Itchy Skin Cures

I have suffered with extremely itchy skin for probably the last twenty five to thirty years and it is worst in hot humid weather or sometimes in cooler weather if I have too many clothes on. It starts around my elbows and then spreads to the rest of my arms sometimes my back , neck and hands. I have seen many doctors and tried many different creams, soaps, tablets etc. Then around a month ago I started taking Krill Oil for my arthritis and miraculously my itch has gone.

I use pure cornstarch daily to help with my skin itch. The cornstarch has also helped to heal my rashes.

I had some itchy spots and I mixed some Baking Soda with water and wiped it on the spots. It soothed the spots for me. I also tried Milk Of Magnesia on the spots and it seemed to do the same thing. I hope this helps.

The back of my scalp itched for almost three years; I've been taking probiotics and can honestly say that the itch stopped soon after beginning..... Might be worth a try!

Linda

This is incredible and it worked to stop my itchy skin and cured my chronic dry skin. I am grateful to no longer shower in tap water as well. Thanks for sharing. Have you got some Grandma Guffy advice for shampooing the hair?

I tried bathing in Apple Cider Vinegar, as suggested by others, and had luck. I added just a 1/4 cup of the raw ACV I always keep in my refridgerator to my bathwater and laid in it for about half an hour. I felt immediate relief after getting out of the tub. I still have just a slight itching today, but it is remarkably better.

I'm insulin resistant, so I have alot of the same problems that diabetics do, including rough feet. I've tried so many scrubs and files and lotions in hopes of softening my feet. I suspect that I also have a systemic Candida infection, so I thought Borax would be good for my itchy feet. It worked wonderfully! My feet were so soft after I got out of the shower and have not been itching since. Once you get your feet nice and soft, you'll want to follow with a good moisturizer: that's where my next project lies.

I've often wondered why scratching an itch feels so good and I THINK it's purpose is to break the skin to trigger the generation of H2O2 that either cleans up the reason for the itch itself or triggers the immune system to come and take care of it!

It makes perfect sense now! That has ALWAYS given me fits! I KNEW there was a reason it feels so good and I think this is, in all likelihood, that reason! FINALLY! That has bothered me my whole life as one of the curiosities that sparked my interest in alternative medicine! Since I was a kid and told to "stop scratching" every time I got a skeeter bite or anything else that felt so good to scratch!

We had a neighbor when I was a kid - Gwen. She was an older woman and a missionary who was always "off to Guam" - "The Gwen of the Guam". She could make homemade bread out of just about anything - or just about anything out of practically nothing at all and knew all sorts of things about herbs and plants. I wish I could tell her this as she agreed with me that it appeared universally so that scratching feels good and must have a purpose.

You need more carbs.

Posted by Theresa

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Theresa

The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.

About Theresa

Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.

Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.

Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and  fueled  her quest for the knowledge held in lore,  and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.

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If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.  

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(Mpls., Mn) on 01/30/2014

Hey DrCBartley!

Ted's Mange remedy [borax/hydrogen peroxide solution] is as follows:

Ingredients:

• Borax laundry booster - the plain stuff with NO scent.
• 1 -16 oz brown bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide

I get both of these from the grocery store.

Process:

Empty hydrogen peroxide into larger bottle - I use an empty 1 gallon vinegar jug. Add to this 32 oz filtered or distilled water - I just refill the hydrogen peroxide bottle twice - and dump into the jug. What this does is change your 3% hydrogen peroxide into 1% hydrogen peroxide.

Next add 1 cup of the borax crystals and shake. There should be some undissolved crystals in the mixed solution - this is just right. I try to use hot water from the kettle on the stove, that or sit the jug of mixture in the sink full of hot water while I bathe the dog.

NEXT:

Bathe the dog - use whatever shampoo and rinse well. Squeeze out excess water and make sure the tub is drained. I then plug up the tub. Now pour the mixed up solution over the dog. I use a small sponge to soak up the solution from the bottom of the tub and squeeze it out onto the dog again and again, making sure I get the head and underneath. Keep squeezing solution over and over onto the dog for about 15 minutes - 30 minutes is better. Then pull the stopper from the tub and let the excess drain. DO NOT DRY THE DOG OR RINSE THE DOG. The solution has to remain wet as it is still working. Allow the dog to air dry. I just pop mine into their crates and I remove any absorbent bedding.

