Many people have an itchy body after taking a shower, sometimes even blisters and blisters appear. Itching caused by water is not such a rare occurrence.
As a rule, after a shower, the body itches in those people who have increased skin sensitivity to water elements or substances included in detergents. Why this happens has not yet been clarified. But there is an assumption that under unfavorable factors, special antibodies begin to be produced in the skin, which cause itching. Histamine plays the main role in their production.
Occasionally, itchy skin after a shower appears due to hidden diseases, endocrine pathologies and blood diseases. If this is true, then such phenomena may be associated with deeper disease mechanisms. Consequently, the etiology of aquagenic scratching is divided into physiological and pathological.
Aquagenic itch
If your body itches strongly after a shower and a clear relationship with water is noticed, but other existing causes of irritation are not confirmed, then it is quite possible that you have idiopathic aquagenic itch. This is a disease that occurs due to a mental disorder, accompanied by a depressive state.
In the idiopathic version of the disease, urticaria does not appear and there is no rash on the skin. There is no history of chronic pathologies or drug use. Itching can be general or localized in a specific area, for example on the upper extremities.
Fake tan
The solarium uses UVA rays, which are 10-15 times more intense than natural radiation. They penetrate into the deep layers of the skin and cause photoaging. Tanning is a reaction of melanocytes to ultraviolet radiation. The skin produces the pigment melanin to prevent further damage.
According to a study by the Center for Epidemiology of Austria, the risk of developing a malignant melanoma tumor when using a solarium before the age of 35 is 75%. Therefore, you should not use artificial tanning as a means of preparing for vacation.
“UV radiation dehydrates the skin and destroys the collagen and elastin proteins that contribute to its elasticity. The consequences are dryness, early aging and the appearance of wrinkles. People with sensitive skin may develop allergies in the form of rashes and redness,” warns Nadezhda Nabatnikova.
Aquagenic allergy
Why does my body still itch after a shower? Often this phenomenon indicates an aquagenic allergy. A very rare pathology, skin rashes are added to the itching. The nature of the phenomenon is unclear. But there is an assumption that this is due to the production of histamine during a cholinergic reaction.
People suffering from this disorder are very careful with water. Since interaction with her, especially long-term, is fraught with unpleasant consequences.
Incorrect use of Sanskrin
Scientists from the Oslo Institute of Basic Sciences have confirmed that using sunscreen reduces the risk of developing melanoma by 18%. But you need to apply it correctly: only then will there be a result. The first mistake is late use of the cream. You need to apply the product 15-20 minutes before leaving the house, and not on the beach.
Another mistake is to treat only those areas that are more likely to burn: neck, chest, back and shoulders. Sunscreen should be applied to the entire surface of the body. A sufficient amount of sunscreen for the face is half a teaspoon, for each part of the body - one tablespoon.
“The optimal amount of cream is 2 mg/cm2 of skin: in reality, we apply about a third of what it should. Another mistake is to rely only on Sunscreen during active sun hours. Clouds scatter ultraviolet light but allow ultraviolet A rays through, which are responsible for premature skin aging. You need to select a product taking into account your age and level of solar activity,” says Nina Sergeeva, a dermatovenerologist at the Fantasy clinic.
After applying Sanskrin, wait 3-5 minutes for the product to be absorbed: then it will not be washed off with water. The cream should be reapplied after swimming and every 2 hours. We have already talked about the effect of the sun on the skin here.
Diagnosis and methods of eliminating allergic itching
If a person’s body itches after a shower, first of all you need to find out why it happened. We mentioned above that there are many reasons for this phenomenon, from the most harmless urticaria to serious systemic diseases, which without treatment can lead to serious health problems.
One of the preventive measures for itching is proper nutrition. All fried, spicy, salty foods and strong tea and coffee also lead to itching. You need to stop eating unhealthy foods or at least reduce their quantity. A proper diet normalizes the functioning of internal organs and improves your mood. At the same time, you need to consume vitamins, iodine-containing products, and more fruits and vegetables.
You may also need to change your skin care products, as they can also cause irritation. The easiest way is to use hypoallergenic products or baby soap. This will relieve you of allergic problems.
If all preventive measures do not help, you should definitely consult a specialist. The doctor will prescribe the necessary tests that will help determine the cause of the disease, and then prescribe the required treatment. We must not forget about this, since timely diagnosis and properly initiated therapy will help a person live a long life.
List of shower gels for sensitive skin
People with very dry, sensitive skin are often recommended to use special products during showering that prevent large amounts of moisture from being removed. They carefully care for the skin and form a film on its surface that prevents the epidermis from drying out. Below we present a list of products for sensitive and atopic dermatitis-prone skin.
List of shower gels for sensitive skin:
- Elfa Pharm. Atopi Med
- Aveeno, For children, treatment of eczema
- SeSDerma Atopises Bath Gel
- Bioderma Atoderm Gentle Shower Gel
Clean body
Manifestations of the disease
If after a shower your body itches and paresthesia is observed, then know that this is how aquagenic skin itching manifests itself. This reaction occurs even after short-term interaction with liquid. It may be with or without a rash. Itching appears in the first minutes after starting a shower or some time after hygiene procedures. The duration of this phenomenon ranges from a couple of minutes to a couple of hours, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the person.
