Staying Cool

Many people who have ichthyosis don't perspire at all, or very little.  This means that it's easy to get too hot, either due to exercise, the weather or the room being hot, etc.  Getting overheated can range from just being too warm (just like anyone else would feel when they're too warm---except of course, your body can't start sweating to cool itself down!), to getting a red face and getting irritable, to more serious distress where your body temperature is critically high and you may end up in heat stroke.

Overheating may make it more difficult to do the things we want, but we can still do most of them!  So below are some tips on how to stay cool.

Mists

Lucky for us, a number of products have become popular that spray mists of water.  A fine mist of water does two important things for us:  it cools the skin down and the air around you, but it isn't so much water that it washes your cream off and you get all dry!   It's a battle keeping yourself wet and cool, but not washing your cream off and ending up all dried out!  There are refillable sports bottle-type sprayers, and also disposable face mists (Evian makes a great one).  Look for products to try in the Products Section.

Wet Handkerchiefs

Keeping a wet handkerchief around your neck helps keeps you cool since several major arteries run close to the surface in your neck--if you cool your blood supply down, you'll lower your body temperature.  Again, another product that's somewhat new and great for us are neck wraps with filled with special beads.  The beads hold water, and therefore help to keep you cooler, longer.  Sharper Image also makes a higher-tech version of this idea.

Cool Vests

Several companies make vests that have pockets for frozen gel (you know the ones, that are re-freezable).  Wearing one of these vests can make it possible to spend time outside on a hot day when you otherwise might not be able to.