Difference Between Heat Rash And Eczema In Babies

Should You Visit The Doctor For Babys Drool Rash

With at-home treatments like the ones we described above, drool rash will usually go away in about a week. But if babys drool rash looks blistery, oozy, or crusty, this may be a sign of infection, so baby needs medical attention. If the rash doesnt improve after several days of treatment, seems excessively itchy, or baby seems to be in pain because of the rash, you should also see your pediatrician. The pediatrician may prescribe a cream, ointment, or other topical treatment to help babys rash heal.

How Can I Prevent Baby Heat Rash

The best way to prevent heat rash in babies are the same steps youll take in order to treat baby heat rash. Simply avoid overdressing your little one and keep cool air circulating. A good rule of thumb to use when wondering if its too hot? If youre feeling uncomfortably warm, baby probably is, too, says Dr. Siddiqui. Further, unless your baby has a different skin condition that requires the use of a heavier lotion, just apply a light, fragrance-free lotion after babys bath in order to keep skin moisturized. Nothing more than that should be necessary, says Dr. Siddiqui.

Drool Rash Vs Atopic Eczema: How To Tell The Difference

But how to tell the difference between atopic dermatitis and drool rash? The main difference is where the rash appears.

Drool rash usually only appears around and directly below the mouth. It will appear around the mouth, chin, and neck, and may also appear on the chest if the drool gets that far. But it wont appear any lower on the body, or above the nose.

Meanwhile, atopic eczema often appears on the elbows, knees, arm joints, leg joints, forehead and scalp. Drool rash wont appear in these places, because theyre too low or too high for the drool to affect.

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Main Differences Between Eczema And Heat Rash

Why Do Babies Develop Drool Rash

Drool rash is most common in babies between three and six months of age about the same time they enter the teething stage. But it could develop anytime after baby hits the two-month mark the earliest that their salivary glands could start producing and anytime before baby reaches their second birthday.

Since baby doesnt have full control over the muscles that help them swallow food and saliva , the drool dribbles down their mouth instead.

Drooling is perfectly normal once it starts, thats a sign that baby is developing food-related fine motor skills like chewing. And when baby starts eating solid foods, theyll drool even more as their body produces the saliva needed for digestion. Too much drooling that isnt cleaned off of babys face, though, could lead to drool rash.

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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of The Different Types Of Heat Rash

Heat rash appears as tiny red bumps around your childâs pores in the areas of his skin that tend to get moist, or in spots where clothing creates friction, such as the folds of his neck, upper chest, arms, legs, and his diaper area.

There are several types of heat rash:

• Miliaria crystallina. This is the mildest form of heat rash, affecting the top layer of skin. It looks like clear, fluid-filled blisters or bumps that break open easily.

• Miliaria rubra. This type of heat rash occurs deeper in the skin, and is referred to as âprickly heatâ because its symptoms include an itching or prickly feeling in addition to bumps.

• Miliaria pustulosa. This is type of heat rash comes with inflammation leading to the blisters filling with pus.

• Miliaria profunda. This less common type of heat rash affects a deep layer of skin, creating firm lesions that look like goose bumps.

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How To Prevent Heat Rash

The best way to prevent heat rash is to avoid sweating. This may be easier said than done, especially if you live in a hot, humid climate. After all, sweating is your bodys natural way of keeping you cool in warm conditions.

But there are some ways to reduce sweating and reduce the chances of a rash developing.

• Wear loose, lightweight clothing and avoid clothing that thats too tight or that rubs up against your skin.
• Remove sweaty clothes that are close to your skin.
• Limit the use of ointments or heavy moisturizers that can block your pores.
• Try to spend most of your time in the shade or inside an air-conditioned space on hot days.
• Take cool baths or showers on a regular basis.

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Heat Rash Or Prickly Heat

Heat rash or prickly heat is a harmless but very itchy skin rash forming small red spots in places where sweat collects, such as the armpits, back, under the breasts, chest, neck, groin, crooks of elbows and knees, and the waist.

Heat rash is caused by a blockage and inflammation of sweat ducts in heat and high humidity, which causes:

• tiny red spots
• an irritating itch and prickling sensation
• redness and mild swelling of the affected area

Read more about how to cope in hot weather.

