Itching worse in hot climates

I am a 31-year-old American male living in Singapore. My itching problem first happened in 2006 while I was living for two years Liberia, West Africa. Born and raised in cold Minnesota, I never had this problem in my youth. But then I experienced the debilitating skin crawl that would peak about 5 minutes after bathing. My housemates in Liberia told me it was psychosomatic, suggesting that I subconsciously wanted attention and so fabricated this rash-less itching phenomenon. Where I lived in Liberia we had no running water, so I had to go outside and pump a bucket of cold water to use to bathe each day. Alone with this "condition," I tried multiple remedies including using oatmeal and antiseptic in the water. I tried heating the water first. I bleached my towels and heated water for washing them. I took pain relievers, antibiotics, and anti-allergy meds. I didn't know if was triggered by my earlier bouts with Malaria. I had my skin examined by a doctor who thought I had the early stages of the Falaria worm (River Blindness) or liver failure. No one had answers and my problem persisted every time after bathing.

When I returned to the US (March 2008), my problem seemed to disappear. Now (June 2011) I've been living in Singapore since October and today was the first day the problem reappeared. With no one understanding my situation, I was left to my agony while imagining what else it could be. One website suggested that it was heat rash (Miliaria rubra): A blockage at a deeper layer of the skin causing sweat to seep into the living layers of skin, causing irritation and itching. Could that be it? But for me, it is not accompanied by a rash. The only sense it seems to make is that I am now living in a hot climate again and clogged pores from excessive sweating.

I remember thinking in Africa that the problem would go away if I could just stand in a really hot shower for awhile. Thankfully here in Singapore I can take hot showers; I wonder if that's why it hasn't happened for a while. This morning I was feeling hot, so I took a lukewarm one.

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one with this problem or the only one looking for a solution!


This discussion is related to Itchy legs, no sign of rash or irritation.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It can be due to sweat dermatitis or heat rash. Milaria rubra is accompanied by visible bumps or rash. Avoid using any lotions and creams for the meantime. Wash the area with a mild cleanser with moisturizing properties like Cetaphil. Then apply a good hypoallergenic moisturizer over the area and see if this improves. If the symptoms still persist then you can apply mild steroid and take an antihistaminic for itching.

If the symptoms persist then get an evaluation done from a dermatologist.
I hope it helps. Take care and regards.