If you are worried about poisoning your dog keep in mind that borax has the same toxicity as table salt. The solution doesn't seem to hurt the eyes or sting any sores on the skin. Some dogs feel instant relief!

Now, the above remedy is Ted's remedy for mange, but its a good start for troubled skin. Most dogs feel immediate relief right out of the tub, but if that doesn't seem to be working [try 3 baths every other day to start] and things do not look better you can make a topical skin solution for the troubled spots.

Ted's Anti fungal/staph skin solution - you will need:

• Milk of Magnesia [magnesium hydroxide]
• Epsom salts [magnesium sulfate]
• Borax [sodium tetraborate]
• 1% hydrogen peroxide solution

METHOD:

Mix 1 tbsp of MOM with 1 tbsp epsom salt and 1 tbsp borax into 1-1/2 cups of 1% hydrogen peroxide. Apply and do not rinse. This solution should knock out any staph infection or yeast infection going on in the skin. I have many dogs and when allergy season hits I mix this up in gallon jugs and follow the mange procedure, letting the solution 'work' on the dog for 10 minutes or so in the tub, and then no toweling off, just crating and allowing to air dry.

Now, other remedies may factor in as well. To paraphrase Ted's advice on an earlier post:

Sometimes we are dealing with internal/systemic yeast or an internal fungal infection - and sometimes despite the best nutrition out there we will experience an individual that for some reason is deficient in a mineral such as boron. If the dog is low in magnesium quite often allergies will arise. If you are dealing with yeast try adding 1/16 teaspoon of epsom salt in 1 liter of drinking water for 2-3 days - max; this is not intended for long term use, just to nip a break out in the bud. When you stop the epsom salt in the water you can then start adding 1 teaspoon baking soda to 1 liter of water; do this for 5-7 days. This is a 'break out' or crisis dose. After a week you can cut it back to a maintenance dose of 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the water. If you suspect a fungal component you can add 1/16 teaspoon borax along with the baking soda in 1 liter of water. In acute and extreme cases 1/4 teaspoon of borax in 1 liter of water is indicated. Many humans take 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon borax in 1 liter of water daily as a detox and antifungal/antiyeast, so long term use is not an issue, however all these remedies are something you should 'play by ear' and should be adjusted as you see fit. The water additives address mineral deficiency issues and these should be addressed first.

If you think you're being bitten by something at work, take a 9"x11" cake pan or similar pan to work with you & fill it with soapy water (just add a little dishwashing soap to some water & fill the pan about half-way full). Place this pan of water right below you nearest electrical outlet. Keep other electrical plugs away. Plug a nightlight into the outlet & make sure it stays on all the time, including at night after you go home. If your office has a flea infestation, you will find dead fleas in the soapy water the next day. The fleas are attracted to the heat of the light & when they jump towards it they fall into the soapy water. The soap removes their protective coating & they drown. Dawn Dishwashing Liquid (original) is the best brand to use. You might make a gift of a small bottle of it to those employees who have pets telling them that it works great killing fleas as a pet soap for dogs & cats.

In all your tests that you had done, were any of them for metal allergy? My problems are similar and my reaction is to nickle. What if yours is to titanium.

Borax, Hydrogen peroxide!

Whew. What a relief! I have been perplexed as to me and my children's ailment for over a month now. Started with intense itching after getting into bed one night. Then my children started exhibiting signs. Took them to dr first, as my dermatologist was booked until Feb 7. Their doctor said "folliculitis" and then took daughter again for a cough, doctor said "impetigo. " Then when I showed her my hand, she said "could it be fleas or scabies?" I freaked out! I really hoped it wasn't. To make a long story short, checked house and cleaned for fleas. No response with a home remedy check for fleas. Tonight while researching, found this info. Kids are asleep, but I mixed borax with hy. Peroxide. Mixed in a bowl and poured over body. Total relief. I have also been using tea tree oil mixed with coconut oil for a few weeks now, so I think that's why it wasn't getting worse, but wasn't getting better either! Tomorrow, my kids get the bath and we will continue to do mounds of laundry! Can't wait for this to be over!!!! There is relief in site for those of you looking. All the best!

