call this condition cholinergic urticaria, and its etiology is distinct from that of heat rash. While heat rash rarely requires a doctor visit, see your physician if you suspect that you have exercise-induced hives.
Things You'll Need
- Cornstarch powder
