What causes heat rash during pregnancy: Thought that only babies get prickly heat?
Well, so do women who are busy growing babies. Caused by the combination of an already overheated pregnant body, dampness from excessive perspiration, and the friction of skin rubbing against itself or against clothing (as it tends to do when there’s more skin to rub), prickly heat is usually only slightly irritating. It is most common in the crease between and beneath the breasts, in the crease where the bulge of the lower abdomen rubs against the top of the pubic area, and on the inner thighs. (The beauty bonuses just keep on coming.…) What you can do about heat rash during pregnancy: A cool, damp compress can take some of the heat out of your heat rash. A dab of calamine lotion can also be soothing (temporarily, anyway) and is safe to use. If any rash or irritation lasts longer than a couple of days, ask your practitioner about next steps. What solutions are off-limits: There are plenty of over-the-counter remedies for heat rash (you’ll notice that many contain hydrocortisone, a com