I wanted to comment on intense itching all over. If you are experiensing this, please check what kinds of medications and over-the-counter medicines you are putting into your body. I went through a period of about 2 years (maybe more) of CRAZY itching all over my body without being able to get a doctor to tell me what was wrong with me (the diagnosis was eczema, which just means your skin itches--duh). I developed a secondary staph infection on my shins and nipples. After arguing with doctors about the cause of this mystery eczema I finally decided to insist that they take me off a bunch of oral meds I had been prescribed for blood pressure and an assortment of issues associated with kidney disease. I was taking TEKTURNA, AZOR, AND SENSIPAR. I, I, I finally determined that I was ALLERGIC to all this crap I was being made to take. None of my doctors would say that I was allegic. I have to be the one to tell them that I am allergic, being evidenced that I get the hives. If I don't remind them that I am allergic to these medications, they would precribe them to me all over again. The biggest point I am trying to make is that you must be an advocate for your own health. Not saying that doctors don't care, but they have so many things on their minds; you're not their only patient. Please inform yourself as best as you can so that YOU are the one telling your doctors what you are going to allow them to do to you.

If anyone is looking to relieve an annoying itch I have the solution. When the itch is really intolerable, put it under hot HOT water from the sink tap or bath tub depending where infection area is, start with warm and gradually turn the tap hotter and hotter, the feeling is incredible. A million times better than actually relieving the itch by nail scratching, you actually get goose bumps from the relief.

Along with various other health issues, I've had chronically itchy skin for the past 2 years. The area affected is mainly around my torso. This is not a dry-skin itch. Scratching makes it worse. Sometimes there are tiny bumps or pimples, but often there is nothing noticeable at the site of the itch. I've switched soaps, shampoos, lotions, laundry detergents, the food I eat, etc. I shower with luke-warm water and don't use soap at all on that part of my body. I've also tried Apple Cider Vinegar, witch hazel, tea tree oil, you name it and I've tried it. Nothing really helped. Then about a month ago I started taking krill oil because it's supposed to be good for muscles and joints. Supposedly it has properties that ordinary fish oil doesn't have. I haven't noticed any difference with my joints, but within just a few days of starting the krill oil, almost all the itching and pimply rashes around my waist disappeared. I haven't stopped taking the oil so I don't know if it just medicates or if it eventually cures the problem. Either way, it's a big sigh of relief to get rid of the itch without using topical drugs. Take one krill oil softgel twice a day. Be sure to get 100 percent krill oil. Some brands are better than others. Check the list of ingredients on the bottle to make sure it isn't mostly fish oil.

.... Wow, this is the routine I myself worked out many years ago, after noticing that a dab of coconut oil put in the bath water doesn't just condition the skin, but cleanses better than soap.... so I just omitted the bath part and kept the coconut oil-dry towel regime.

I do take fast showers with home made soaps, but that's secondary to the coconut oil cleansing.

Definitely stops itching, and improves skin texture.

(fluoride in water is also known for rapidly aging the skin, aluminum in commercial soaps drys skin out... What else is in tap water... We have no idea)

I'd also recommend dry brushing (see bamboo drybrushes at Amazon) with essential oils (lavender, geranium, petitgrain, orange, anis, chamomile... I like lavender anise) against itching. Dry brush instead of morning shower or after you are dry (and already itching :)

