Painfully itchy legs after shaving

[Techno_Spice]

I need help! About 12-24 hours after shaving (never right away), I develop and overpowering itch on the shaved areas (legs, armpits too, although the legs tend to itch the worst). This itch is so bad that I have woken up in the night reflexively scratching my legs until they bleed.

I've tried all the suggestions the internet has to offer. I've tried:
- nearly every shave lotion the market has to offer, including organic ones and regular body wash.
- nearly every razor the market has to offer; I use replaceable-head razors (Venus Divine) and I replace the head frequently.
- tried lotioning my legs after, and before  after showering with both Aveeno and St. Ives Intensive Healing
- tried using baby oil after, and before & after
- tried using tea tree oil and various other organic itch-calming treatments

None of these have worked

Once the itch starts, there is very little that will end it. I've tried:
- Regular and intensive lotions
- Eucerin anti-itch calming lotion
- Aloe Vera sunburn treatment (I thought the aloe or lidocaine in it might stop the itch)
- Benedryl (just in case it was an allergy to something in my shaving creams)
- OTC Hydrocortisone cream

Nothing works to stop the itch after it has begun. Pretty much all I can do is scratch and hope the itch ends before I scratch down to blood. It is agonizing and keeps me up at night. The same itch happens with Nair as well, but not hair-buffing although I could never get that to work to remove hair very well.

My doctor has no idea and just keeps saying "try a different shaving cream". He's not a very good doctor but I don't have a lot of insurance in-network options there. Has anyone heard of this? Do I have no option but to stop shaving?

[adi1234]

I have the same problem.
I once got it waxed and i got so horrible itch i had to visit a doctor and take anti allergy medicine.He was a homeopathy doctor and said something as i had " coilitis' as in allregy when hair wants to grow back and infection in my hair root tips.
I took the medicine and since have been fine in the sense i dont get that terrible itch.
But after i use epiliator these days when my hair starts to grow back itch starts and it happens on my legs and calves specially. No such issues with my arms or under arms.
I apply coconut oil before going to sleep and try to keep it moisturised. I believe that's the only way possible for now..! :(

[adi1234]

I have the same problem.
I once got it waxed and i got so horrible itch i had to visit a doctor and take anti allergy medicine.He was a homeopathy doctor and said something as i had " coilitis' as in allregy when hair wants to grow back and infection in my hair root tips.
I took the medicine and since have been fine in the sense i dont get that terrible itch.
But after i use epiliator these days when my hair starts to grow back itch starts and it happens on my legs and calves specially. No such issues with my arms or under arms.
I apply coconut oil before going to sleep and try to keep it moisturised. I believe that's the only way possible for now..! :(

[ktbron]

I have suffered with this for the last couple of years - I would scratch my shins til they bleed 24hours after shaving.  So I read a load of posts on this wall and left one leg unshaven and shaved one leg and have started using goats milk soap and goats milk moisturiser ( says to use in cases of excema and psoriasis- which I don't suffer from)  24hours later after shaving I would normally be in severe agony with itching but now the itching is reduced by 98% - it was $5 from the chemist so a nice cheap remedy - I am so happy I just had to share this - hopefully it will help someone else.

[gatacinco]

Thank you! I have the same problem (I get a rash after I hug my husband if he has a stubby beard).
Unfortunately this problem it's not caused by shaving, even waxing! Hopefully one day someone will find a cure for it. *hugs*

[Patricia124]

I have this condition too...it always starts when the hair starts growing back in.   Last winter I went to see an allergist for something unrelated, and I randomly asked him about my sensitive skin (thinking it was due to allergies).  As soon as I mentioned my symptoms, he came up with something called Dermatographic urticaria (skin writing condition).  My skin is so sensitive that even when I hug my husband and his beard brushes my face, I break out in a bit of a rash.  I believe that shaving causes the same reaction because the skin gets irritated again when the hair starts growing.  Hopefully this helps - unfortunately there is nothing that can fix it.  One thing that has helped soothe the itchiness is applying Aloe Calming Toner from The Body Shop.

[Jewels1969]

I'm just glad to know I'm not alone.  I go crazy day and night.