Heat Rash Solution: Keeping Baby Cool as a Cucumber

I've been slowly working my way through a book on Chinese Medicine for children. I say slowly because so much of the information in the book is geared more towards parents who actually have access to a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, which I do not, so I haven't been delving into it like I thought I would. There are some do-it-yourself solutions in there, however. One in particular struck my attention, since the weather is warming up.

The book, Keeping Your Child Healthy with Chinese Medicine by Bob Flaws, refers to this condition as "prickly heat". I always called it heat rash - those tiny little bumps or red blotches that babies often get on their faces and bodies when it's hot outside. My son got heat rash pretty regularly throughout his first summer. I tried cool washcloths damp with water or chamomile tea, which seemed to alleviate things a little, but I wish I would have heard of this solution: cucumber.

Bob Flaws recommends rubbing some fresh cucumber slices on baby's skin to eliminate the rash. I think this sounds like a wonderful idea. My son hasn't had any heat rash yet this season, and I'm hoping he won't. But if he does, I'll give the cucumber a try. Heck, I may try it on myself if the day is hot enough! Sounds refreshing! In the meantime, if any of you try it out, let me know how it works. If nothing else, you'll have a baby with delicious smelling skin!