I love that story. I have been using Dr Bronners baby soap and I add Grapefruit seed extract, Tea Tree oil because I had MRSA three times on my face and am so afraid of getting it again so I wash my face with it twice a day. And I then follow with Aloe gel and my own face cream. I make my aloe gel stripped from my own aloe plant. But my face gets itchy and I get worried so I keep using it. But it causes dryness which I know is part of the itchy. Thank you. S

my skin used to always feel dry and tight after a shower with soap. however, since i have stopped using soap on my skin it no longer feels as dry or itchy. what i do now is soak in an epsom salt bath (1 to 2 cups epsom salts and 9 drops of lavender oil) and i just scrub my wet skin with a loofah or scrub brush. afterwards i put virgin coconut oil onto my still damp skin. soap is not really necessary unless you are extremely greasy or dirty. i have been doing this for years and i've also found that since i stopped washing my underarms with soap that my sweat smells less stinky - i could probably go without deodorant! but i use a crystal deodorant stone just in case...
good luck

I think its the same thing I had a few years ago. My Dr. offered me prescription ointment which she said had a lot of chemicals, but also said that I could instead apply Vick's vapor to the body would also cure it. I was hesitant about the vapor rub but applied it right before bed and by the second night I was cured. Something in the vapor rub kills these bugs.

I have been on acid reflux medications for a year and a half. First I was on Ranitidine, then Prevacid, then Omeprazole, which I take each night just before I go to bed. I also have been using HCTZ and Lisinopril for high blood pressure. Recently, for about 6 weeks I got very sick. I felt dizzy, nausea, headache, and lost appetite completely. I went 5 days with almost no food and lost about 10 lbs in 10 days. I changed diet, tried everything but nothing worked. At the end of this episode I would get the "feeling" of high fever in my head plus headache. I also felt very cold and had to crank up the heat quite a bit. However, every time I took my temperature it was totally normal. If I took Advil or Tylenol for headache it didn't do anything because I really didn't had a headache or temperature, it was something else. In addition to all this, I also had severe itching all over my body as soon as I went to bed. It lasted for about 30-60 minutes. There was no redness or any other marks on my body.....just plain itching.

My doctor finally told me to get off of Omeprazole. The next day was a new day in my life. All the symptoms were completely gone as if were never sick in the first place. The nightly itching also went away completely the night I skipped Omeprazole. My doctor correctly predicted that it may take up to 7 days to get rid of all the symptoms. Well, on the second day some of the symptoms came back but at half the strength and things got progressively better each day. The bad thing was that my acid reflux really started to bother me the second day (48 hrs after quitting Omeprazole). I had lot of chest pain and rumbling activity in my stomach.... like a little storm inside my stomach. Unlike other people I do not have heartburn from acid reflux. I have chest pains in different part of my chest or sometime stomach. I also experience bloating and gas.

I found earthclinic.com and tried 1 tsp of Apple Cider Vinegar in 1 cup of water and it worked immediately. Three hours later the acid reflux came back and I experienced a lot of discomfort. I took another dose (1 tsp in 1 cup of water) and the rest of the night was perfect with no problems. The following day I increased the dosage to 1 TBSP of ACV in 1 cup of filtered water 3x a day just before each meal and have been using this dosage daily. So it took practically took one day for ACV to do its magic. For the past 10 days I feel I have acid reflux totally under control. My blood pressure is also going down every day. I expect to be off of blood pressure medication soon. As an added bonus the acne on my back is finally under control. I was on antibiotics for 15 years until I found a supplemental milk shake that helped me get off of antibiotics for the past 3 years. I had to stop using it to figure out what was causing my sickness and the acne flared up again. I read about hydrogen peroxide on this site and that worked amazingly well on the acne on my back. So the combination of hydrogen peroxide and ACV is working great.

I do feel some affect of ACV on the back of my tongue or sometimes in my throat. Luckily, in 10 days it is not too bad, maybe because I only use 1 TBSP instead of 2. My doctor has approved ACV and said that it doesn't have any harmful affects so I am free to try it for acid reflux. However, the doctor clearly said NO BAKING SODA because of high blood pressure. I see that baking soda and sea salt is mentioned a lot on this site to help reduce the acid taste but some of us can't use baking soda or salt. Does anyone have any suggestions? If you do, please email me. Because of sugar I would rather not use too much honey or apple juice if I can help it because I am taking this 3x times a day but if I have to then I will. May be I can add only a little bit apple juice in water rather than adding ACV to apple juice directly. Not sure if that's OK. If you could share any personal experiences in this regard that would be great. Thanks.

