incredibly itchy skin after shower/shaving- pls help!

[Teresainpain]

Hi:

I know itchy skin doesn't sound like a big problem, but my legs and arms itch like they were about to fall off everytime I take a shower.  I don't have dry skin and I use Aveeno body lotion everyday to make sure I get enough moisture.  The itching is like an intense tingling only on my arms and legs (mostly on my legs) and it's so bad that sometimes I just want to run yelling into the street.  The itching usually goes away within an hour after taking a shower, but it happens all of the time.  I hope that someone can give me some advice as to how to fix this problem...itching can drive a person crazy!

Thanks everyone.

[ryn21]

There may be an issue with the soap or clenser you use while showering.  I have extremely sensetive skin myself and had to resort to baby lotion and shampoos to keep me from overdrying my skin.  Many lotions make the skin oily rather than truly moisturize.  Cetaphil is a good lotion, but I use Aveeno baby lotion.  It seems to do the trick.  

What soaps do you use?  Dial AB or Dove, ?? ?

[Radak]

Also make sure the water is not too hot.
Lukewarm at most.
Keep your showers as short as possible.
In the winter, shower only when necessary.
See if this helps.

[Teresainpain]

Ya that's a good idea.  I could lower the temperature of the water, although i don't use very hot water to begin with.  I'm going to try some different soaps but I really don't know if that is going to help.  It seems to start itching when I shave...I don't know. It doesn't seem like I can really fix it.  But I will certainly try those suggstions.  If you have anymore, keep them coming!  Thanks a lot!

Teresa

[Cal1950]

One thing I find is that it seems to be temperature activated. Coming out of the shower I heat the bathroom with a hair drier and it seems to help. Have a Dr. do a simple high histamine check. (Consists of scratching your arm and observing the reaction over 10 min.) Not a cure but answers some questions. Someone else suggested having a high red blood cell count done. It's just a blood test. Wouldn't hurt.

Cal

[foxy1220]

I don't have an answer, I just wanted to say that the same thing happens to me when I shave my legs, it takes a long while (hour or so) for it to go away.

[melissaMN]

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

[Dapper937]

I have the same problem, scratching at this very moment... We stayed at a Super 8 about 6 months ago and I had the best shower experience I can recall. No itchy skin whatsoever. I believe they have a water softning system that made the difference. We are currently renting a townhouse, but also home searching. My first investment when we move will be a water sofner system.
Hope this helps.
Dapp

[Joanie68]

i just had this happen a few weeks ago - i thought i would lose my mind!  i think the water was too hot.  i also shaved my legs without putting enough soap on them - OMG - horrible.

good luck

[Joanie68]

i just had this happen a few weeks ago - i thought i would lose my mind!  i think the water was too hot.  i also shaved my legs without putting enough soap on them - OMG - horrible.

good luck

[kadin0017]

I personally have been suffering from this for almost 10 years now. I am a healthy 25 year old female with no children. My biggest health problem is the fact that I have Psoriasis. The only area that affects however is my scalp, I have had no problems elsewhere. When this problem first occurred I had no idea of what it could be. I was a teenager and my parents looked at me like I was insane. I went to the Dr. numerous times, was prescribed several lotions to put on 3 or 4 times a day, but they made my problem worse. I am happy that some of you have found out your triggers, and know how to avoid them. I on the other hand, have had a problem determining what my trigger is. Sometimes I have the problem after I shower, sometimes it's just something that hits during the day. I can't wear shorts because if I do I may come in contact with something that will start the reaction. My boyfriend has gone through the worst of it. When an itching spell comes over me I literally have to shut myself in a room away from him because I get sooooo irritated that I begin to lash out on him for just trying to help me. I've tried everything that could be related to "Aquagenic Pruritis" however it just makes it worse. The only relief I get is placing cold compresses over the worst areas. I have also tried to figure out what the cause of it was. I go back to when I was younger and was told that after shaving, if you put rubbing alcohol over razor burn it would make the razor burn go away, however being the clever teenager I was I would just wipe rubbing alcohol over my whole legs hoping to beat the razor burn. Shortly after this is when I first noticed my problem, however it wasn't because I had dry skin. The Dr.'s I went to told me that my skin was healthy and didn't understand why that alone would bring on this effect. For me, I notice a dramatic change when I'm cold. It's usually the heat and humidity that brings on the itch, but when I get cold, or goosebumps it seems to help. It feels as though my leg hairs and trying so hard to push their way through the skin on my legs. My next attempt at relief is to get laser hair removal to see if maybe it is mostly from my leg hairs. I'm not against trying anything and everything. As I stated I've lived with this for about 10 years and I am so ready to be done with it. I would love to wear shorts again, or go on water rides at amusement parks or SHOWER without fear.     I hope that someday soon someone figures this out and fixes it. I am happy to know that I am not the only one and that I am not going crazy or that it's not all in my head, but I am also sad to hear that I am not the only one. I hate to know that there are others that feel as badly as I do. This is not something I would wish on my worst enemy. The nights I try to fall asleep but can't because I just feel like ripping my skin right off the muscle, the days I am afraid to go work out in fear of sweating and causing the itch, the times with friends I am afraid to go to the pool or to the beach even.. which is horrible because I live in Florida.. oh and B.T.W. I saw somewhere people were trying to figure out if it was a location thing. I grew up in Ohio and lived in a house with a water softener and still had this problem.. I've been to hotel rooms and showered.. still have the problem.. I've had the problem in most every place I go. I apologize for the lengthy post, it's just this is the first time I have felt as if others feel the same as myself.