Care Advice For Heat Rash

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What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of Eczema

The signs of eczema :

• are mainly dry, itchy skin. Because it is so itchy, it is often called “the itch that rashes.”
• include redness, scales, and bumps that can leak fluid and then crust over
• tend to come and go. When they get worse, it is called a flare-up.
• may be more noticeable at night

Symptoms can vary:

• Infants younger than 1 year old usually have the eczema rash on their cheeks, forehead, or scalp. It may spread to the knees, elbows, and trunk .

• Older kids and teens usually get the rash in the bends of the elbows, behind the knees, on the neck, or on the inner wrists and ankles. Their skin is often scalier and drier than when the eczema first began. It also can be thicker, darker, or scarred from all the scratching .

Keep Your Babys Skin Dry

Moisturized skin is generally a good thing, but too much moisture can irritate your babys skin. This is especially true when heat is added to the mix.

To prevent heat rash, make sure you are using a moisturizer formulated for your babys skin type so no excess moisture remains. And always make sure your baby is dry before dressing them.

Remember to pay particular attention to your babys skin folds when drying your little one off after a bath. Were talking about areas such as the neck, arms, legs, and diaper area. Youll want to make sure these specific areas are completely dry.

When changing your babys diaper, allow their bum to dry completely before putting on a new diaper. Use a diaper cream designed to protect and soothe your babys bottom.

Our Diaper Rash Cream 1 2 3 is a three-in-one product clinically proven to soothe your babys diaper area and relieve irritation and redness from the first use.

This hypoallergenic cream is accepted by the National Eczema Association and infused with zinc oxide to create a comfortable, protective barrier.

If you prefer an EWG Verified diaper cream option, opt for Diaper Cream with Olive Oil and Aloe. Its made with 99.7% naturally derived ingredients, including aloe vera, sunflower oil, and olive oil sourced from family-owned groves in the South of France.

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What Causes Baby Heat Rash

Baby heat rash is caused by blocked sweat ducts on your babys skin. As ducts get blocked, sweat is trapped and begins creating bumps and blisters on the body in areas of high friction.

There are three main types of heat rashes.

• Miliaria crystallina – The mildest type of heat rash, this rash only affects the top layer of the skin. Common symptoms are small, clear, bumps and blisters that dont itch or cause discomfort.
• Miliaria rubra – This rash affects the mid-epidermis, which is a deeper layer of your babys skin. The bumps caused by miliaria rubra often sting, itch, and are tender to the touch.
• Miliaria profunda – Miliaria profunda is the most serious type of heat rash and is very rare among babies and toddlers. The bumps and blisters caused by profunda are typically much larger than other types of heat rash.

Rashes From Bites And Stings

Bites and stings usually cause pain and slight swelling, but they can cause a severe skin reaction in some people, particularly if they are allergic to stings. Sometimes the reaction is localised to swelling at the site of the bite or sting. This may be many centimetres wide but gradually goes away over a few days.

In some people the reaction to the bite or sting affects their whole body and can cause itchy skin anywhere on the body, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat, and upper airway, a fast heart rate and low blood pressure.

A severe allergic reaction affecting the whole body is called anaphylaxis and is a medical emergency.

Read more about bites and stings.

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Heat Stroke And Heat Exhaustion

Heat rash may also be an early warning of heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

Call triple zero immediately if you get symptoms of heat stroke such as a sudden rise in body temperature, red, hot dry skin , dry swollen tongue, rapid pulse, rapid shallow breathing, intense thirst, headache, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, confusion, poor coordination or slurred speech, aggressive or bizarre behaviour, loss of consciousness, seizures or coma.

Dress Your Baby In Layers

Babies are a bit fickle when it comes to temperatures. They get cold easily, but they can also get too hot very quickly.

The easiest solution is to dress your little one in layers. Think: a onesie as a base layer, then a long-sleeved shirt, a cardigan, and so on. Whenever your baby seems hot, simply remove a layer. When you notice that your baby is feeling cold again, just add another layer.

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Drool Rash Vs Baby Eczema: How Are They Related

Many people dont realize that drool rash is actually a type of eczema . Eczema and dermatitis are catch-all terms for several different types of skin conditions. All types of eczema cause inflammation and irritation of the skin.

One type of eczema is atopic dermatitis — the most common type of eczema that we covered above.