BAKING SODA! It really helps itchy skin. If you put just a little bit (1/4 cup) of baking soda into a warm bath, it can really decrease your urge to itch! I've done this for years!!

Today I told my mother about putting honey on her eczema. She applied some and left it on for ten minutes. She had been taking antibiotics for quite some time but nothing had stopped the itching. Immediately after applying the honey the itching was gone. Now we'll just have to see if it heals it completely.

Hello Louise of DC,

The "Chronic Itch Relief" you mention is made here in NZ by a trained herbalist: Malcolm K. Harker M.H.D. of "Harker Herbal Products Ltd" www.malcolmharker.com.

He calls it "Formula number 988" and contains (among many other ingredients) cinnamon, camphor and peppermint - "A soothing lotion for irritated and dry, itchy skin" OR "A soothing, cooling, moisturizing lotion to help relieve dry, itchy skin conditions".

My wife is happy with it, so there's an endorsement of consequence, as she is not easy to impress!

Malcolm Harker also makes a product to help one sleep better but we will see how that one pans out - early daze yet and I will no doubt be reporting back in due course.

Maybe you could check out his website?

I hope this is helpful.

Cheers from Down Under (where the storms are currently raging)

M: The best place to start for skin health is Vit-A & Vit-E and the mineral Selenium works well w/ both, so maybe a very good children's multivitamin/mineral supplement will suffice. As for Vit-C, I would recommend a "C Complex" is C plus citrus bioflavonoids for maximum benefit (taken orally).

Hurray on the Epsom Salts which would probably proof something of the equivalent of Magnesium Oil for topical app.

As for the sensitivity to Chlorine, this could be a sign of Iodine deficiency. Be sure to use Iodized Sea Salt in the kitchen, and also consider supplementing Kelp tablets. Adequate or more than adequate Iodine levels provides a barrier against Chlorine and Bromine found in drinking water and public swimming pools all of which is disastrous on Thyroid function.

As for a topical spray for removing Chlorine, the best solution would be mixing some Sodium Thiosulfate in the water bottle. You can buy ST at fish or aquarium shops as it is sold for "de-chlorination" in water environment. Be careful to make the mix weak to start as ST also can be absorbed into the skin and reduce the good Iodine. Hopefully you will not need this ST spray with these previous suggestions.

I get woken at night with ferocious itching around the ankles and shins. I've tried different approaches, but I found that rubbing a bit of peppermint oil on it would let me go back to sleep.

I itch at night, too, but I itch on my breasts and my armpits. On the other hand I've stopped eating and drinking any dairy and I eat 100% Raw Food. The itching is keeping me up at night. Any suggestions?

Mix a little DMSO and peppermint oil and apply.

This will get very hot for a minute or two then cool relief.

To Vitoria from San Diego who posted in the ACV section:

07/15/2009: Victoria from San Diego, CA: "I've had what I think is brachial radial pruritus for about 6 years. I first noticed while living in Thailand during my pregnancy. It is extremely itchy, especially at night and has some relationship with heat and/or humidity and may be related to problems with the cervical disk..."

I have similar itching like you, the only thing that work temporarily is get cayenne pepper powder, the strongest you can get, over 100 H.U "HOT UNITS". You can find this on the internet... with a little water, make a paste, and apply locally. Sometimes you have to repeat the next day or hours but it eliminates the itching. I find relief for a year now.

I tried everything under the sun for an extremely itchy skin condition that started out in what appeared to be hives. Suffered 6 months until a skin specialist in a retail health/ beauty store told me that I should use Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil on the affected areas. She said it would also fade the scars over time. She said they would fade naturally anyway in 1-2 yrs. This is what finally helped me. The itchiness started to be relieved right away. She said that I can also mix some of the seed oil with another oil or with skin cream to make it last longer. Also safe for kids. Can be used internally. Good for all types of skin conditions like rosacea, dermatitis etc. This has been a lifesaver. Important: Make sure to use the sea buckthorn SEED OIL for skin conditions. NOT the sea buckthorn fruit oil.

Make sure the rinse water is clear, then try adding a cup of white vinegar to the final rinse.