Severe itching after showering

i have had they same problem for close to twenty years. The only thing that has helps me over the years is to have a space heater on in the bathroom while in the shower. Having the right "atmospheric" conditions has eliminated my problem. It is a bit of a nuisance to remember the space heater on vacations and overnighters though. The problem has resurfaced now that I have joined a gym and do not have the option heat up the locker room for my shower.

I am 54 and have suffered from this condition for about four years . I thought my experiences might be of help in adding to the available data.

I usually suffer from itching mainly around my thighs and the backs of my upper arms for approximately half an hour after taking a shower in the morning. I can control the itching by rubbing the area rather than scratching, so I suspect that it is not as bad as some peoples symptoms. I do not use very hot water but have noticed that I get considerably reduced itching if I shower in the afternoon/evening - could this be due to the temperature difference - warm skin when you have just got out of bed, less warm at other times?

I don't think the static electricity theory applies to me as I live in England and it has been raining for the last day or so. I don't suffer from many static shocks either.

The diet theories may be worth exploring but I have never suffered from any allergies and have always been able to eat anything without any known problems. I drink very little alcohol (the last alcoholic drink I had was on Christmas day). I am not overweight (6ft, 170lbs). I do eat wheat so may try to cut this out.

I hope this is of help.

Hello,
I have been suffering with this itching for years and finally have found a solution (I think) thanks to the doctor who may be in fact be a mad scientist. I first shaved my legs. Then towel dried with 100% cotton towel. Then I sprayed my legs with static gaurd and then I put lotion (vaseline intensive care) on my legs. Very little itching. Thank you so much. I was desperate enough to try anything.

I've had this on and off for about 3 years. I've always thought it was only due to dry skin until today, when I found this forum.
I put moisturizer on twice a day, baby oil after scrubing every week and it still itches. I only noticed that it gets worse if I use soap, if the shower gel is not also a moisturizer and when I change shower gels. In the beginning of a new different bottle my skin itches like crazy, when it's use to it, in the end of the bottle, it doesn't itch as bad or at all.

It's mainly on my legs and arms, sometimes belly and rarely back. I found that if I scratch it itches up to 30 min rather than 5-10min if I just let it itch and put loads of lotion on.

I always endmy showers with cold water,because it's good for your hair and body and I can't stand too hot water. Maybe now after reading this forum I should try the hot water and see what it does.

Also when I wax or shave my legs the itching stops for a week or two. Then I get "small" itching when the hair is growing again.

i have had this since i was 15 am 24 now. i think its hereditry as my mom and her mother had this. we have to take our bathe like 30minutes earlier to have enouf tome 4 the itching to subside. its terrible but am used to it. its not all the time it happens when i take a bath. watever it is, it seems like doctors dont even knw what it is we have.

i thought i was the only one with this problem, i am 20 years old and have had it for the past five years. it gets so itchy after a bath or shower that i have to sit down for a good 15 minutes or sumtimes 20 to sratch. it sumtimes even happens when :

!) i take a jog or am running (even on the coldest winter day) my body just overheats and i feel like sitting down in the middle of the road and sratch becuase of all the itchiness.

2) when i drink a cup of coffee or tea ( my body overheats ) and i feel so itchy all over, i have stopped having coffee at resturants.

what has worked for me is :

1) try not to take long hot showers , bt short, mild lukewarm showers.

2) after having your bath, DO NOT wipe urself dry, rather stand in front of a heater or fan to get dry.

3) if the problem persists try using a soap like LIFE BOY , it has helped me alot.

I am also suffering with disorder. I found a solution to avoid itching. Before you have bath, you need to do heavy exercises about half an hour. Exercises should make your entire body warm. Then wait about two minutes and have shower. Don't drink water after exercises. You will not feel itch after bathing.

I am 22 and have had this problem for about 2 years! It really started once I moved off to college and I thought maybe it was the new city's water that was causing the problem! Once I would get done showering I would have a SEVERE itch all over my entire body for 15 to 30 minutes after I had dried off! A few things have worked for me though to prevent it. 1. When I was actively using the tanning bed the itching no longer occured. 2. Showering with a bar of Cetaphil soap. 3. Applying lotion all over my body about 30 minutes before showering would also prevent the itching from occuring. I am glad to know I am not the only person who suffers from this problem! It can really drive you insane!

Hi, this problem is either due to the water being to alkali (hard) or you are suffering from dermadex mites, firstly considering that the water may be too alkali, the cure is simple, don't shower, run a hot bath and add one pint of standard vinegar to the water, this will alter the PH value and you will find that you don’t itch any more. You can also alter the ph level on your skin by applying the sulphur/talc mix outlined below after your shower or bath this works as well. in both of these cases the itch stops imediately.

If this fails then you are probably suffering from dermodex mites (Dermadex Brevis and Dermadex Folicarious) which can be identified by also suffering from acne, acne rosacea and or little red inflamed pores on the skin particularly on the face chest and back.

