Re: Mysterious itching problem

[Guest guest]

,

The variables you mention make for quite a mystery, and I can't think of an

answer that easily takes into account all that you mention. But here's an

idea that might be worth considering. Since the plumbing is so very old,

perhaps there is a metal leaching from the hot water pipes (the heat causing

more leaching than occurs with the cold water pipes) and perhaps your

reaction is intensified when a heavy workout and sweating makes the pores on

certain areas of your body expand much more than the pores in other areas,

so that it is in those more open-pore areas that more absorption of the

contaminant is felt--and more reaction experienced.

Hope this helps, if only to rule out a possibility if it doesn't sound

feasible to you.

http://www.taichi4seniors.com

[Guest guest]

> [] For the last several weeks, maybe for as much as a month and

a half, I've been plagued by itching after I take a shower.

Maybe your skin oil/sweat is protecting you from all the crap in the

miserable hot humid air you have out there right now. When you wash

off your protective coating (and especially seal the pores with cold

water) the airborne chemicals are getting in and your body is fighting

them off. You feel the itching more after you sweat more because your

skin is that much more cleaned out and vulnerable. Eventually you

start to sweat and your skin oil comes back and so you start to feel

okay again. But in that half hour window, well, it's just you exposed

to the crap.

I just made that up but it sounds pretty good.. eh?

~Robin

[Guest guest]

> Any ideas? This is driving me #@ & $ing nuts.

>

>

>

> -

I have a mysterious itching problem too. Mine is sometimes after showers

but sometimes not. Is your itchiness just on the skin or does it feel like

you are itchy for the inside out?

You might try showering at someone else's house or at a hotel, that could

possible rule out a problem with your plumbing or water.

Kim

[Guest guest]

-

>Since the plumbing is so very old,

>perhaps there is a metal leaching from the hot water pipes (the heat causing

>more leaching than occurs with the cold water pipes) and perhaps your

>reaction is intensified when a heavy workout and sweating makes the pores on

>certain areas of your body expand much more than the pores in other areas,

>so that it is in those more open-pore areas that more absorption of the

>contaminant is felt--and more reaction experienced.

>

>Hope this helps, if only to rule out a possibility if it doesn't sound

>feasible to you.

I've wondered about pollutants in the water, but my girlfriend tells me

that it's a myth that the skin " opens up " except, IIRC, on the face, and

that's one area that never itches (well, except for normal occasional

itches). She thought maybe the hot water was stripping more of my skin's

oils, but since I'd assume my skin is oilier after a workout than when I

haven't worked out, I don't see why a cold post-workout shower would be

dramatically worse than a cold shower on a non-workout day.

-

[Guest guest]

Robin-

>Maybe your skin oil/sweat is protecting you from all the crap in the

>miserable hot humid air you have out there right now. When you wash

>off your protective coating (and especially seal the pores with cold

>water) the airborne chemicals are getting in and your body is fighting

>them off.

Well, the thing is that a cold shower, as opposed to a hot one, reduces the

problem somewhat. Also, I'm not sure why a shower after a workout, at

which point I'm greasy and grimy and sweaty and disgusting, would wash off

more of my protective coating than a shower on a day on which I just

desk-jockied in the air conditioned semi-comfort of my home office.

>Eventually you

>start to sweat and your skin oil comes back and so you start to feel

>okay again. But in that half hour window, well, it's just you exposed

>to the crap.

Hmm, the post-shower sweating is a worthwhile variable to pay attention to,

but off the top of my head I don't think it's made a difference either way.

-

[Guest guest]

Kim-

>I have a mysterious itching problem too. Mine is sometimes after showers

>but sometimes not. Is your itchiness just on the skin or does it feel like

>you are itchy for the inside out?

No, it's pretty much a surface itching, not the sort of deep itching you

might get from a deep wound healing.

>You might try showering at someone else's house or at a hotel, that could

>possible rule out a problem with your plumbing or water.

Yeah, that's definitely worth a try. I'm not sure when I'll get the

opportunity in the near future, though.

-

[Guest guest]

,

<I've wondered about pollutants in the water, but my girlfriend tells me

that it's a myth that the skin " opens up " except, IIRC, on the face,

I'm not sure I understand what your girlfriend means here, but I think it's

generally understood that the skin is highly absorbant to all kinds of

things, both " good " (e.g. hormone patches, if you think those are good), and

" bad " (e.g. mercury) and that the skin will be even more absorbant when

heated and the pores are relaxed and visibly larger.