-Heather

[greedytree2000]

I just began to itch on my lower legs after a showers and about at the same time I had a over growth of a natural fungi called Candida 'mainly on my scrotum'.  I'm running my own test to see if the 2 are related.  It makes good sense that they are after all the research I've done on the fungi.  If you have the will power try to eat vegitarian for 3 weeks and see if that helps.  Cut out all sugar ,  this will starve out the candida and I hope cure a few other problems im having.

[MarkinWaterloo]

I have had a problem withis in the past as well, although not as severe.  I now use a water softener and olive oil based soap (can't remember the name).  Hope this helps.

[MarkinWaterloo]

The name of the soap is  neolia.  Made a big difference.

[ipost]

Hi Heather...I have been dealing with the same problem for about 8 yrs.  I have recently found relief with Neurontin.  I was told that I probably will never know the root cause of my illness but that somehow my nerve cells in arms and legs have been damaged.  They inturn send the wrong signal to my brain.  Until recently I had been living with ice baths, ice packs, fear of showers, etc.  This drug is not 100% effective all the time but it sure has given me my life back.  Hope this helps.
Ida

[Collegestudent22]

I also suffer with itching after a shower. It usually occurs in the winter time for me. I am in Phoenix, AZ so when its hot I am ok, when the weather changes my skin goes bizarre. I also think that since in the winter the hot water seems to go by quicker, as I am taking a shower the water begins to get cold, it triggers the itch. I itch horribly, I have scratched my legs with plastic butter knives , toothpicks, pretty much anything to discontinue the itching. It is not only my legs that itch but my arms,my back, my neck... everywhere.  I thought that my skin was just extremely dry after the water turned cold in the shower so I began to put on baby oil gel right before I got out of the shower to lock in the moisture, it only worked for a while and then I began to itch really bad all over again. I tried different lotions, I only use dove unscented soap, no arftifical fragerances or anything, and I still itch? Has anyone had this similar problem with winter itch or maybe itching if the water goes from lukewarm or hot to almost freezing cold?
-desperately looking for some solutions (Collegestudent22)

[annieoakley]

I don't want to alarm you but there is a disease that is called polycythema vera ..one of the questions that is asked when this disease is suspected do you itch from a shower or bath..it has to do with your rbc ..u have too much blood,,have a through blood counts done.
ANNIE

[jk51515]

i have been suffering from itchy skin after i shower for years and just read an interesting article tonight about the fact that sodium lauryl sulfate causes itching in most people (41%). i just went into my bathroom and checked my aveeno soap which i thought was mild and saw that ingredient. i have a feeling this could be causing all my torment with itching immediately after showering. here's the link i just read:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/389060/what_causes_skin_itching_after_your.html

good luck, i'm going to try an experiment and not use products for a few weeks that don't contain sls and see what happens.