In this case there is no easy option and nothing over the counter will work in the long term. But you do have two definite cures:

1) Sulphur cure: obtain sulphur powder and baby talcum powder, empty the baby talc into a bowl add the sulphur at a rate of 25% by volume. Mix with a hand whisk and make sure you break up any sulphur lumps. Refill the talc container with the mixture and put the remaining powder into a polythene bag for later use. Have a hot bath with 1 pint of vinegar added to the water making sure you dunk your head several times. Dry yourself off with a clean towel and then talk yourself all over, get your partner to do your back, put on clean clothes.
2) Borax cure: Obtain 500mg of Borax Powder (definitely not boric acid, this is dangerous stuff) and a bottle of 9 percent Hydrogen Peroxide. Pour the Hydrogen Peroxide into an empty large clean coke bottle and then add 8 peroxide bottles of really hot water to the coke bottle. Next spoon in the borax powder until you obtain full saturation, this is when it wont dissolve any more and you get granules on the bottom of the coke bottle, This is your base stock solution. Next, thoroughly wash out a kitchen pump type detergent bottle or use a garden prayer and fill this with the stock solution. Now have a bath as described above but do not dry yourself, instead let yourself drain and then spray yourself all over including your hair with the solution and let yourself air dry ( an electric fan helps speed this up).

Dermodex mites are resilient little buggars and it will take 120 days to get rid of them. They can live on clothes and bedding for up to 36 hours and wet material like towels for 56 hours, so you need to change these every day. Damp dusting and hovering floors and furniture is essential too. All members of the family and pets have to be treated in the same way on the same days. Be warned, if you get fed up and stop the treatment before the 120 days is up, they will come back again and you will have to start the treatment from the beginning again.

Oh, fact, they live breed, mess and die in the pores of your skin and 8 can live comfortably in each folicule, the cannot be killed while in the folicule but can when they come out to breed, this is usualy at night around 15 mins after you settle down in the dark. You can tell this by the typical tickly sensation on your face as they crawl around.

HI everyone , I just found this topic and had no choice to write in it because I'm getting the same problems that you guys have and it's for the last 10 or 15 years of my life. The problem with this is that some of you have exactly the opposite reason's to get the rash what makes it impossible to get the cause. In my case I can calm the rash to the minimum but it's still not good.

- Never get rash in winter (Canada), super hot water , freezing outside the shower , nothing no rash never
- No Rash in hotels whatever the time of the year or where I go
- FAmily does have it but nothing big , nothing important (father did got it strong but with glycerin saops he don't anymore)
- I'm a stress person but i'm not less stressed in winter
- Showers during the night its better in the morning its worst

What helped the most during summer:

- very freezing water and short shower
- I put some kind of cream after shower that helps to get smaller rashes ( Moisturel )
- glycerin soap ( not sure if it really helps but I don't take the chance)
- getting out of the bathroom the quickest possible (humidity have something to do)

Sorry to hear that you are suffering, why not try the treatments above, if nothing else it will rule them out.
Regards Steve

Try itchgaurd

Hey I am 20 years old... I have this AWFUL itching after I get out of a shower... Its put me in tears and I can not take it anymore i thought I had found something that worked but my body got use to it and now I want to peel my skin off! Can anyone help me Please!?

Hello itchy family,

I am a 51 year old male, I thought I was the only person that had this condition, and I did not even know there was a name for it.

I have tried a lot of different things such as a shower filter, changing soaps and shampoos and using none that have Sodium Laural Sulphates in them, Doctor prescribed a itch cream that did not work, I have got to the point after about 4 years.

I itch anytime I begin sweating or during/after a shower, my itching is always arms, lower legs, chest and back, I have thought about removing the hair on my lower legs to see if that decreased the itching, and I somewhat think what the Chiropractor said about static electrical charge could be true.

I will try zyrtec as Claritin did not help at all, I am desperate because I am to the point that I dread to even think about taking a shower and have begun to sponge bathe more often so that I can control the amount of water that touches me and where it touches.

HELLO ITCHY FRIENDS!!!!
I just want to say how nice it is to feel "not alone". It is an awful thing. People don't understand, people think you just have a low tolerance. People think you are dirty. It is real. So you can't see it, and others don't feel it! We know it is real. I was also told that is is aquagenic pruritis, and I will share some tips that I have found on my own. I ended up getting a culligan filtered shower head. While it doesn't always stop me from itching, it does take the intensity of the itch down from a "10" to about a "3". And sometimes I don't itch at all. I also found that in those moments of horrific itching it really helps to just go for a walk. Sounds strange. I am not sure that it actually takes the itch away, but with all the limbs in movement it just seems to take my mind off of what it happening. Now this next tip is strictly for people 21 and over. I now only shower at night, and I sometimes drink a beer, or small glass of wine before showering. This helps to sort of "numb" the reaction. That is just my personal observation. My mother and grandmother both had the same thing. Hopefully one day none of us will have to worry about this! Much respect to our elders who have been dealing with this for so long, and hope and encouragement to the young ones who are just now learning how to deal with this. There are ways to get on with our lives, and to share tips and tricks will help us all to cope. :-) Love you all! Brothers and sister in ITCH!!!