My skin is really sensitive and it itches especially after a shower...?

Question

does anyone else even have this?? what do you do to make it stop?? it itches everywhere to the point of being painful and i dont know what to do about it. ive tried lotions and aveeno and still nothing works...

does anyone else even have this?? what do you do to make it stop?? it itches everywhere to the point of being painful and i dont know what to do about it. ive tried lotions and aveeno and still nothing works...i dont have a rash and i dont have eczema and i have also tried changing my soap, which doesnt seem to help either...

tried cold water and ice today...didnt work, had the same result...can anyone help me??

Answer 1

You might have a "rare" condition called aquagenic prurtius (water-induced itching). It really isn't caused by water, but by the temperature change you skin experienced in and then out of the shower; you might also experience it when there is a lot of humidity in the air. Best thing I do is to take a short shower that is hot enough to make my face sweat. Keep the bathroom humid and dry off immediately. Don't subject your body to an extreme temperature change. Also, if it gets really bad, try a hair dryer or heating bad on the areas that itch the worse.

There is a great Yahoo support group that deals with this condition. You can find lots of info and treatment options in the forum history. Just do a search for the condition.

Many of us that have this find that cold water makes it worse, but ice afterward may also help. We have all tried various environmental solutions: purified water, fragrance-free everything; lotions, mosturizers. None of these will completely help.

Also, we have discovered that sunlight exposure and taning help reduce the PAINFUL, STABBING ITCHING.

Good luck.

Answer 2

get a painful shower itch - at times very painful over my full body which lasts from 30 - 40 minutes. No problem while I▓m wet, it comes on as my skin drys. Afterward, i feel wasted or washed out for for some time. sometimes it is isn▓t too bad other times i can hardly stand it. I use no soap, i shampoo before i shower - i do get a scalp itch. i apply lotions immediately after a shower, baths are no better. i shower twice a week, i really just can▓t face a shower every day. i sometimes let it go a week but that seems to make it worse. during the itch i get some relief by passing a soft loose towel over the skin or lightly stroking the skin with my hands, this seems to momentarily mask the itch. I have tried antihistamines on one time basis, benadryl, Zyrtec 4 hours before showers with little relief. Would extended use make a difference? I am asthmatic, take Aerobid and Alupent- dialator daily and i also have sensitive stomach and sometimes take nexium. When i get a bad itch it affects my asthma tightening my bronchials and affects my stomach with belching and gas. if i go too long without a shower i will feel an itch coming on dry. This morning after just two days i got a dry itch on my chest. I am 62, have Irish skin, sunburned when i was young. I have talked to my dermatologist about it - she gave me the zyrtec. i also have a dermatitis around my eyes and along my jaw line that she describes as a form of dandruff, she prescribed Cutivate cream which keeps it under control. She hasn▓t offered any other options for my skin itch. Can you offer any suggestions?
Derm-M.D.-ASR
05/03/2002
dmike The diagnosis with which I am most familiar which can cause severe itch after a shower is called cholinergic urticaria. These are hives brought on by heat. I never see this in person, because it's gone by the time people get to the office.

What I think might be worth trying is regular use of a nonsedating antihistamine, like Allegra or Clarinex, taken once daily for several weeks. This may suppress the itch. Ask your doctor about this.

I think she's right about the scalp being something else, and Cutivate seems like the right approach.

Your coloring and sunburn history is more than likely not relevant.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff
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Barend
05/18/2002
C2 . Reduce the number of showers. Lower the temperature to just lukewarm. Afterwards use an anti-diaper rash salve named Penaten. Pour a vitamin E oil in the salve. Been there, done that. Barend

sabotier
08/02/2002
C3 . I've been dealing with this type of itch for just about 22 years. It came on after the birth of my first child in 1980. I did experience itching during the pregnancy which I read at the time was normal in some women. It's not too bad these days but have tried just about everything including a reduction in the frequency of showers, decreasing water temp, etc. I have tested positive for chronic, active Hepatitis C (liver enzymes levels are relatively low, infact, almost normal) and have wondered if there isn't some connection. I received a blood transfusion after the birth mentioned above and my doctor believes that's where I contacted the Hep C. http://www.medhelp.org/forums/dermatology/messages/31615.html
http://www.rdoctor.com
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
http://www.cdc.gov
http://www.kavokin.com
http://www.symptomat.com
http://www.webmd.com
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk


