Sensitive to sun - prickly heat

[vince13]

Has anyone else found since diagnosis or starting injecting that they are more prone to getting prickly heat bumps ?

I know it's been unnaturally hot here recently but I keep getting prickly heat rashes on my arms and chest and even on my feet (And that was when we were abroad in March) or is it that with age I'm getting more sensitive skin ? It itches like mad, small almost blister-type spots and burning hot under the skin ?

I saw the pharmacist this morning and she pointed me towards the type of suncream I ought to be using (evidently the cheaper ones don't let the skin sweat) and gave me general advice. She didn't sell me a suncream as none of the ones she had were suitable she said so she wasn't trying to fleece me with more expensive ranges.

I just wondered if this was another blessing of Diabetes ? Discuss ? 🙂

 

[Monica]

Hi Faith

No, not a curse that comes with Diabetes. I get prickly heat too. I hate the lovely weather we've just been having and spend most of it indoors, as we don't have any shade in our garden

Three years ago in summer when in Switzerland with my parents, I got prickly heat on my upper chest and shoulders right down my arms. Only down to the t-shirt sleeve though. The free arms were fine. It was driving me to distraction and eventually I took some antihistamines to take the itch away. I have to stress, that summer was extremely hot. At 10pm it was still 30 degrees C 😱

I didn't know I should invest in "expensive" sun cream

 

[vince13]

I don't think it's a question really of investing in "expensive" ones - just not using the really cheap ones (for my skin). The ones I've found are by Greenpeople.co.uk (found on google) certainly not expensive but hopefully will keep the prickly heat at bay in future - now I've just got to get rid of the batch of prickly heat I've got at present !

 

[pippin]

Hi Faith

I don't have diabetes but am very sensitive to the sun. I use a mineral sun cream all year. Some are easier to apply than others depending on your skin type. Some can look very white when applied although most brands have overcome this now. I use a brand of Skincare but don't like their mineral suncream as I find it very sticky although it is very good but a lower factor than I prefer.

Green Poeple are good (safe to order) they use mineral sunscreens which reflect the sun's rays rather than absorbing them. I always use mineral sunblock there is another site mypure they sell a brand called Lovea who go up to factor 50 and it's not too expensive. It is 100% mineral. I can use mineral but can react to chemical suncreams.

I have also read that a tan accelerator cream will help reduce prickly heat although I have never used one of these myself, I don't tan or sit out in the sun. It may be worth considering if you are suffering very badly.

HTH

 

[Curdster]

I get prickly heat, but have only suffered over the past 6 years and have been IDD for 33 yrs. I have tried all the suncreams but to no avail, I don't take tablets, and I treat PH with plenty of Aloe Vera post a day in the yellow stuff. I know what I am about to divulge is not exactly the best solution, but.....I use a sun bed for 5 mins per week for 4 - 5 weeks, only prior to a summer holiday. It seems to work as it appears to condition the skin to UV exposure and I now don't suffer at all. However during the last few weeks of sun, I forgot the suncream, haven't used a sun bed since last year, reddened my exposed arms, and the PH was back again.
I tend to holiday in warmer countries such as Cuba, Africa and UAE, and I am not sure if the rash is casued by the heat, or the UV given the sun bed assistance.

 

[AlisonM]

Prickly heat isn't a problem I've ever suffered, but I do have to be extra careful in the sun as I'm very fair-skinned and burn easily. I usually wear a cover up rather than sun cream as I react badly to most of them. I will try a mineral one though as I haven't done that yet.

 

[trophywench]

I started getting PH a ciouple of years back and I think it's 'just' age, because TBH practically my entire body* has had one heck of a lot of sun - and all weather - exposure over the years since we are naturists!

Except 'where the sun don't shine', under my boobs and under my wedding ring ! Also the overhang lines where ones buttocks meet the tops of ones legs, so when you bend over you have what are known by 'us' as Tiger stripes!

Anyway - the PH is mainly on the backs of my forearms which get a lot more exposure than any of the rest of me and would do so anyway even if I never ever stripped off in the first place.

What's suncream? LOL

Actually I'll have a look at that mineral stuff, never heard of it before, it sounds interesting/useful because I often think, I do tend to slap on either after-sun or body lotion in a bit of an effort to re-hydrate and I've often wondered if it's that which just blocks the pores and therefore makes PH worse. So it's got to be worth a try anyway.

 

[Caroline]

I have always had the kind of skin I need to protect so these days unless I have decent cotton, plenty of sunscreen and a hat I keep my exposure to the sun (when we get it) to an absolute minumum. If I sit out I also need to keep up with appropriate sugar and alcohol free fluids.

 

[Tina63]

My husband (non-D) for years, and more recently I myself (also non-D) have suffered from prickly heat, mainly when abroad, and we made a bit of a discovery ourselves.

These modern day suncreams are almost always waterproof. By being waterproof, they are obviously blocking the pores and the body isn't able to expel sweat the same.

Nivea used to make one that wasn't waterproof (not sure if they still do) but when we used that, no prickly heat. Within 24 hours of using the waterproof one though, it would strike. We experimented a few summers ago using various brands all summer long, but it was the waterproof factor that seemed to cause the prickly heat. Maybe it's a coincidence, but we are convinced that's what causes the problem.

Antihistimines are the only thing that relieves my husband intense itching.

 

[Monica]

Well my prickly heat rash wasn't caused by waterproof suncream. I only got prickly heat under my t-shirt where I did not put any cream of any kind