What causes blocked sweat glands?
What blocks the sweat ducts? Some people are more prone to miliaria than others. It seems that a bacteria called Staphylococcus epidermidis may play a role. This bacterium lives harmlessly on the skin and miliaria is not an infection. However, this bacterium makes a sticky substance. This substance combined with excess sweat and dead skin cells may cause the blockage. One study reports that people who develop miliaria when they sweat have, on average, three times as many bacteria per unit area of skin compared to those who do not develop miliaria when they sweat. Excessive sweating can cause your sweat glands to become blocked, which can trap sweat underneath your skin. This causes irritation and results in a red rash developing.
