I suffer from this and its no joke. About 10 minutes after getting out of the shower I sometimes develope this itch on my legs and arms that is intense. Picture chicken pox on growth hormone after 10 years. You sit there and look like a crazy person. All you can do is constantly scracth all over your legs and arms. You literally cannot do anything else when this happens. Its debilitating. If you’re lucky it lasts for 20 minutes or so. I’ve had it last for over an hour. It slowly subsides. I sometimes sit there for 20 minutes after it stops to make sure it doesnt come back, it never does though.
So I did some reading on the net over the past couple of days. I just had another episode and could not take it anymore. I thought it was just dry skin. Thats where my tan is during golf season. So I had tried every lotion at every different time. Different soaps and washes. Nothing helped and some made it worse. The thing that I tried over the past 3 days is a very hot 5 minutes at the en of my shower. Just let the parts that get the itch stay under the water for a bit. So far so good.
This usually happens in middle aged men, although this has been happening since I was 25. Its actually classified as a disease. Another thing that could be tried although I havent tried it yet is taking Claritin. Its supposed to block H1 and H2 (histamine) and prevent the itch. Two other methods are using a heating pad or a blowdryer. It looks like heat is its best fighter.
I get this at the beginning of every allergy season which starts for me in may. An uncontrollable itch immediately after a shower. It was driving me crazy for awhile until I started taking antihistamines religiously during allergy season.
I’m in the process of building my adrenal gland health which should ultimately relieve my allergy woes. In the meantime I’d recommend an anti-histamine like Claritin/Allegra/Reactin and see if that helps.
[quote]Bri Hildebrandt wrote:
I get this at the beginning of every allergy season which starts for me in may. An uncontrollable itch immediately after a shower. It was driving me crazy for awhile until I started taking antihistamines religiously during allergy season.
I’m in the process of building my adrenal gland health which should ultimately relieve my allergy woes. In the meantime I’d recommend an anti-histamine like Claritin/Allegra/Reactin and see if that helps.[/quote]
Right now the very hot shower finisher is working well.
That used to happen to me as a kid and it turned out to be the soap I was using. At the time, the only soap that didn’t cause it was Aveeno. It never happens to me now.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
That used to happen to me as a kid and it turned out to be the soap I was using. At the time, the only soap that didn’t cause it was Aveeno. It never happens to me now.[/quote]
There is thoughts on it being the amount of chlorine in tap water. I dont remember it happening much after swimming but I do take extremely hot showers after swimming and that may counteract it.
I’d consider buying a shower filter. They aren’t expensive, take about five minutes to install, and will eliminate the chlorine and any other chemicals your municipality uses to treat its water. I’ve been using filters for the past ten years and never, ever have dry skin anymore. It couldn’t hurt to try.
[quote]jjblaze wrote:
I’d consider buying a shower filter. They aren’t expensive, take about five minutes to install, and will eliminate the chlorine and any other chemicals your municipality uses to treat its water. I’ve been using filters for the past ten years and never, ever have dry skin anymore. It couldn’t hurt to try.[/quote]
Strangely, I know two people w/ something similar. One reacts badly to really cold water, which I think makes vacationing in Maine problematic. A woman I have worked w/ reacts to warm water, she said that if her showers are anything more than tepid she has a reaction. They both found that taking antihistamines helped somewhat, but it took a few days of being on the pills for the effects to kick in.
I know taking an extremely hot shower will overpower the itchiness (someone explained why to me once, but I’ve forgotten), but it may be worth trying adjusting the temperature to where it’s barely warm.
Good luck in finding a solution. I had an allergic reaction to something in the water over the summer (twice) and it was so not fun.
[quote]PGA200X wrote:
jjblaze wrote:
I’d consider buying a shower filter. They aren’t expensive, take about five minutes to install, and will eliminate the chlorine and any other chemicals your municipality uses to treat its water. I’ve been using filters for the past ten years and never, ever have dry skin anymore. It couldn’t hurt to try.
I didnt know they made them. I’ll check it out.[/quote]
Here’s a link for the one I use. I don’t know what other ones are out there because I’ve never felt compelled to change. Good luck.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
That used to happen to me as a kid and it turned out to be the soap I was using. At the time, the only soap that didn’t cause it was Aveeno. It never happens to me now.[/quote]
I was going to say this as well. Last year, my son started getting severe itchy rashes right after showering. I noticed that I was getting a slight rash - nothing like his as well. And my youngest daughter was getting them too, but not my wife or middle daughter.
It turns out that my wife had bought a different soap-same brand, but a different scent. My son and I were using it in our showers. It was transferring to my youngest through residue in the tub, whereas my wife and other daughter were using a liquid soap.
We immediately stopped using the soap and went to Dove for a while and everything cleared up.
If you haven’t done so, look carefully at the ingredients of the soaps and shampoos you use, also the laundry detergent you use on your towels. Look for similar ingredients and make a chart.
[quote]PGA200X wrote:
Right now the very hot shower finisher is working well.
Is your Claritin OTC or perscription?[/quote]
I usually rotate through Allegra, Aerius, and Reactin over the summer months. Aerius/Clarinex(Desloratidine) is similar to Clariton(Loratidine) and made by the same company. No problems with itchy skin thankfully.
[quote]dollarbill44 wrote:
Professor X wrote:
That used to happen to me as a kid and it turned out to be the soap I was using. At the time, the only soap that didn’t cause it was Aveeno. It never happens to me now.
I was going to say this as well. Last year, my son started getting severe itchy rashes right after showering. I noticed that I was getting a slight rash - nothing like his as well. And my youngest daughter was getting them too, but not my wife or middle daughter.
It turns out that my wife had bought a different soap-same brand, but a different scent. My son and I were using it in our showers. It was transferring to my youngest through residue in the tub, whereas my wife and other daughter were using a liquid soap.
We immediately stopped using the soap and went to Dove for a while and everything cleared up.
If you haven’t done so, look carefully at the ingredients of the soaps and shampoos you use, also the laundry detergent you use on your towels. Look for similar ingredients and make a chart.
DB[/quote]
It actually doesn’t involve a rash. That is what makes it harder to diagnose. People think you’re crazy when you are scratching yourself to that degree and no visible evidence of the cause is there.
You just feel like you are itching violently all over. It’s like chicken pox in the way it feels yet there is no sign of it.
Well 2 weeks or so into the very hot 5 minute shower ender no signs of the itch. I dont have the slightest bit of itch at all. I’m quite astonished by it. I cant believe it was that simple. Its such a change to be able to do things right after a shower and not plan on scratching like a psychopath for an hour!
Over 2 months of the very hot shower method and I’m happy to report I have not had an itching issue. There have been times where I would feel something start but nothing would come of it. I guess the hot shower method is the way to go, for me at least.