True, there is a distinction between cold and heat urticaria - this is when itching occurs only from a liquid of a certain temperature.
A strong stream of water and vigorous rubbing with a towel can cause a similar phenomenon.
Aquagenic itch in the elderly is a type of disease that occurs after 59 years of age. Exacerbations are replaced by periods of rest, the disease becomes chronic. Senile xerosis appears. As a rule, exacerbations occur in winter; senile xerosis can be provoked by a sharp change in ambient temperature.
If your body itches a lot after a shower, this may indicate blood pathologies.
These include the following:
1. Multiple myeloma.
2. Mastocytosis.
3. Hodgkin's disease.
4. Lack of iron in the blood.
5. Erythremia.
Frequent water treatments
According to a survey by Euromonitor International, people shower with gel or soap between 6 and 12 times a week. Detergents contain foaming substances - sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. When washing with them more than once a day, the protective layer of the skin is damaged, dryness and irritation appear.
Before being supplied to homes, the water undergoes additional treatment. It is cleaned with sand filters and disinfected with sodium hypochlorite and an ammonia-containing reagent. As it passes through the pipes, it accumulates calcium and magnesium salts and becomes hard. A study by scientists at King's College London confirmed that swimming in such water is a risk factor for dermatitis.
The American Dermatological Association states that to maintain hygiene, you should shower with gel 2 times a week. The exception is hot weather and physical activity. On other days, wash only the axillary and groin areas with water - they contain a lot of sweat and sebaceous glands.
“With frequent contact with hot water and aggressive shower products, the protective layer is washed off faster. The skin loses its barrier properties and becomes vulnerable to bacteria. Very hot water is stressful for the skin,” says Nadezhda Nabatnikova, a dermatovenerologist and podologist at the GMS Clinic.
Polycythemia
Polycythemia is a pathology characterized by an increased number of red blood cells in the blood. As the disease progresses, the number of all elements in the blood increases.
Why does my body itch after taking a shower? This reaction indicates a disease called polycythemia. With this pathology in the human blood, white blood cells under the influence of water produce substances that cause itching of the skin. A similar phenomenon in endocrine pathologies is related to the accumulation of harmful substances altered by metabolism. Of course, this distorts the functioning of all systems. For example, dry skin and itching may indicate the development of diabetes. Therefore, it is worth checking your blood sugar levels.
Treatment
People who experience itching after showering should do the following:
Use cool water for shower
for short periods of time to avoid stripping the skin of its natural, protective oils.
Don't shower more than once a day
: The more you bathe, the more likely you are to strip your skin of its natural oils.
Avoid long hot baths
. When taking a bath, add oatmeal or oils to moisturize your skin.
Don't scratch your skin
: Scratching can irritate and injure the skin and increase itching.
Do not use washcloths, scrubs or hard sponges
: They may irritate the skin.
Use moisturizing cleansers or fragrance-free soaps
: Avoid using products containing fragrance or alcohol. Use hypoallergenic products or those designed for people with eczema and sensitive skin. Also, avoid products with foam or strong detergents.
Gently pat your skin dry
: Avoid rubbing your skin with a towel as this can also cause irritation and remove natural oils from your skin.
Apply moisturizer or ointment after showering
Do not use large amounts of foam detergent
: Foaming agents can increase skin dryness and are not necessary to effectively cleanse the skin.
Use a humidifier
: This can be especially helpful in dry climates or during the winter months. Low humidity can make dry skin worse.
Avoid fragrances in laundry detergent:
these ingredients can get on towels and clothing and cause itching.
Avoid using products containing retinoids
: Retinoids regulate the growth of epithelial cells, but can be an irritant and increase skin dryness. Retinoids include retinol, adapalene and tretinoin. Unless prescribed by a doctor, people should avoid using retinoids.
Avoid or limit foods containing alpha hydroxy acid
: It may cause burning or itching in dry or sensitive skin.
Other Possible Causes
Skin allergies due to excessive production of thyroid hormones are associated with the formation of kinins, a rise in body temperature and xerosis.
Itching associated with liver disease is provoked by a high content of bile acids in the blood or prostaglandins and histamine. The allergy is generalized and worsens when pressing on the skin, as well as at night. You need to be attentive to such manifestations, otherwise hemochromatosis may occur.
In case of skin diseases, itching does not depend on water. It’s just that such procedures can spread microorganisms throughout the body.
If you have worms, your body itches after a shower, this is due to the processes of poisoning the body with waste products of parasites.
You have some kind of disease - perhaps not yet diagnosed
Often itching is the first symptom of quite serious illnesses. It may indicate:
- liver diseases - for example, viral hepatitis or cirrhosis,
- kidney disease,
- problems with the thyroid gland - hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism,
- some types of cancer (for example, Hodgkin's lymphoma or skin cancer may manifest themselves as itching).
