Itching Legs after Shower

[AllNew]

 I Have just the same problem. I am a 30 years old married male with 3 kids, and was born in Haiti. I moved to Miami, FL back when I was 18, just in case this has anything to do with background or location. A year later right after I turned 19, I started having this itchy problem. I've been suffer with this thing for over 11 years now, and i still have no clue of what causes it or how more worst it'll get. I am not sure if anyone's can be as worst as mine is. At first, I had no idea of what it was. It started in one leg and moved to the other one, then my arms and sometimes even my entire body. It be like my leg catches on fire, and the fire is spreading throughout my whole body. It will not stop until I scratch so much, blood starts to come out. That usually last between 35 minutes to an hour. My sister once  scared to be around me, like It was contagious. I went to mutiple Doctors and Hospitals countless amount of times, never been told any different but to use dove soap, aply lotion, and take cold shower. No Dr. Seems to understand my pain, not even the Army Dr. never once someone told me what is it. All they be like is used cold shower and if it gets worst, then come back. I tried everything but seems to me that it got worse. I got to a point where i just gave up on Dr. and now focus on how to better dealing with it myself. My goal is to first learn all the triggers, then how to avoid them. I now know most of it triggers. It seems to react more when its humid, or when the sun is very hot, and when its really cold. Also, I can't get in contact with water spray, rain or someone shakes their wet hands on me without having to spend a good 40 minutes of ants like pain. Some other way is if i wear tight socks, but after I take it off, and of course after shower. Some othere time, it could  just be something that day. No longer wear shorts onless i have to, because anything  in contact with my leg or arm could  trigger the itch. The way I cope with mine is by being alone away from everyone. That thing be so irritated, I don't wanna be around anything, I don't wanna see anything, I don't wanna talk to anyone. My wife knows what to do, she better move away and close the door so my kids can't  get in and come back 45 minutes later. I gotta keep my bed fixed and change beding set all the times. Best way i dealed with it after shower, I have to rush off the shower and dry my self really fast, and dry my feet real good, until I can't feel any wet spot at all and quickly get under a cover to warm myself, I cannot put anything on until it is gone, I would squeeze the spot that itch the most to get it hot and I would rub the other areas with my own body, or my hand, I stop scratching it now, no matter how painful it is, because once I scratch one area, it would trigger the fire all over my body and I will not be able to stop scratching. It would last over hour versus if I warm myself and squeeze the itching spots. Also I try to take a shower as often as possible, the chances are, 50% of the times it might not itch versus if I take a shower once which more likely will itch 100% of the time. I feel like it has nothing to do with type of products we used because it doesn't start any where else but my legs and arms, why not my face. And i don't think its the water either, because ive been ti so many country and so many type of water. My Dr. told me its not my skin that my skin is healthy. I can't wait to figure this thing out and fix it. I feel bad that there are others that feel as badly as I do. My biggest problem is fear of shower when my roommates still home, i can't let them discover that embarassing symptom or even risk getting put on some kind of restriction by the army or even worst, getting put out of the military which is so horrible, because I still gotta shower and be where I need to be on time.

[jose344]

I have the same thing, once i get out of the shower i start getting itchy but mainly on my legs it used to be my arms too but now it only affects my legs and the itching is the most horrible feeling ever. This is what i did today and the itching actually stopped. I put one leg in the shower and left it there for about 30 seconds (only one foot got wet not my whole body) then i took it out to see if it would begin to itch but it didn't (i only use cold water in the shower now). so i decided to take a shower and only try to let clean water hit my skin(not water that runs down from rinsing after applying shampoo since it can have certain ingredients that can cause itching) specially my legs. When i put on shampoo/conditioner i  washed my hair by using a cup to avoid getting it on my legs or body. I did however put on body wash on my body except on my legs then i rinsed my body completely including my legs(i did not scrub my legs at all i only rinsed them but i didn't touch them ). Once i got out of the shower i dried my body with a towel gently except for my legs(it feels as if though the more i touch my legs the more they will itch). Then i put only body lotion and waited about 3 minutes before applying some to my legs even though they were still a little wet. I did this in the afternoon about 7 pm because i feel that in the mornings the itching is more likely to occur. I literally had no itching afterward i feel relieved for once. Also if itching still occurs it is best to cover up your legs by wearing pants immediately after taking a shower, when air hits the skin it can make it worse. Another thing that has helped me is working out before taking a shower i like to just play basketball and sweat maybe it has something to do with circulation. I'm not a doctor but i do speak from experience i'm only 16 and i have only been having this problem for two years but i think this will help. My dad had(i,m not sure if he still has it ) the same thing so i think its hereditary. I know how you feel its a very uncontrollable urge to itch that is maddening, I hope that this is understandable and helpful. God bless.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Such an itching can be due to neurogenic urticaria. No cure has been found.The only thing that seems to help most sufferers is the application of ice to the area until the itch is diminished. Other treatments include cooling lotions like those containing camphor or menthol,capsacain or local anesthetic creams,amitriptyline and gabapentin tablets and electrical cutaneous nerve field stimulation.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.