itchy legs

[Sal87]

This discussion is related to Itchy legs, no sign of rash or irritation.


I have had this problem for just over 2 years,
i went to my GP and they have given me antibiotics as they think i have folliculitis. I searched this and i have no symptons for folliculitis, as this occurs when you have red spots full of pus. my legs are dry and flaky as a result of my 2 years of itching and i have no rashes, just scars from scratching

[jbebe]

It is a relief to hear I am not the only one. Yes, i think it is stress related to a point. The mind is a very powerful thing, and as soon as I feel the first twinges, I freak myself out so bad because I know it's coming and sure enough, those are the worst fits. Mine is pretty much only after showering or sweating, and it doesn't even matter if I shave or not. I remember sitting on my bed crying with packs of frozen veggies on my legs praying for relief! Always after about a half hr or so, it ceases as if it never happened. I found a few tricks that help: moisturizing an hour before showering, Aveeno anti itch lotions, and mixing Cortizone cream in with my lotion helps. But sometimes I think that just my thought of these "brilliant ideas" might trick my body into not itching...  I am not sure... while I think mentality does play a part, there's no denying that the itching/pins and needles is REAL and physical and we are not crazy!!!! Thank you ladies for making me realize I am not alone!

[leskanes]

I am so glad to hear you talk about your itchy legs being related to warm weather. For the past 20 years the back of my right knee has itched from July -September. I know this sounds really crazy but it is true. There are no rashes, no signs of any irritation and every year I forget about it until it starts. Today is July 3 and for the past 3 days I have done nothing except scratch the back of my leg. I've been to doctors and because there is nothing present, no one knows what it is. Some people ask if it somehow stress related or past trauma related and there is nothing. For me it is clearly weather related. The mystery is why only the back of my right knee?

[hbatista123]

Hi everyone,
I'm a 32 year old male, and had this problem on and off since I can remember.
During my teens, I had this itch almost always after taking a shower. Then, in recent years it seemed to have disappeared. Today I had a horribly intense itching episode after showering, and decided to check the internet for answers.
It's good to know that this isn't some unexplainable thing :)

[DinDenver]

Hi All,
I'm a mid-30s female in the Denver, CO area and I've had this lower leg itching problem for a few years now.  It has nothing to do with showering for me.  My legs just itch all the time and I scratch them until I bleed, even in my sleep.  My legs look disgusting and no amount of Neosporin makes the little scabs heal up.  Though I should buy stock in that company.  

Anyway, I have found two things that work to ease the itch.  I had to go to whole foods to get these things.  One is called LASTING TOUCH.  It sounds like an imtimacy product but it's not.  It's a topical, lotion-based anagelsic.  It keeps the skin mildly numb long enough to distract me from the itch and moisturizes at the same time.  It's especially great when the itch wakes me up so that I can go back to sleep.  The other product is called ARNICARE.  It is also topical and comes in lotion or ointment.  Of course, you should try the lotion as the ointment would only clog the pores.  This product is for muscle pain and bruising, but for me it has really reduced if not gotten rid of the itch, especially on my shins.

Also, I have started taking my showers not-so-hot.  And I always always moisturize after a shower while my skin is still damp.  Try to avoid lotions with mineral oil, dimethicone, or petrolatum as these clog the pores and can make matters worse.  

That's it for my remedies.  And they are a better alternative that scratching myself to the bone.  :)  Good luck and if anyone finds a cure, please post it!

[Stix06]

Check this out. I think it explains almost all of the itching problems.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquagenic_pruritus

I have suffered from itching on my thighs and lower legs for about two years now. I don't think that it is related to the contact with water, as listed in the wiki document, but the reaction that the water is having with blood circulation to your appendages. The stimulus of water beating or pushing against the skin or active jogging/walking causes an increased blood flow to your legs and feet, which results in the itching sensation after the motion has stopped (unknown as to the WHY of the itching sensation though). Also the action of washing your body or swimming through water (moving your arms alot) can cause itching in the arms for some people. The condition has very limited treatment options, most of them involving antihisthamines and cream lotions, none of which treat the cause for the condition, so they obviously cannot cure it (so far). Very little research has been done on this condition, so I would advise everyone who has been experiencing this problem to go to a dermatologist and talk to them about Aquagenic Pruritis, explaining your concern that it may be an internal condition and not just an outward reaction (the itching) to water.
For me it feels like the itch is INSIDE my leg, not on the outside, and I keep scratching and scratching because I can't reach the itch, eventually causing very small red bumps on the surface afterwards (but no rash) because of the damage I'm causing to my skin. I don't want to damage my skin anymore, so the sooner a cure is found, or at least a decent description of what the condition is and why it happens, the sooner all of us can start recovering! We will no longer have to live our lives AROUND the itch. We can eliminate it if we push for more research involving the issue of aquagenic pruritis, so go see a dermatologist and help bring light to this unknown condition that so many others like us are suffering from.

Thanks for your time.

~ Meg

[Cmstrach]

I actually wanted to comment on this thread http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Dermatology/Itchy-legs--no-sign-of-rash-or-irritation/show/241193 but I couldn't figure out how so here I am...

For the past few months my legs have always been itching. There are no bumps or anything they just itch. They itch mostly on my thighs but sometimes on other parts of my legs too. I almost always have scratches too on my shins that I don't know how they got there, I figure it is from shaving. I don't think that my legs itching is from shaving though because I don't shave all the way up to my thighs. The only thing that seems to help the itching is lotion. This is how bad the itching is, last night I itched my leg so bad that now I have 5+ pretty deep scratches on my lower leg, and I don't even have sharp nails....