I never in my life got heat rash until I started riding last summer (smart timing dur). I didn't do many rides last year, but it seems I got it every time (on the road) even though I think it was less severe by the end of the summer. But it would stick around for a good 36 hours or more. I went on a 25 miler last weekend with absolutely no shade, very sunny, somewhere in the lower 80's and I had heat rash again. Not too bad this time though. Was gone by the next morning to. Do you guys get this? Do you just stop getting it after riding in the heat for a while? How do you make it NOT freakin' happen?? :p More water? Cover more skin? I don't want to wear sleeves :( Please pontificate on heat rash :D

Ah... heat rash!

I used to get heat rash A LOT when I'd travel to hot and humid places. It was horrible.

I assume the heat rash looks something like a rash- red bumps on the skin that feel hot to the touch and often feel tingly and you feel like you want to scratch it. That is a heat rash.

If this is your condition, heat rashes are caused when your sweat glands are blocked for some reason or another (ie tight clothing), and because the glands are closed, the sweat leaves the body through the nearby tissue, which is how you end up with that prickly, tingly sensation. It's not pleasant. It mainly happens in hot and humid weather.

What you'll want to do is wear loose clothing- try that coolmax clothing. Also, you'll want to make sure your skin "breathes"- no tight clothes if you can help it. You want to be sure you have clothes that can wick away the sweat. Clothes that trap heat (and sweat too) should be avoided.

You can also use that pink lotion- I think it's called calamide lotion- the stuff used for poison ivy and chicken pox? You'll want to make sure you go to a cool, dry place, and if you can get your hands on a fan, use it to cool yourself down, or find some air-conditioned room. Then when you take a shower, you want to thoroughly dry yourself off and apply some talc or baby powder to the afflicted area and keep the area dry. Don't use any of those creams or ointments- they will tend to keep the afflicted area wet, and you need to keep the area DRY...

That's my pontification, and I'm sticking to it!

:D


Koffee

As someone who lives in a climate that is, at it's coldest, merely warm and humid, I've had to deal with this issue quite a lot. One habit I make during the summer months is to take a cool shower before riding. Riding clean is a big factor in this.

thanks :) Oh..and I only get it on my chest, shoulders, and a little on my back. Which is odd because I do usually wear a tight top, but it doesn't ever cover those places??? Well..except certain parts of the chest. Ahem. I told a guy on the ride this morning that I got heat rash, and he says, "Put powder in your shorts!" I was like HUH??? Oh right...wrong place :D Oh yeah..and I am wearing sun screen. 30 or 45. I'll try getting cooled off and dry faster tomorrow like ya' said and see how it goes. I rode 30 this morning and it doesn't seem to be popping up YET (always a delayed reaction though). I guess it's not too bad because it doesn't itch, it just looks incredibly gross! Like I have some disease.

Oooohhhhh...I just thought of something. My thyroid's a bit overactive. I've had several people I've ridden with make comments about how I'm not even sweaty, while they're dripping wet. I rarely get 'dripping' sweaty. Just kinda glossy?? Boy..that's not good. Hmmm...that's a whole different ball of wax to think about...

Natophelia-

Do you ride with guys or chicks? Who are the ones usually getting the most sweaty? I actually have an answer for you based on how you answer the question!

It's calomine lotion, not calomide. A pharmacist might be able to come up with something better that has something to reduce the inflammation, though.

Heat is the one time when experienced touring and long-distance riders dump the polyfibre shirts and go to long-sleeve, loose-fitting cotton shirts.

The cotton breathes, is light and smooth to the touch, and doesn't retain sweat long enough to be a nuisance. The long sleeves, of course, keep the sun off the skin.

A light-coloured men's business shirt is ideal... even has a flip-up collar to keep the sun off the neck! Might look odd if you riding a road-bike.

But then I can't understand why people sacrifice themselves at the altar of fashion when it affects their comfort and health.

I ride with both :) hehe obviously the guys sweat more...big stinky boys :p

Well I rode more this weekend than I ever had in a weekend. Hot and no shade both times. The stoopud rash looked like it tried to come out, but it never did. whoohoo!!

hrm....i think ive been getting heat rashes...or maybe its hives. im sure sure which. i get red rashes mostly on my arm, hand, then afterwhile, on my body. im not sure why i get them. i could be playing ball or riding my bike and get them. or even walking around the mall, and ill break out. its werid.

Originally posted by killerasp
hrm....i think ive been getting heat rashes...or maybe its hives. im sure sure which. i get red rashes mostly on my arm, hand, then afterwhile, on my body. im not sure why i get them. i could be playing ball or riding my bike and get them. or even walking around the mall, and ill break out. its werid.

Depending on the duration you may have cholinergic urticaria killerasp http://dermatology.about.com/library/blcholurt.htm

Natophelia's rash lasts too long for hers to be this.

Gross, heat rash stinks! :mad:

I live in Florida and mostly get it on days that I wear sunscreen or when I don't take a shower the morning before my ride. And I get it mostly on my "ahem" place, the sports bra "area," if you will :p

Take a shower, don't keep the pores clogged and keep on not-sweating :D

I live in Australia and being the hot place in summer it is I go riding alot in the heat. Never had heat rash, closest thing I had was little red bumps that came up, sometimes like pimples able to be popped, other times just tiny. I started using a alchohol based sunscreen to see if blocked pores were the reason. Haven't had any sinse bumps since. The alchohol seems to clean the pores really well, as it should do.