I have no strong conviction about my theory, but it seems to me as likely as

anything else I can think of or you have already thought of. And given your

extreme discomfort and frustration, it would seem like a reasonable -- and

easy enough -- theory to check out by simply finding another place (with new

plumbing) to shower for a time for two.

http://www.taichi4seniors.com

[Guest guest]

-

>I'm not sure I understand what your girlfriend means here, but I think it's

>generally understood that the skin is highly absorbant to all kinds of

>things, both " good " (e.g. hormone patches, if you think those are good), and

> " bad " (e.g. mercury) and that the skin will be even more absorbant when

>heated and the pores are relaxed and visibly larger.

Well, I'm not sure whether she's correct (she has extremely mainstream

views of pretty much all things health) but it may be that pores don't

actually open or change size or shape on most of the body. Pores wouldn't

have to open for the skin to absorb plenty of chemicals.

>I have no strong conviction about my theory, but it seems to me as likely as

>anything else I can think of or you have already thought of. And given your

>extreme discomfort and frustration, it would seem like a reasonable -- and

>easy enough -- theory to check out by simply finding another place (with new

>plumbing) to shower for a time for two.

I'll definitely have to try this. It'll be kind of strange asking a friend

if I can come over just to take a shower, though. <g>

-

[Guest guest]

,

<Well, I'm not sure whether she's correct (she has extremely mainstream

views of pretty much all things health) but it may be that pores don't

actually open or change size or shape on most of the body. Pores wouldn't

have to open for the skin to absorb plenty of chemicals.

Perhaps she thinking cosmetically. Enlarged pores (from excess oil

production) on the face are difficult (though not impossible) to be

reversed. I do think, though, the medical establishment believes pores all

over the body continually close to retain heat and open to release heat as a

way of controlling body temperature. Certainly the alternative health

establishment -- esp. those advocating saunas and hot baths -- believe the

pores do open with heat to allow for detoxifcation.

http://www.taichi4seniors.com

[Guest guest]

-

>Perhaps she thinking cosmetically. Enlarged pores (from excess oil

>production) on the face are difficult (though not impossible) to be

>reversed.

Maybe. Just out of idle curiosity, how do you reverse enlarged pores?

-

[Guest guest]

<Just out of idle curiosity, how do you reverse enlarged pores?

Some people have large pores thanks to their genetics, but most large pores

on the face are due to excess sebum clogging and stretching the pore, so as

a first, basic step, no additional oil, of any kind, should ever be applied

to the face. Nor should any drying astringents be applied, in an attempt to

dry up the oil. These will dry up what's on the surface, but will tighten

the pores just enough to impede further release of deep oil. This action,

plus the irritation such astringents cause, will only promote more oil

production and greater clogging of the pores. A steam " facial " or a very

warm washcloth applied gently once or twice a day is the least intrusive and

safest way to keep the skin clean and the pores open to releasing oil.

No one, to my knowledge, has ever been able to pinpoint what, exactly,

stimulates the glands to overproduce oil, so I can only give you my own

opinions here - but they are based on personal experience.

My understanding is that facial pores will enlarge with age. That mine are

steadily shrinking as I move through my sixties means that the diet I am on

has solved my problem. No grains, minimal carbs, heavy on the saturated fats

and avoidance of anything that I have problems digesting (e.g. cows milk

which I may be allergic to. Goat cheese is working well for me.)

Probably more than you wanted to know, but maybe of help to someone else on

he list.

http://www.taichi4seniors.com

[Guest guest]

Here are some more ideas:

1. Perhaps the chemicals in the water are different because the water

treatment plant has changed its process.

2. Perhaps the water is different because the source has changed or,

if it comes from a lake, because the lake has " turned over " . That

happens a couple of times a year here. DH complains that the water

tastes and smells fishy.

3. This is mosquito season. We have found that our mosquito bites

and chigger and fly bites itch more when we are hungry. Doesn't the

liver release glucagon when you're hungry, which actually raises your

blood sugar? Are you hungry when you shower?

4. DH has found that antifungal ointments, creams, and oils help

relieve the itch of the bites. (He's been experimenting.)

