Horribly Itchy

[WildGIrl720]

My dermatologist gave me a vinagar+water soak for my feet once a day for twenty minutes every night. . Two weeks later I can't sleep for the itching of my feet, and nothing works as a cure for them. I'm wondering if it is the acid in the vinagar that is making my feet itch so badly. Can you help??

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
If the feet and hands are very itchy then scabies is an important possibility to be ruled out. Scabies is an infestation by the itch mite and produces small red bumps and blisters and affects specific areas of the body. It may involve the webs between the fingers, the wrists or other folds of body like the feet.

I feel that you should get it evaluated from a dermatologist.
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.

[Caryopteris]

The vinegar is very drying, so the drying can cause itching.  Also, pH is very low.  

[Caryopteris]

You're welcome.  For more generalized itching, consider whether you might have food allergies.  Or a contact allergy from applying something to your feet using your hands.  Try a sensitive soap, like unscented Dove.

[WildGIrl720]

Thanks... it's nothing bacterial... she has it for sweat and odor. Thanks for the cure... it may be weird but I should try it. My hands are itching too, nonstop and I haven't been having to treat them?? It's not bug bites or bed bugs... so I'm going to talk to my dermatologist about it... Thank you for the help!!!

[Caryopteris]

Is he treating a fungus?  If so, you could try switching to tea tree oil.  It treats fungal and bacterial infections.  If the problem is foot odor, there is another treatment that is free and easy, but you might think it's icky.  You urinate on your feet in the shower.  It cures foot odor.  You can still rinse them off after.