Skin Republic

Dear Dr. Jen,

My baby has a heat rash around his neck and back.  I’ve been putting powder on it but it hasn’t alleviated his condition so far.  Any tips on how to handle it?

Mariter

Dear Mariter,

Heat rash is one of the most common skin conditions in children during summer time. We call it “bungagsingot” in the local dialect.  It is caused by clogged sweat ducts that trap sweat under the skin. You can see red bumps or clear vesicles on top of the skin.  It can also burn or itch.

To rule out other conditions like atopic dermatitis or contact dermatitis, it would be good to visit your PDS derma.  Avoid giving hot baths as it can aggravate the condition.  Powder is not really essential at this point, so you can stop using it on your baby.  You can wipe the sweaty areas with (cool or room temperature) water during the day.  Application of calmoseptine lotion will also help. Lastly, it is important to dress your baby in loose, cotton clothing.

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Dear Dr.  Jen,

I’m having a case of bad “Backne”.  I usually don’t have any pimples on my back but lately it’s been popping out like mad.  How do I treat it?

Eddie

Dear Eddie,

Back acne becomes more rampant during the hot season.  The increase in sweating and oil production (caused by high temperature and humidity) gives more food to the fungus and bacteria that help give rise to back acne.

There are several solutions that can stop your back acne.  Fastest way to deal with it is to get some strong pimple-stopping chemical peels from your trusted PDS dermatologist.  Your derma can prescribe you with some anti-fungal washes or benzoyl peroxide-containing cleansers to dry up the acne. It takes a while to get to a flawless point.  Sometimes the scars are the most stubborn to remove so a bleaching agent might be necessary after the pimples are gone. Good luck!