5. Perhaps your skin is getting less greasy due to age, or thyroid or

adrenal condition? Dry skin will tend to itch more. And hot water

will remove natural skin oils more completely. A few years ago,

while Weight Watchers with my housemates, I developed itchy skin on

the tops of my legs. I even went to the doctor. He prescribed

Lubriderm. LOL Until I increased the amount of cholesterol I eat, I

had very dry hands in the winter. Now that problem has all but

disappeared.

6. Do you have mold or mildew in your shower or bathroom? Perhaps

hot water makes mold spores fly around more, while cold water doesn't.

[Guest guest]

Hi , After the shower, does your skin itch after you've put on clothes

and worn them for a little bit?

I say this because oddly enough, last night I was having an itching

problem. First it'll help to say that I'm a bath person -- I usually take a

sea salt bath every other day or so and just wash the private parts in

between. I've always had senstive skin and this works for me (and the baths

are so relaxing..) Lately, because I got busy and it's been hot I've been

taking a shower more often. That combined with the fact that last weekend I

lay in the sun with no sunscreen for 20 minutes (to get a nice dose of b

vitamin.) It's private here and so some skin that doesn't usually get much

sun got a nice dose. Not burned but about 20 minutes of midday sun.

So then now, a week later, the skin in that area is pretty dry and although

I usually just sleep in linen sheets, last night I happened to wear a

nightgown that contained a small amount of rayon. I woke up itching like

crazy especially on my rear end. Ack! It was awful. I took off the gown and

just slept next to the linen sheets and was fine. So, for me, I think the

itching was from having too-sensitive dry skin next to a wood-based fabric.

(They put viscose in things to make it soft and drape better but the actual

fibers are made from wood and might be itchy after awhile..)

Okay so here's what I'm thinking now for you: I think it's been hot back

there and you've been working out so you've probably been sweating and

showering more than usual. Because of that your skin is just ultra-sensitive

and too dry and so it itches like mad. (You just HAVE to scratch, right?)

So now if it were me, I'd be really observant about the fabrics I'm wearing

and how they were washed. (It would be great if you could run your clothes

on an extra rinse cycle or two.) I'd also not use any soap when showering

(except those small key areas..) and after showering I'd apply a

light-weight moisture lotion all over and walk around and let it sink in

really good before I dress.. And try not to sweat because the sweat is

causing you to also lose a lot of oil that you need right now..

~Robin

after a (rayon)and I wondered if it was relate

[Guest guest]

>

> I lay in the sun with no sunscreen for 20 minutes (to get a nice dose of

> > b vitamin.)

> >

> Of course I meant vitamin D as in " duh... "

~Robin

[Guest guest]

> Here are some more ideas:

>

> 1. Perhaps the chemicals in the water are different because the water

> treatment plant has changed its process.

>

> 2. Perhaps the water is different because the source has changed or,

> if it comes from a lake, because the lake has " turned over " . That

> happens a couple of times a year here. DH complains that the water

> tastes and smells fishy.

We had well water and an RO unit at our old house and I swore that it

was causing me to have itchy skin. We had the company that installed

it out a few times for adjustments, but it never resolved the problem.

It turns out that it was candida. It took me a while to make the

connection, but hooray, once I started treating the candida the skin

itching went away. The candida comes back once in a while along with

the itchy skin if I don't nip it in the bud. It definitely was worse

after showering which is why I thought for sure it had to be the

water. It was also worse at night when I was trying to fall asleep.

[Guest guest]

Robin-

>Hi , After the shower, does your skin itch after you've put on clothes

>and worn them for a little bit?

Ah! A variable I completely forgot to mention! The itching usually starts

before I put on any clothes, generally before I even manage to don my

bathrobe. The longer I wait to put on clothes, the worse it winds up

being. Clothes don't come close to eliminating the problem, but sometimes

they do ameliorate it.

> Okay so here's what I'm thinking now for you: I think it's been hot back

>there and you've been working out so you've probably been sweating and

>showering more than usual. Because of that your skin is just ultra-sensitive

>and too dry and so it itches like mad. (You just HAVE to scratch, right?)

Yeah, scratching is mandatory, but at most banishes an individual itch

relatively briefly and sometimes does nothing. I've certainly been

sweating more than usual, but I still shower once a day with only rare

exceptions, so that, at least, hasn't changed.

