How to deal with heat rash that doesn't itch?

Written by Huang Ling Juan
Dermatology
Updated on May 30, 2025
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If prickle heat appears without itching, you can apply some Calamine Lotion locally. If the symptoms are not severe, you may not need any special treatment.

Wear loose and breathable clothing, avoid excessive sweating, keep indoor air circulating, avoid direct sunlight, refrain from intense physical activities, drink plenty of water, and using foods that clear heat, cool the blood, and detoxify can also lead to significant improvement.

Prickle heat usually occurs due to high temperatures, high humidity, and excessive sweating. Whether prickle heat causes itching varies from person to person; some people feel very itchy, whereas others do not show any symptoms, such as when white heat rash occurs, usually there are no noticeable symptoms.

If prickle heat is accompanied by itching, treatment under the guidance of a doctor with antihistamine drugs may be necessary.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
47sec home-news-image

What does "prickly heat" mean?

Prickly heat is the name of a disease, often characterized by the appearance of white spots, blisters, papules, or vesicular rashes on the skin, and it is usually accompanied by itchiness. The causes are generally related to the weather being too hot, high temperatures, and the inability of sweat to escape from the skin, accumulating on the epidermis and eventually leading to the occurrence of prickly heat. Overall, this disease is very common. Due to its skin symptoms and severe itching, it is advisable to treat it promptly. Moreover, paying attention to daily habits and ensuring good indoor ventilation can help prevent the occurrence of prickly heat.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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What medicine is used for prickly heat?

Prickly heat is a common skin disease that often occurs in summer. For the treatment of prickly heat, we divide it into systemic treatment and topical treatment. Systemic treatment mainly involves taking antihistamines orally, such as loratadine tablets, when itching is severe. If there is a pus infection, it is recommended to use antibiotics for treatment. Another method is the topical treatment of prickly heat, which involves the use of cooling powders locally, such as prickly heat powder or cooling and itching-relieving washes, such as calamine lotion or menthol tincture. In cases of pustular prickly heat, calamine or berberine powder can be used topically.

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Written by Li Ying
Neonatology
1min 31sec home-news-image

The difference between prickly heat and rash

It's often hard for parents to distinguish between intertrigo and prickly heat, but our approach to handling them is generally the same: keep the area dry and apply a small amount of talcum powder to the area affected by prickly heat. Diaper dermatitis and prickly heat may appear similar. Diaper dermatitis primarily occurs on the baby's genital area due to the parents' failure to change diapers or nappies in time, leading to contamination of the skin by the baby's excrement, which can cause the appearance of erythema. Typically, the skin's surface will exhibit red patches or rashes. At this point, we shouldn't use talcum powder; instead, we should visit a dermatologist who will prescribe antimicrobial topical treatments. Another condition is atopic dermatitis, which also manifests with the development of a rash but is characterized by genetic predisposition and being primarily an allergic reactive disease. It usually appears on the face and the flexural sides of the limbs. If you notice that your baby develops rashes not just during summer but also in winter, or if the rashes appear sporadically, you should take your child to a dermatologist for an examination to see if it is atopic dermatitis. For managing atopic dermatitis, the routine care typically involves the long-term use of moisturizers instead of talcum powder and avoiding allergens.

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Written by Huang Ling Juan
Dermatology
1min 15sec home-news-image

The difference between eczema and prickly heat

Eczema and heat rash have clear differences, distinguished by their causes, affected areas, and symptoms. The cause of heat rash is mainly due to blocked sweat pores, typically triggered by hot and humid environmental conditions; eczema, on the other hand, is usually caused by allergic factors such as food allergies, pollen, dust mites, animal fur, etc., and is also related to disorders of gastrointestinal function and indigestion. The seasonal occurrence of the two conditions also differs. Heat rash usually occurs in the summer, while eczema can occur in any season and at any age. The affected areas are also different. Heat rash typically appears on the chest, back, inside the elbows, neck, and forehead, whereas eczema can occur on any part of the body. The clinical manifestations of the two are also different; heat rash involves inflammation of the sweat glands, with the skin turning red and a dense distribution of papules. Eczema, on the other hand, primarily features symmetrically distributed erythema and papules, and may also include exudation.

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Written by Zeng Hai Jiang
Pediatrics
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Is prickly heat powder effective for children's prickly heat?

When children develop heat rash, using prickly heat powder is useful. Heat rash in children is caused by the blockage of sweat ducts in the skin, leading to a type of skin disease. Conditions such as poor development of sweat ducts in newborns, overly hot external environments, and prolonged bed rest can make children more prone to heat rash. Once a child develops heat rash, measures to cool and dry the skin are usually effective in improving the condition. Topical medications can also be applied locally, including ingredients like calamine, prickly heat powder, etc. The principles of using topical medications are cooling, itching relief, and astringency. The components of prickly heat powder include talcum, borneol, zinc oxide, and menthol, which can help remove dampness, disperse wind, cool the skin, and relieve itching. Therefore, using prickly heat powder is useful when children develop heat rash. (The use of medications should be carried out under the guidance of a physician)