Painful Prickly Heat Rash

[Bill21]

My 18 year old son began getting painful heat rashes about 6 months ago, and it's getting so bad he can't work.  He's just fine until he begins perspiring the smallest amount, and then his whole body breaks out in a fine rash that feels like being stuck with needles everywhere.  He gets relief by getting cold and splashing himself with cold water all over.  He works at a grocery store bagging groceries, and the vents blow warm air at the checkout area, and as soon as he gets the slightest bit sweaty, he explodes with a painful rash and has to leave to go outside to cool off.  His coworkers think he's nuts, but he's not.  He keeps calling in sick, and he's gonna lose a job that he loves if he doesn't find a solution to this soon.  He has been to 2 doctors, and they perscribed claratin, stronger antihistimenes, creams, etc, but none of it works.  PLEASE HELP.  I use non-alergenic laundry soap, and I'm cutting out the Bounce fabric softener to see if that helps.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Glad to know that the post was of some help to you and that a diagnosis has been established.

Avoiding stress is definitely the first step.

Let us know if you need any other information and post us on how he is doing.

Regards.

[Bill21]

Okay....we know what it is now.  It's called cholinergic urticaria.
see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholinergic_urticaria
and
www.heathives.com

He's had a few times when he has been very active and perspired a lot with no rashes when he has been having A LOT OF FUN, like at a rave dance.  So there seems to be a stress factor.  If he's totally relaxed and unstressed, then it may not doesn't occur.  We're trying to figure out how to factor that in to a solution to this ailment.

- Bill

[Bill21]

Hi,
Thank you for the comments.
We've read the description of miliaria rubra, and the rash looks identical, and many aspects of it fit well, however, we don't live in a warm tropical climate and he does not wear constrictive clothing.  Our climate and his life style are quite benign.  He used to exercise at the gym, but now he can't because as soon as he perspires, WAM! the painful rash explodes all over his body (except for his face, palms, and feet).  He was helping a friend move today, and they barely got started when he had to quit because the rash hit him.  It's getting worse, too.  
Could this be some sort of auto-immune reaction to sweat?  His mother died of Melanoma 5 years ago, and he has moles and acne.  Miliaria rubra is caused by blocked poors -- how could his poors be getting blocked?  
Thanks for any help anyone can give us,
Bill

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

This sounds like a heat rash or milaria , though nothing can be said with surety without having a look at the lesions.

'Miliaria (miliaria rubra, sweat rash or prickly heat) is a skin disease marked by small and itchy rashes. Miliaria is a common ailment in hot and humid conditions, such as in the tropics and during the summer season. '

'The prevention and treatment of miliaria primarily consists of controlling heat and humidity so that sweating is not stimulated. Measures may involve treating a febrile illness; removing occlusive clothing; limiting activity; providing air conditioning; or, as a last resort, having the patient move to a cooler climate.'

You could read more about the condition at the following links -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miliaria

and

http://www.emedicine.com/DERM/topic266.htm

Let us know if you need any other information and post us about how you are doing.

Regards.