>So now if it were me, I'd be really observant about the fabrics I'm wearing

>and how they were washed. (It would be great if you could run your clothes

>on an extra rinse cycle or two.)

I only wear cotton, so I don't think it's the fabric. (Pretty much

everything else, especially synthetics, makes me sweat like mad.) (Well,

except for socks, since I can't find 100% cotton black athletic socks in my

size anywhere, worse luck.) It could be related to detergent (I drop my

clothes off at the laundromat across the street, but they use my

fragrance-free detergent and, at least supposedly, give my stuff an extra

rinse, though I'm a bit skeptical about that) but that wouldn't seem to fit

with the fact that the itching starts after or even occasionally during my

shower, before I even come back in contact with clean clothes. If it were

the detergent (and I'm sure there are all sorts of nasty residues on my

clothes from the machines since it's a public laundromat) I'd expect that

I'd get the biggest problem while sweating and thus leeching stuff out of

my clothes and onto my skin.

> I'd also not use any soap when showering

>(except those small key areas..) and after showering I'd apply a

>light-weight moisture lotion all over and walk around and let it sink in

>really good before I dress.. And try not to sweat because the sweat is

>causing you to also lose a lot of oil that you need right now..

Hmm, this sounds like it's really worth a try. What sort of moisture

lotion do you suggest, though? I've never bought or even looked into

something like that, so I have no idea what's out there or what I should be

looking for.

-

[Guest guest]

-

>It took me a while to make the

>connection, but hooray, once I started treating the candida the skin

>itching went away. The candida comes back once in a while along with

>the itchy skin if I don't nip it in the bud. It definitely was worse

>after showering which is why I thought for sure it had to be the

>water. It was also worse at night when I was trying to fall asleep.

Hmm, not impossible, but I eat properly and I don't wear synthetics, so it

doesn't seem too likely. Also, wouldn't a skin infection tend to become

visible? And why would it only manifest after a shower?

-

[Guest guest]

-

>1. Perhaps the chemicals in the water are different because the water

>treatment plant has changed its process.

>

>2. Perhaps the water is different because the source has changed or,

>if it comes from a lake, because the lake has " turned over " . That

>happens a couple of times a year here. DH complains that the water

>tastes and smells fishy.

I guess either option is possible, but since there's vast institutional

inertia in a city the size of New York, I'm inclined to doubt it. I could

ask around, though. Maybe they've boosted the chlorine content or something.

>3. This is mosquito season. We have found that our mosquito bites

>and chigger and fly bites itch more when we are hungry. Doesn't the

>liver release glucagon when you're hungry, which actually raises your

>blood sugar? Are you hungry when you shower?

No, I'm rarely hungry when I shower.

>4. DH has found that antifungal ointments, creams, and oils help

>relieve the itch of the bites. (He's been experimenting.)

That's interesting, and I suppose I could slap some antifungal on an itch

and see what happens.

>5. Perhaps your skin is getting less greasy due to age, or thyroid or

>adrenal condition? Dry skin will tend to itch more. And hot water

>will remove natural skin oils more completely. A few years ago,

>while Weight Watchers with my housemates, I developed itchy skin on

>the tops of my legs. I even went to the doctor. He prescribed

>Lubriderm. LOL Until I increased the amount of cholesterol I eat, I

>had very dry hands in the winter. Now that problem has all but

>disappeared.

I eat pretty enormous quantities of cholesterol, actually, and I don't

think my skin is dry. It's not generally excessively oil either, but I'll

try to pay closer attention to its moisture level after this evening's shower.

>6. Do you have mold or mildew in your shower or bathroom? Perhaps

>hot water makes mold spores fly around more, while cold water doesn't.

A little bit. I guess it could possibly be related to that.

-

[Guest guest]

>

> Hmm, this sounds like it's really worth a try. What sort of moisture

> > lotion do you suggest, though? I've never bought or even looked into

> > something like that, so I have no idea what's out there or what I should

> > be

> > looking for.

> > -

>

> Oh dear. People are going to suggest coconut or almond oil but for me

those things are just too hot and suffocating in the summer. My personal

feeling is because they don't allow your skin to breathe they can make

matters worse over time (but I'm probably in the minority there..) I use two

lotions both store bought because I am a complete diva when it comes to

bathing and unguents. I have about 5 different kinds of lotions and scents

and all that sort of thing. I also spare no expense when it comes to bath

products and so others may have more sensible suggestions. (I'm sure I'm

wasting money!)

