MILIARIA

Course overview

MILIARIA, ALSO KNOWN AS ECCRINE MILIARIA, HEAT RASH, PRICKLY HEAT, OR SWEAT RASH, IS A FREQUENTLY SEEN SKIN CONDITION TRIGGERED BY BLOCKED ECCRINE SWEAT GLANDS AND DUCTS. THE BLOCKAGE LEADS TO BACKFLOW OF ECCRINE SWEAT INTO THE DERMIS OR EPIDERMIS, RESULTING IN A RASH COMPRISED OF SWEAT-FILLED VESICLES UNDER THE SKIN. IT IS MOST COMMON IN WARM, HUMID CLIMATES DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. THE 3 MAIN TYPES OF MILIARIA ARE CRYSTALLINA, RUBRA, AND PROFUNDA AND ARE CLASSIFIED BY THE DEPTH OF OBSTRUCTION OF THE SWEAT DUCT CAUSING CLINICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES. THE RASH IS USUALLY SELF-LIMITED AND RESOLVES INDEPENDENTLY OF TREATMENT. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS WHEN THIS DIAGNOSIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, HOW TO MANAGE IT, AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE TEAM IN CARING FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.