Heat Rash or Yeast rash

[Marlinjim]

I was wondering if someone could help me out.   About 3 weeks ago I had to wear a balistic vest during a search warrant.   I do not normally wear this vest and it was about a 10 hour day.  I sweated a lot since I am not used to the vest.  After the warrant was completed I was sitting in my office doing paper work and an area of my lower back was drenched with sweat where my back was meeting the chair.   I came home and showered.  The next day after a pretty grueling workout I went back to work.   The following night I noticed two separate red patches on both sides of my back.  They really did not itch but stung slightly.  It was right where my back was compressed with the vest on.   The spots did not spread but slowly faded away to  the point where I thought it was gone.   Just this weekend I was at the beach and laying in the sun.   A day later I noticed the patches had returned.     My question is does this sound like a heat rash or a yeast rash???    I am currently returning from vacation and have to come back to two weeks of training for work.    

[Marlinjim]

Thank you for the replies.   I went to my dermatologist and she looked at the rash and told me it was nothing to worry about.  She said it was some type of dermatitis caused by my sweating and the friction from the vest.  She said the skin got very dried out and with myself thinking it was heat rash and putting gold bond powder on the rash I was making it worse.  I have been applying moisturizer for the last few days and it had almost vanished.  

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It can be due to contact dermatitis or allergic reaction. Treatment is oral antihistaminics and topical steroids. Oral antihistaminics may cause drowsiness and hence it should be taken under a medical guidance. Topical steroids is available by prescription from a dermatologist.
In addition you can apply calamine lotion which will help in soothing the skin.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[allmymarbles]

I just searched the net and came up with the same results you did. I think that prickly heat was, at one time, considered a mild yeast infection. As I have not had occasion to keep up with childhood complaints (my only connection with prickly heat) I was not aware of the new data. But I do know that Desitin works.

[Marlinjim]

In all my internet searches I read that heat rash or prickly heat was caused when the sweat ducts got clogged or compressed not allowing the sweat to evaporate and seep into the skin causing redness ?   I am confused ?

[allmymarbles]

A heat rash is a yeast rash (prickly heat). Use Desitin. It should clear up quickly.