Mysterious itching problem

[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. 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.

The duration of the itching is proportional to its severity. Tonight, with

only a relatively mild case, it'll last somewhere from half an hour to an

hour, I'd guess, gradually subsiding during that time. When it's bad, it's

hours of misery, anguish and irritability.

I've tried taking squalene, but to no apparent effect. It hits my legs

most often -- every time, in fact -- but it can also strike my torso

(including my back), my arms... and I guess that's about it. Not my head

or neck, not my hands, not my feet. My thighs more than my calves.

I've looked back over my logs, and I don't see any change in diet or

supplements that could account for this. My clothes are washed in

hypoallergenic detergent, and besides, the post-shower nature of the

problem doesn't seem like an especially good fit with detergent, unless

perspiration is leeching residual detergent onto my skin, except I can't

see how that would become a problem only after a shower. If I skip my

evening shower, no itching, so it's definitely not a time-of-day thing.

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

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