[marysdog]

I recently moved from Oregon to Oklahoma. Loved my long hot showers in Oregon. Now I still take those long showers but suffer horrible itching from them. We have a brand new house and had a water softner unit installed because the water here is very hard. According to what I read online this softner unit should releive my itching problem but it doesn't. I also use Dove. From what I read here from all of youI I guess I'll have to give up my long hot showers and I hate that. I have tried various lotions and vasaline but itching on my back drives me nuts and I can't apply lotion there. Just letting you all know I'm going nuts in Oklahoma. I hope I will eventually happen on to the answers I need. Good luck to all of you..... Been there -done that... Mary

[desthebest817]

I would just like to say I suffer from this exact problem. I remember the severe itching since the sixth grade and, now being 21 years old, I still have this problem. After showering, shaving and sometimes sweating, my skin becomes extremely irritated and itchy and I feel like screaming and ripping my hair out. It is even more frustrating when people say "there's nothing wrong" and don't believe it because it isn't visible. It is nice to know that this is more common then I thought. I have found that moisturizing afterwards provides temporary relief, but isn't good enough. I want to get rid of it!!!!!! Also, I love to shower at my friends' houses and my boyfriends because it doesn't occur, but hate and dread using my own shower! (this can create problems...) I remember I stayed in a hotel in Florida, took a shower and sat on the bed afterwards scratching my skin for an hour, so I noticed it could be the water. Typically I use either dove soap or shower gels and exfoliate. I was wondering if anyone else seems like they may have psychological problems also, like I refuse to use a "dirty" shower, I have to remove myself from the bathroom to find cooler air and sometimes even afraid to bathe. I appreciate all the attempts of diagnosis/treatment comments and will try the advice suggested.

-Des

[desthebest817]

Also, I haven't switched much of my cleansers, but noticed that for shaving the perfumed gels make the situation much worse, along with the alcohol content. So I switched to Aveeno therapeutic shaving cream which barely gives me any problems. It really is a great product line, I also enjoy the lotions very much. Hopefully this will help.

[looking4cure]

Might be Polycythemia Vera ; "A classic symptom of polycythemia vera is generalized itching particularly after exposure to warm water(after taking a warm shower), which may be due to abnormal histamine release or prostaglandin production" but "the median age at diagnosis is 60 years" athough "Polycythemia vera occurs in all age groups (including children), the incidence increases with age".
Get a Complete Blood Count (C.B.C) done to rule it out.
You can read more on Polycythemia Vera here; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycythemia_vera

As For Me: I also get severe itch ONLY ON MY LEGS but only RIGHT AFTER I bathe/shower with COLD water.

[mrsmarty]

I really have to find out the answer to this. I am starting to dread taking baths and showers. I itch like crazy for at least 30 minutes. Just in case it is psychological, I really try hard to find distractions and other things to think about. Other that I just itch all over my body...arms, legs, back, neck, feet, ankles, face. Lotion doesn't help at all. Once I scratch one itch, two more pop up in a different area. Sometimes I have so many itches, I don't have enough hands to scratch them all. If I don't scratch, I just jump up and down like crazy. I have to find the answer. I can't live like this.

[snoopysan]

I am a female, age 42.  I've had this same intense itching, first in just my legs but now in the arms as well, for the past 10 years or so.  Mine starts about August/September and continues until about January.  (I know, wierd.)  Asked the doctor about it when I first started the problem and he acted like I was nuts since there was no rash present.  Lotions, water temp make no difference.   We moved 6 years ago, but I still have the same problem.  One thing I also experience and haven't seen posted anywhere is hair loss (from the scalp) during the same time period.  So, I not only have to deal with the feeling of wanting to rip my skin off after a shower, I have to comb and dry my hair over the garbage can so I don't leave hair all over the bathroom!  Also, I noticed my itching is slightly less intense if I shave my legs in the shower.  So, maybe my problem is hair related?  Here's more bad news:  my 15 year old son has now experienced this for the past 2 years, same time of year.  He hasn't noticed the hair loss thing, though, thank God!  

[mrsmarty]

I THINK I MAY HAVE FOUND THE ANSWER! I urge everyone with (after-shower) itchy skin to try this soap: Cocoon baby body wash.

http://www.****.***

I used to use it all the time because I had sporadic issues with ecxema and it is very mild and has organic ingredients. But I stopped using it because it was a little expensive. But when I started back using it, I found that the itching stopped immediately! I was so relieved and it is definitely worth the cost to stop the itchiness.

After my shower, I finished up with the body lotion, which is very light.

http://www.****.***

I think the key is that they don't contain harsh chemicals like sodium lauryl sulfate, which is known to cause skin irritation and itching.

Good luck!

[Slucoops]

I live in the caribbean and I have this problem. After a shower I feel as if my skin has tiny needles....I itch on my arms, and legs and that lasts for about half an hour. I usually feel it coming when I stay a long time in the shower and I notice it comes on when the weather is damp and the water is cold. I have changed my soaps, tried using lotions nothing works!!!

thanks for the info...knowing I am not the only one!!!