PUNE: A teenager from Kondhwa said that combing her hair has become an ordeal due to heat boils on the head while her brother has got similar boils on his back.
Many babies, children, teenagers and adults are noticing eruptions on their skin in the form of heat boils and rashes due to the extreme heat in the city this summer.
Tushar Parikh, a chief neonatologist and paediatrician at the Motherhood Hospital, Pune, said, “We are noticing a spike in cases of skin dryness and prickly heat rashes among children. Parents need to ensure that the child wears loose cotton clothes. Staying in cooler rooms and applying sunscreen before stepping out of the house will help. Children with sensitive skin can develop skin burns if proper precautions are not taken.”
Most of the time, some beverages have higher sugar content which spikes in blood sugar levels. It makes the body more susceptible to infections and causes heat boils.
Medical experts say that while maintaining good hygiene including daily baths, regular washing of hair to avoid dandruff and pore blockages due to sweat is vital. Consumption of foods and beverages that cools the body heat down helps to maintain the body to stay cooler.
“Spikes in the blood sugar levels does not cause boils directly, but it makes the body much more susceptible to infections including the heat boils. Food such as red meat, root vegetables, fatty foods should be avoided while staying hydrated helps to protect the body from getting heat boils,” said Prathamesh Sonawar, a physician.
“In summer, due to high humidity, the clogging of the pores on the skin causes heat rashes. Such cases of prickly heat are common in India, which is why you see a rise of advertisements of the medicated talcum powders and such products to combat prickly heat problems,” said Ketaki Joshi, another physician.
