Itchy Skin?

AJB135

Hi Everyone

The past couple of days or so, I have been suffering from itchy skin(all over, not in one particular place), it is driving me mad, because I am always scratching at my skin, it is worse on a night time.

My partner isn't too impressed because he can't really get to sleep, with the rest of the household has got a horrible cough which will not go, and me and my itchy skin.

There is no rash, obviously if I rub and scratch my skin too much I will get heat bumps. I have not changed any washing powder, soap or anything like that, still eat the same food. This is a totaly mystery.

Has anyone else suffered from this, and what did you do to help relieve the itchyness.

AJB135

Birdie85

I suffer from inexplicably itchy legs, I have even been to the doctors (about 4 times! :rolleyes: ) about it and they couldn't help, I just had a parrafin body wash prescribed, which helped a little, but it certainly wasn't worth the cost of the prescription!

My problem is that my legs get really (so much that I sometimes leave claw marks and can be in tears with it) itchy after a shower (mainly). After checking on the internet I found a whole load of people just like me! The general consensus is that it is the change from hot to cold that causes the itching, so I now blast my legs with hot (as hot as I can bear) water at the end of my shower and dry my legs as soon as I'm out of the shower then slap on loads of moisturiser. It has helped a lot! :T For others, cold water works better, but I hate the thought of that! :eek:

For general itching I'd recommend getting E45 Itch Relief Cream or the slightly more MSE Boots Expert Intensive Soothing Cream (or something like that, in a little white tube). Both are good for relieving itches, just try not to scratch too much before applying as it takes it beyond hope of relief!:o

nickiboop

It could be hayfever starting to kick in...mine is at the moment and I itch!

jeannieblue

Have a nose at Miss Marple thread and poss Sheer Cover and Mineral Make up threads - itchiness and help featues on them - may need to trawl thru quite a bit tho.

You have my sympathy - am scratching while I type

beachbeth

Ive had this problem for the last week or so, mainly on my back. I can't understand it because I haven't changed anything that I eat, wear or wash either.

It is possible to become suddenly allergic to something that you were previously ok with. I drank 7-up for years, mixing it with vodka or drinking it on its own and then I woke up one morning with a bright red face! I was allergic to an ingredient in it and it happened literally overnight. (I can now drink 7-up because it is preservative free.)

However, I think its probably true in my case that its the temperature thats causing my itch. I will try the E45 cream.

Lazymermaid

Hi, I've been suffering from an entirely itchy body after a shower or bath for just under three months now. :mad: I am in such despair that I wash my hair in the laundry sink, and wash parts of my body by filling up the sink and using sorbaline "non soap" wash, wash myself bit by bit. WE suspect it is the chlorine in the water. My husband has installed a water purefier (cost about $100) that didn't work. I also have a very shallow bath with an entire box of epsom salts in it to soften the water. I have tried both hot baths / showers and completely cold (brrrrrr) showers / baths. Nothing has worked so far. No telfast or phenergan antihistamines. I have googled itchy skin for weeks now and I have yet another appt with my GP in the morning to find out what the heck is going on. There is no part on my body that is free from stinging/itching/and prickling after I have bathed. Some sites suggest that my liver or kidneys need checking because of the lack of filtration in my blood. Why would this suddenly start? :huh: I'm very distressed and confused (so is my husband who recently brought a pump and put it into the rainwater tank and has the rain water pumped into the bathroom to fill up the bath - and hasn't helped). If you find a solution, please help!

floyd

Do you use any moisturizer after bathing? Sometimes crazy itching can be caused by simple dehydration of the skin, try covering your skin in aqueous cream twice daily for a week and see if it settles. I wouldn't suggest using anything like E45 as it contains lanolin which some people are quite sensitive too so try something very basic like the aqueous first. You can buy it very cheaply from any pharmacy, just ask at the counter.

Something else that I find works very well for me is Salcura zeoderm cream followed by their intensive spray as they calm the burning itch that makes me scratch which kicks off the vicious circle of itch-scratch-bleed-itch. Salcura is more expensive but if the cheaper aqueous cream option doesn't help then try the trial sizes of zeoderm and intensive spray.

Hope you find something that works for you

Mojisola

My Mum was on tablets that could affect her liver and we were told to look out for unexplained itching as a first sign that the liver was being affected. Ask the GP for a liver function test just in case.

itchy_matty

Since a few years ago i started getting really ithcy skin - all over! I found that, when hayfever came around, i was taking tablets to relieve the symptoms of hayfever. A week later i found that i wasn't itchy and wondered why? I was taking antihistamines which also got rid of itchyness. I would recommend that you should find an off the shelf drug called Cetrizine Hydrochloride which is the main ingrediant of hayfever tablets- which is a lot cheaper than going to the doctors! And this should relieve your all over itching like it did for me although i still have to take them every other day otherwise i drive myself crazy! hope this helps!:cool:

absolutebounder

Sounds like a call for antihistamine. see the docs

katieclampet

It could be lots of different things, try Piriton, which should reduce itching, but you might need to see your GP.

PS cool rather than cold shower might be helpful, pat yourself rather than rub dry, and try wearing cotton underwear, & using cotton bedding.

katiex