Severe itching after showering

jany · Silver Member Joined: 11 Dec 2000 Posts: 288

Every time I take a shower, I get an insupportable itch, which turns to pain when I can't avoid the scratching. It occurs only when my body dries and it lasts for half an hour sometimes. My dermatologist found that I had some kind of dandruff and gave me antihistamines, Zyrtec (4 hours before shower) – but they didn't help very much. I began to avoid my bathroom, but then the itch appeared spontaneously. Can you suggest me anything more efficient?

gladys · Silver Member Joined: 25 Mar 2002 Posts: 282

In these cases of sever cholinergic urticaria, I think that it would be worth trying a nonsedating antihistamine like Allegra or Clarinex. They may suppress the itch. Since your dermatologist indicates dandruff as a cause, I would recommend you Cutivate cream to keep it under control.

Guest · Guest

My wife also suffers from the same burning itch as her wet skin dries. It happens after showering and often after sweating. Her dermatologist has prescribed varying dosages of antihistamines zyrtec and allerga, courses of steroids, and the antidepressant doxepin that will reportedly relieving itching. Nothing has had any affect.

MelissaMN · Newbie Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 1

Hello, I have suffered with this for years and have found exactly WHAT it is. It's called Aquagenic Pruritis. Here is the link:
home.tiscali.nl/aquagenic_pruritis/

I have searched and searched. I could NOT take a shower without taking a Xanax (thanks mom) about an hour before going into the water! See your doctor/dermatologist. I have been taking asperin and iron supplements, but everyone is different. There is also a Yahoo! group for this disorder, which is usually hereditary. Hope this helps!!

Guest · Guest

briseeley · Newbie Joined: 21 Feb 2007 Posts: 1

Try removing wheat from your diet. I suffered from this for over 5 years. Dermatologists, Allergists, Practitioners, etc. couldn't help me. I didn't find relief until I went to an acupuncture specialist. She told me that I had a food allergy. It takes about two weeks to clear out of your system, but I can say that I've been free of itching for 4 months since cutting wheat out of my diet. It's difficult, but well worth it in the end.

Guest · Guest

I have the same problem as everyone else and the only thing that works for me is to lotion BEFORE a shower.

Guest · Guest

I want to say THANK YOU to all, I accidently found this site when searching for answers of why this is happing to me,,, I use to think I was going crazy with all the severe itching that was going on after contact with water,,, I am still searching for answers to make it stop, but now have some ideas of what I can try,,, I will tell you all that I have had this problem for about 30 yrs,,, ( I am only 46 so I have it for almost my entire life, ) it can make one depressed!! BUT I can tell you that Tanning in a bed helps control the itching also, its the only thing that has helped me!
I want to figure out why we have this problem, what causes the body to have this diesase!
Thank you ALL and god bless!

mr_bentley78 · Newbie Joined: 30 Nov 2007 Posts: 1

I have had this itching for about 9 years or so now (I'm 29 now). Due to my lack og health insurance (until about a month ago) I haven't seen any specialists about it. At first, I thought it may be due to high mineral content from well water which i was on when this first occured. Since then, I have been on city water and still have the itching. After reading a bit about it, some sources claim that it can be hereditary, so I contacted my mother, and asked if she ever suffered from it. She told me she did for a while, but that was back when she was a lot younger, (late teens, early 20's). She also said that she read that it could be a temporary allergic reaction to warm / hot water. I have tried lukewarm to even colder showers and it doesn't help. Oddly enough, if I have a sunburn (even a slight one) due to working outside, I don't itch after showers. My only remedy that I have tried thus far, is just rubbing down with lotion as soon as I towel off from a shower. I usually only itch on my back, chest, and forehead area. I don't have any known allergies to date. I will try some of the recommendations I have found here, and report back. Thank you all for your input.

Guest · Guest

My 17-year old daughter went to her dermatologist and he said he's never seen a patient with her condition. He told her to take claritin twice daily and to limit her showers to 4 minutes. She'll also have to give up her job as a lifeguard. He also said this may become lifethreating if her breathing becomes affected. Not what she wanted to hear! Are there any natural alternatives?

Severe itching after showering

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