Another type of eczema is contact dermatitis. Contact dermatitis flares up and causes a rash when someones skin comes in direct contact with an irritant. Drool rash is a type of contact dermatitis — in this case, babys own saliva is the irritant that causes the rash.

Both contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis can flare up when someones skin is exposed to certain irritants. But atopic dermatitis can sometimes be triggered by allergens, heat, dryness, and infections as well.

Will A Humidifier Help With Eczema

A humidifier puts moisture back into the air. Since dry air can aggravate eczema, you can see why some people think a humidifier might help.

But theres no scientific evidence that humidifiers can help people with eczema. And allergy-causing dust mites and bacteria also love to live in warm, moist places.

So although very dry air can make eczema worse, combating this with a humidifier isnt recommended unless you live in a particularly dry or cold place.

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How Does Baby Eczema Differ From Dry Skin

Dry skin is a symptom of eczema. Your pediatrician can diagnose eczema by examining your baby’s skin. He or she may send you to a pediatric dermatologist for confirmation and treatment if the condition is severe.

In general, dry skin can be handled at home with some moisturizer and isnt as bothersome as eczema. However, babies with darker skin tend to have drier skin than those with lighter skin making moisturization even more crucial.

Diaper Rash As Well As Baby Rashes

Diaper rash happens when an outbreak occurs on parts of the skin in contact with diapers. Some causes include having wet diapers on for too long when the infant has diarrhea, or diapers are too tight. The introduction of new clean products triggers a rash, for example, if you are using cloth diapers symptoms and treatments of diaper rash.

Eczema

Eczema is a generic term for any dermatitis or skin swelling or itching. Learn more about eczema. Its often used to describe atopic dermatitis see above!

Hives

Also called urticaria, are red, itchy bumps on the skin, often caused by an allergic reaction to a food or a drug. These hives can vary in size and can at times connect to create a more significant swelling. They often go away within 24 hours but are still no fun. Its important to avoid whatever substance or food triggers hives. Symptoms and treatments of hives.

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Some Treatments And Home Remedies For Heat Rash In Babies Include:

• Avoid powders, lotions, and oils as they can further clog pores and sweat glands
• If baby has eczema and heat rash, ask their doctor the best way to treat both
• Rinse with water and if necessary, only use a very mild soap
• Be sure to dry the skin well to avoid further irritation
• You can use a fan to help keep babys skin cool and soothed as it heals, though be sure to keep babys overall body temperature comfortable not too hot and not too cold
• Allow babys skin to breath and be uncovered. If at home, allow them to have no clothes, and even a bit of time diaper free. While theres a risk of mess, if the heat rash is in the diaper area, a bit of airing out may help heal and sooth irritation.
• Loose fitting clothing is better than tighter, restrictive clothing.

When To Seek Medical Help

See your doctor if the rash doesnt improve by itself, seems to be getting worse or if you have signs of skin infection such as:

• pain, swelling, redness or warmth around the affected area
• pus draining from the lesions
• swollen lymph nodes in the armpit, neck or groin
• a fever or chills

Rarely, some rashes are an early stage of serious infections affecting the whole body, the brain or spinal cord. You should see your doctor or call triple zero if your rash is associated with:

• severe headache, neck stiffness, and fever

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What Causes Heat Rash On Babys Face

Heat rash can occur on any part of babys body. Its especially common in crevices due to the increased risk of trapped perspiration, but hot humid weather can easily trigger heat rash on babys face.

Any amount of heat which leads to sweating can increase the risk of heat rash on babys face. Too much direct sunlight, warm hats, and covering babys face can lead to heat rash on babys face.

If youre using sunscreen, its possible to apply too thick of an application, or other products on babys face might lead to more clogging. Before using a sunscreen, be sure to speak with your babys doctor if theyre old enough to use it. Some healthcare providers recommend waiting until 4-6 months before applying it. Try Eco Logical Baby Sunscreen for something gentle, safe for babies , as well as effective.

A summer hat which provides a bit of shade without overheating baby can help reduce the risk of heat rash. Making sure baby is dressed appropriately and wearing breathable loose fitting clothing so they can remain cool enough can protect against heat rash on babys face.

While most of babys skin, sweat glands, etc. are still sensitive and immature, a babys face is often the most sensitive area. Paying close attention to babys overall temperature can help reduce heat rash on babys face. Keeping babys skin cool is important.