Other names for miliaria are prickly heat or sweat rash. The cause of miliaria, a prevalent skin disease, is inflammation or clot in eccrine sweat ducts. Due to this obstruction, eccrine sweat moves backwards to the epidermis, leading to sweat-filled lumps. 

The areas highly likely to suffer miliaria are humid, hot, neonatal period, bedridden patients, or tropical climates.

Types of Miliaria

Based on sweat duct blockage level, miliaria is of three types.

• Miliaria crystallina (sudamina)
• Miliaria rubra
• Miliaria profunda (tropical anhidrosis)

1. Miliaria Crystallina

The first layer of the epidermis, stratum corneum blockage, leads to miliaria crystallina. Rather than adults, it is common in babies as the heat rash is mild. 

Symptoms

• On the skin surface, tiny white fluid-filled nodules appear.
• It arises in the neck, head, and upper trunk.
• The bumps are sweat bubbles and ruptures often.
• Not itchy or painful.

2. Miliaria Rubra

The clot in deeper sweat ducts in the mid-epidermis causes Miliaria Rubra. Adults are more highly affected than children.

Symptoms

• Itchy or red lumps in the affected area
• Lack of sweat, swelling, and skin pain are the effects as sweat can't pass through the skin.
• Prickling (pruritic papules) or irritation
• It affects the places like the armpits, neck, or groin. 
• If in Miliaria rubra vesicles, pus grows then it is named as miliaria pustulosa.  

3. Miliaria Profunda

The release of sweat into the skin's middle layer can cause miliaria profunda. This case can appear repeatedly and later turn into a chronic disease. In adults, excess sweat makes the skin experience rash in the skin's deep layer (epidermis).

Symptoms

• Lumps look hard, large, and flesh-colored on the skin.
• Suffer from nausea and dizziness because heat rash blocks the sweat. 

Conditions that lead to Miliaria

Below are the conditions that can initiate miliaria under various circumstances

• Climate change is like a warm and humid environment
• Immature sweat duct
• Sweat-producing extreme physical activity
• High temperature or fever
• Prolonged patients on a waterproof mattress

How to Prevent Miliaria?

The primary preventive measures can forbid miliaria in all situations. 

• Wear comfortable clothes like cotton, and ignore tight clothing
• A workplace filled with air-conditioning
• Stop using heavy soap and avoid irritants
• Have a comfortable sleep in a highly ventilated bedroom
• Keep yourself from moving to the tropical climate
• Change the wet clothes

Treatment for Miliaria

• For skin rash, cold compression is the best remedy for the instant
• Calamine lotion is for relieving skin irritation or itching
• Mild topical steroids are recommended for skin problems
• Anti-staphylococcal antibiotics and antiseptics for controlling infection-causing agents
• For fever paracetamol (antipyretic)

Outlook

A clot in eccrine sweat ducts is the cause of miliaria. Whether excess hot or cold will disrupt the skin and won't allow them to function correctly. Changing your behaviour according to the climate or season prevents you from suffering.