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Question
I have always suffered with mild prickly heat, but since having chemotherapy for breast cancer it has become much worse.
My doctor has told me that there is no cure, and practically dismissed me.
This may be the case, but I wonder whether there is any treatment which will help the symptoms.
I have taken Clarityn, to no avail. I also regularly use Oilatum shower gel, which sometimes soothes the itching, but does not cure the rash, which is very 'lumpy', red and itchy.
I am due to travel abroad quite soon and would love to know whether there is any help I can get.
I have been told that maybe vitamin A and E may help or even a session on a sunbed.
Answer
This is such a common problem these days, it's a kind of allergic phenomenon without being allergic to any one particular thing.
It could well have been triggered by the chemotherapy, although I see it was there before which most likely means it is, in part, in your genes.
If anyone else in the family suffers from any allergic problems it makes this more likely. Antihistamines are pretty hopeless in the face of this problem - as you've found out yourself.
Emollients do help to reduce the magnitude of the problem. There is no evidence that vitamin A or E will help and a sunbed session could be the worst possible thing!
One last thing to say is – don't overexpose yourself to sunlight and use at least a factor 30 when you travel.