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Original poster

Prickly heat ....

17 replies

frazzledbutcalm · 10/07/2015 09:22

Not sure I'm in the right place. Will also post elsewhere if no replies.

We're going to Tenerife at the end of the month. I suffer terrible prickly heat. I've been to the health food shop and lady advised me to take vitamin C and beta carotene. I'm not convinced this will work! I take anti histamines for hayfever so that's that covered. I've been told to take cream for athletes foot as that gets rid of the rash and itching when it starts. I'm also going to ask GP for steroid cream to take with me.

Ideally, I want to prevent it in the first place. Any ideas for what actually works?

OP posts:
iwantgin · 10/07/2015 09:31

I used to get this - but dont' seem to suffer it much now.

I think I read that the type of suncream/body lotion you use can affect the severity of it. So an oily suncream might prevent your body from sweating - hence causing irritation? Try something like P20 or Ultrasun in lieu of your usual sun lotion. They are totally different to regular sunlotions - which I very rarely use. This year and last I used a Green People sun cream which is a nice formulation too - less nasties in too.

Other than that try and cover up more - floaty, lightweight shirts/skirts etc.

lilacblossomtime · 10/07/2015 09:37

Oh I get this so bad sometimes. I heard that your skin gets used to the sun which is why it is worse at the beginning of summer, so you could try increasing your time in the sun a bit each day before you go and try to get sun on any areas that you will have uncovered when away.

SquirrelledAway · 10/07/2015 10:14

I found switching to a non-waterproof sun cream really helped - I think the waterproof stuff just forms a barrier which traps sweat underneath it and increases the irritation.

Original poster
frazzledbutcalm · 10/07/2015 10:17

Thanks for your replies.

iwant ... I started using ultrasun last year, but have never used it abroad. I've bought LOTS of it to take away.

lilac ... I only get it abroad so I'm guessing it's the intensity of the sun. I was going to book sunbeds before I go but I think I've left it too late ...

OP posts:
magimedi · 10/07/2015 10:42

I used to get it really badly.

I now take a one-a-day anti hitamine for 2 weeks before I go & all the time on hols & use Piz Buin anti allergy sun cream (factor 30) & have never had it since. I know several other people who have followed this advice & it has worked for them.

Do not use all day waterproof sun cream as this blocks the pores.

Original poster
frazzledbutcalm · 10/07/2015 11:55

magi .. I take anti histamine every day anyway for hayfever, have tried piz buin anti allergy but still got prickly heat :-(

OP posts:
Onykahonie · 11/07/2015 16:31

I second using Green People's sun cream -the organic kids' unscented version (from health food shops, online and in Waitrose). Like other recommendations, it's not waterproof.
It's not cheap, but I've used it on my daughter who get allergies to other sun creams and recommended it to my mum who gets terrible prickly heat...she says it's the only cream she's tried that prevents the rash.

slalomsuki · 12/07/2015 09:14

I used to get this too but it stopped when I switched away from waterproof sun cream to P20 or Calypso (similar to P20 but cheaper). It stopped immediately and well worth the extra money.

rachyconks · 12/07/2015 09:22

I have tried EVERYTHING to stop it. Creams, sunscreens, keeping cool, cold showers, staying in the shade and taking anti-histamine year round. Nothing helps. I love the sun and sunbathing, but it's no longer enjoyable. Within mins the familiar itching starts and within a day in covered in itchy red lumped up sores. It really gets me down.

Fwiw, I find it is much more severe when it's my TOM, though doctor told me there is no correlation between hormones and prickly heat. I think otherwise.

Poppins27 · 12/07/2015 09:27

I suffer with prickly heat too, for my last 2 holidays I have had an antihistamine prescribed by a Dr, the 'off the shelf' type never touched my itching/horrific looking rash but these definitely do. Think they are called Fexofenadine?!

chipsandpeas · 12/07/2015 11:31

last year in egypt i used ultrasun i felt it done a good job, this year in cyprus i went back to calyspo all day (lots cheaper) and it done exaclty the same job - prickly heat not as bad
now 2 years ago in egypt i used calyspo and got prickly heat quite bad so i think it all depends on the climate
going to gran canaria in august and undecided about what to take but im swaying towards the calypso

at the time i got anti histimanes from gp which i didnt like - these were called chlorphenamine stopped taking them after a few days and switched back to the over the counter ones i had with me

i would regulary cool down by going into the pool and drying my chest area with the towel rather than drying naturally - i only get it on my chest area
i have came to the conclusion that i will never stop getting it

oh i tried the going to sunbeds before going away trick and i stick got pricky heat

people have told me that in tenerife you can buy a cream which works wonders - however they can never remember the name, im going to look into it in GC this year

rachyconks · 12/07/2015 12:39

Chips I tried the sunbed too and got prickly heat from it! Grin

Original poster
frazzledbutcalm · 13/07/2015 13:08

rach .. I think I'd also get prickly heat from sunbeds ... I got it from my newly installed log burning stove! Grin

chips ... I'm off to Tenerife so I'll check the cream, if I find it I'll post! Was it a suncream or treatment cream?

When I was in Ibiza a few years ago, the local rep gave me some steroid cream which was fantastic! I didn't even think to note the name though Sad I regret this massively!

pop I tried fexofenadine as a friend swears by this for her prickly heat .. did nothing for me Sad

OP posts:
Chipstick10 · 19/07/2015 22:59

Up until 2008 I had never suffered prickly heat in my life. In 2008 it was just on one leg and quite mild. And only when I am abroad never in this country no matter how hot it is. I have had it every year since and the severity gets worse each year. I have put two and two together and it seems it has happened since I starting using waterproof once a day suncream. Mainly ultrasun. I dread next year. This year I suffered badly and switched to calypso dry oil. It certainly helped. I also stopped going in the pool until it calmed down.

TheMagicToyshop · 19/07/2015 23:23

I used to get this and now religiously use the Soltan sensitive sun lotion - in a white bottle. It says it prevents prickly heat, don't know what's in it but it works for me. Witch hazel gel was also very soothing when I did get it.

Original poster
frazzledbutcalm · 16/08/2015 11:06

Well I'm back .... AND I DIDN'T GET PRICKLY HEAT!!!! Grin
First time EVER I've not had it abroad!
I don't know if it was the tablets from the health food shop, the suncream I used or the fact that I lived in the pool ... it was just great not to have it!

Unfortunately though, ds got it on day 1! Sad Sad
I used the steroid cream from the doctor that I'd taken with me, it helped but he still suffered. It was on the inside of his thighs and we can't decide if it was prickly heat or a reaction to the sea (that's where we spent our first day).

chips ... didn't find a magical cream over there ....

OP posts:
specialsubject · 16/08/2015 12:39

health food shop woman talking nonsense. Ignore.

deliberate sunbathing off Africa is obviously insane, so don't do that - stay in the shade at peak times. Cover up with loose clothing, swim in that nice cool clean sea wearing long board shorts, long sleeved rash vest and big hat if you don't mind doing the lady swim. When you get out of the sea, rinse off in fresh water so salt crystals don't irritate.

don't be a mad dog, do stuff outside the hot hours like the locals do. Tenerife has a pleasant climate and cools off at night. Or visit the mountain or the cooler/greener areas where there's lots to see and do.

using sunbeds unless medically prescribed is even more insane.

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