Itchy feet after a shower: reasons
How to help?
If your body itches after a shower, what should you do? To treat itching, you need to know exactly the cause of its occurrence.
Itching may be a reaction to hygiene products. If this is the case, then replace your cosmetics with hypoallergenic or children's cosmetics. You can try yourself as a soap maker.
If your skin is sensitive to chlorine, then you should use the most moisturizing wash products. And after a shower, lubricate your skin with some oil, for example Johnson Baby.
If your financial situation allows, you can install water filters.
To remove the manifestations of idiopathic aquagenic itching, antihistamines will be needed. For example, these could be tablets “Suprastin”, “Loratodine”, “Nixar” and others.
If itching is associated with a chronic disease, then to eliminate it it is necessary to cure the underlying disease.
Aquagenic itching occurs several years before the onset of the blood disease. Therefore, those who have it need to be examined by a hematologist every year.
Rare replacement of washcloths and towels
Hygiene products constantly come into contact with the skin. Dirt, keratinized scales, fungal spores and bacteria accumulate on them. In a humid environment, microorganisms grow and multiply more actively, and with subsequent washing they are transferred to clean skin. A study by scientists at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York confirmed that colonies of pseudomonas, staphylococcus, streptococcus, and enterococcus bacteria were found on the surface of sponges. These microorganisms cause pustular skin diseases.
The American Cleaning Institute recommends drying towels after each use and washing 3-5 times after use. Change the sponge or washcloth every 1-2 months.
What to do if itching occurs? Prevention methods
To help cope with itching:
- Use of special cosmetics. This may include a nourishing cream or softening milk, as well as a soft body oil, which should be applied immediately after a shower to still damp skin.
- Warm baths with herbal decoction. To eliminate itching, you can add menthol, barley decoction, and juniper extract to the bath.
- Rubbing the skin. Salicylic alcohol is often used for these purposes. You can infuse peppermint on it and use it for rubbing.
- Lotions. If any part of the body itches, you can apply lotions made from burdock infusion. To prepare it you will need 400 ml of water and 1.5 tbsp. l. plant roots. The ingredients must be cooked for 30 minutes.
- Healthy drinks. For example, you can use regular dill. It must be crushed as finely as possible and placed in a glass of boiled water. You need to drink a glass of this every day for 7 days.
- Relieve nervous tension. If a person is very upset, he should definitely try to calm down and relax. In most situations, itching and tingling disappear.
Sometimes there are situations in which a person himself cannot help himself, although he knows perfectly well how to do it. In such cases, all attempts are in vain; the help of a specialist is advisable. It is he who will be able to help establish the true cause of the disease and advise how to cope with it.
What to do if you get sick
Itchy skin after a bath is often considered a harbinger of serious problems. Standard options for dealing with the problem provide only temporary relief, since the cause remains unclear. Therefore, if body itching does not go away, an urgent consultation with a doctor is recommended.
In each specific case, an individual examination of the patient is necessary. Once the diagnosis is made, appropriate treatment is prescribed. Ointments, creams, injections and other methods are used as therapeutic agents. Prescribed medications help cope with the clinical manifestations of the disease.
It is very important to pay close attention to itchy skin. If the correct treatment is prescribed, the problem will soon disappear.
Incorrect direction of the razor during depilation
Removing unwanted vegetation against growth is a traumatic method. The blade removes the epithelium - the top layer of skin. When the cover begins to recover, it covers the emerging hairs. They grow under the skin, forming painful red bumps.
Shaving against the grain damages the hair follicle. Conditions are created for the proliferation of staphylococcal bacteria, which cause an inflammatory disease - folliculitis. Itchy and painful nodules appear on the skin around the hairs. After 2-3 days, pustules with green-yellow contents form in their place.
The American Dermatological Association recommends removing hair in the direction of growth, using foam or balm to soften the skin. This way you can avoid folliculitis and ingrown hairs. This is confirmed by our experts:
“Frequent shaving can lead to hyperpigmentation, ingrown hairs and skin irritation. You need to remove hair as it grows, using products for better glide - shaving foam or gel. In areas with sensitive skin, after depilation, you can apply soothing creams with panthenol, zinc or chamomile,” notes Nina Sergeeva.
- Frequent bathing breaks the protective barrier, hot water dries the skin. Do not swim for more than 15 minutes, do not wash with gel more than 2 times a week.
- Not showering after exercise creates an environment for harmful microorganisms to grow.
- The body needs to be regularly moisturized: this restores the protective barrier and maintains the composition of normal microflora.
- Towels need to be changed 3-5 times after use, a sponge or washcloth - once every 1-2 months.
- UV radiation from solariums dehydrates the skin, leads to early aging, and increases the risk of developing melanoma.
- Sunscreen should be applied 15-20 minutes before leaving the house, reapplied after swimming and every 2 hours. A sufficient amount of sunscreen for the face is half a teaspoon, for each part of the body - one tablespoon.
- Shave hair according to height, and with shaving gel or foam.
