If you have red spots and itching on your limbs in summer, you may be suffering from summer dermatitis. How can you prevent and treat it?

A friend found Huazi and said that she would have rashes on her calves every summer, and they would itch badly, but they would disappear after summer. She asked Huazi if there was any good way to relieve the itch. Huazi told him that relieving the itch was only a "symptomatic treatment" and that if he wanted to eliminate the cause, he had to find the "root cause".

Based on her symptoms, she may have suffered from summer dermatitis, a common skin disease in summer caused by excessive sweating in the high temperature and humidity.

1. Why does summer dermatitis occur? The main reason for summer dermatitis is sweating. The main way for the human body to dissipate heat is through sweating, and then the heat is taken away through the evaporation of sweat. 99% of human sweat is water, and the remaining 1% is partly inorganic salts, including sodium, potassium and other ions, and the other part is metabolic waste such as urea and lactic acid in the body.

When the water in sweat evaporates, it takes away the heat, but the inorganic salts and metabolic wastes will remain on the skin, which is commonly known as "sweat alkali". If the amount of sweat is too much, it will irritate the skin for a long time and cause skin inflammation. Therefore, people who are fat and sweat easily are more likely to get sick.

2. Symptoms and prevention of summer dermatitis Summer dermatitis often occurs in the front of the lower leg and the extension side of the forearm. At first, there may be dense erythema, papules or blisters, and severe itching. Scratching can easily cause skin damage, scratches, and blood scabs. After the skin heals, there may be pigmentation, which affects the appearance.

For summer dermatitis, prevention is the most important thing. For example, clothing should be breathable and made of natural materials such as cotton, linen, and silk. If you sweat too much, wash it with clean water in time, but be careful not to scald it or scrub it vigorously. When you sweat a lot, you should drink more water, but don't drink sugary drinks. When the sun is strong, you should use a black parasol, which has the best effect on absorbing ultraviolet rays. If you encounter a "sauna day", you can use air conditioning to dehumidify and avoid excessive sweating.

3. What to do if summer dermatitis has already occurred? To relieve itching, you can use calamine lotion externally. This is a natural mineral made by crushing. It has the effect of absorbing moisture and relieving itching when applied externally, and it is very safe. However, it should be noted that it cannot be used if the skin is scratched and damaged, and there is exudation. You can also use topical ointments containing glucocorticoids, which have good anti-inflammatory and antipruritic effects, but they should be discontinued after the symptoms are relieved to avoid side effects.

If the symptoms are severe, you can also take oral anti-allergic drugs, such as loratadine, cetirizine, etc. However, these drugs have the side effect of drowsiness after taking them, so they need to be taken before going to bed, and during the medication period, you should avoid dangerous behaviors such as driving a vehicle, operating machinery, and working at heights.

In summary, in the hot and humid summer, excessive sweating can easily induce dermatitis. Washing in time after sweating, drinking plenty of water to dilute sweat, and avoiding excessive sweating are good ways to prevent summer dermatitis. If dermatitis has already occurred, do not scratch it with your hands, you can use medication to relieve itching. If you have any doubts about medication, consult a doctor or pharmacist in time. I am pharmacist Huazi, welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.