The brand that comes to mind is Burt's Bees. I personally love their Milk

and Honey Lotion. (Whole Foods carries it.) You'll smell like something

wonderful to drink! But Burt's Bees has other choices that are unscented and

probably better for you and so that's what I'd suggest... I also use Kiehl's

products... In the case of skin, I think you want something that moisturizes

but doesn't suffocate and make matter worse. That's why I use the commercial

products that seem to be emulsified (?) Anyway they're light, breathe, but

also help the skin regroup and get its own oil thing going again..

~Robin

[Guest guest]

Here are some more ideas:

1. Perhaps the chemicals in the water are different because the water

treatment plant has changed its process.

2. Perhaps the water is different because the source has changed or,

if it comes from a lake, because the lake has " turned over " . That

happens a couple of times a year here. DH complains that the water

tastes and smells fishy.

, someone else may have already asked this, but, do you have a water filter

on your showerhead? We got one last summer, and I noticed an immediate

difference in the " feel " of my skin after I shower. Also, less need for

moisturizers, etc. (Our county is notorious for crummy water balance, either

too many chemicals, or too few.) Anyway, if it's something in the water source

which is your problem, maybe a high quality filter would help.

Rebekah

[Guest guest]

,

Have experienced the same thing for the last few weeks. Did the soap

switch and cold shower which reduced itching. Have pretty much

concluded to using little to no soap and a bath brush except for needy

spots. Is it our similar diets, this Northeast wet summer and

perspiration? Don't remember ever reacting to this extent except from

Colgate products.

Wanita

> For the last several weeks, maybe for as much as a month and a half, I've

> been plagued by itching after I take a shower. I've tried the obvious

> solutions, changing shampoos and soaps, to no effect. I always rinse

> thoroughly. Again, no difference. Finally, what gave me some relief was

> switching to taking very cool to cold showers instead of warm to

> hot. Yesterday, in fact, I had almost zero itching after my shower. But

> cold showers aren't enough of a solution. First, the water temperature in

> my shower is very hard to control, courtesy of awful ancient tenement

> plumbing. And second -- and much more importantly -- I'm coming to realize

> that my own perspiration must be playing a role. Yesterday, no workout,

> minimal sweating, just about no itching. Today, heavy workout, oceans of

> perspiration, arguably an even colder shower than yesterday's... and medium

> itching.

[Guest guest]

Robin-

>In the case of skin, I think you want something that moisturizes

>but doesn't suffocate and make matter worse.

Hmm... what about something like NaPCA?

-

[Guest guest]

--- In , Idol <Idol@c...>

wrote:

> -

>

> >It took me a while to make the

> >connection, but hooray, once I started treating the candida the

skin

> >itching went away. The candida comes back once in a while along

with

> >the itchy skin if I don't nip it in the bud. It definitely was

worse

> >after showering which is why I thought for sure it had to be the

> >water. It was also worse at night when I was trying to fall

asleep.

>

> Hmm, not impossible, but I eat properly and I don't wear

synthetics,

so it

> doesn't seem too likely. Also, wouldn't a skin infection tend to

become

> visible? And why would it only manifest after a shower?

>

>

>

> -

There are other kinds of fungal infection than just candida. It's

just the one everyone has been talking about in recent years.

Doug Kaufmann has written tons about it. His web site is

http://www.knowthecause.com

[Guest guest]

> >In the case of skin, I think you want something that moisturizes

> > > >but doesn't suffocate and make matter worse.

> > >

> > > Hmm... what about something like NaPCA?

> > > -

> >

> > Hmmm.. I don't know much about NaPCA. I'd like to though.. I think the

word I was looking for was noncomedogenic.. I just found this rather

insoucient chart :-) http://www.soapnuts.com/noncomo.html

And I guess I was imagining a lotion rather than an oil because there's

water emulsified with the oil to help it breathe.. I also forgot to mention

aloe vera on the skin? Maybe?

~Robin

[Guest guest]

Robin-

>I also forgot to mention

>aloe vera on the skin? Maybe?

I guess there's no reason not to try, though I dread imagining how much

aloe vera I'd need to get through the rest of this infernal summer.

-