The one thing that "dmike" doesn't mention is whether or not he has any visible signs that accompany the itch (rash, hives). I've never had a rash or anything that one could see during these exhausting, 30-40 minute, post shower sessions. And yes one of doctors through the years mentioned the urticaria suggested by Dr. Rockoff but nothing was ever found to alleviate the itching. I've been taking Zyrtec daily for the past couple of years for other allergies--maybe that's what's keeping the leg itching pretty much under control. And it's not the entire leg that itches--just from the knee down! Go figure.

Answer 3

It sounds like you have contact dermatitis;your skin is sensitive to whatever you are using on it.You need to see a dermatologist for a correct diagnosis. But in the meantime,you need to get rid of whatever you are using.Do not use soap;use Cetaphil cleaners,lotion and bar form.To help with the rash,use Cortaid cream with moisturizers.You also need to get rid of your lotion,unless it's Aveeno with Colloidal Oatmeal.A really good lotion is Cetaphil cream:Eucerin cream and Sarna are also good.
Do not use anything with lanolin,or anything that is heavily scented or colored. Do not use greasy ointments or petroleum jelly like Vaseline;these make the itch worse.Stay away from anything with benzocaine or"-caine" derivatives,AHA acids,sugar acids,retinol,Retin-a,peeling agents,antihistamine-containing creams.
You can also try bathing in Aveeno Colloidal oatmeal bath powder to help you soothe your skin,then apply the Cortaid,then the moisturizer.Make sure that the water is not too hot;hot water will aggravate the condition.

Answer 4

So glad to see someone else report this. I've been dealing with this for quite awhile and what helps are two things: Use a hand-held shower head so that when you're finished with your shower, wrap your upper body in a towel (to keep warm) and rinse the affected skin (with me it's my legs) with water as COLD as you can stand it. A second option: use an ice pack when you get out of the shower. Over time, you'll be able to feel an "instant" feeling of relief to know when to remove the ice pack. It's a strange, strange disorder and the dermatologist has no clue. I think, actually, it's a circulation problem. What aggravates mine: eating over-processed chicken the day/night before!

Answer 5

I was troubled by similar symptoms for many years. Two things I did about the same time brought cessation of that problem. I don't know which of these is responsible, so I continue to do both.

1) stop using the fabric softener sheets that you throw in the dryer. They shed small fibers. I also use unscented, unglamorized laundry soap and rinse clothing twice.
2) after showering, coat yourself with baby oil and rinse the excess off. Mineral oil even better, it is thicker, non-scented baby oil.

I sorta think that the first is what is the most responsible, but try them out. Both cheap, and hopefully one will help you out.

Answer 6

It does sound like eczema. Try using a very mild soap when you shower and don't get the water too hot. Use a mild moisturizer. If it doesn't get better, definitely see a dermatologist. In the meantime an oatmeal bath may help with the itch.

http://www.eczematruth.com

Answer 7

My skin does that in the summer. I would suggest taking a cooler shower and not putting lotion on your skin right after you get out. Try powder instead and make sure it's hypo-allergenic. You might try some corn-starch baby powder. Put lotion on your skin before you go to bed at night if you take a shower in the morning or in the morning if you take a shower at night.

Answer 8

You might have a slight allergy to chlorine, what happens when you go swimming? You need to get a shower head that filters out chlorine, you can usually find this at a big hardware store. A great moisturizer is Jojoba oil, much better than any lotion.

Answer 9

Maybe you have eczeyma, that's what I have. Does it get really dry and flakey? If it's eczeyma your doctor can give you Elidel, a topical cream or you can try using the lotion Cetaphil you can find it at wallmart in the face soap aisle by aveeno. :)

Answer 10

Change the soap you are using, Find something that is hypo-allergenic or for sensitive skin.

If that doesn't work, go to a dermatologist.