Suffering from Itchy Back After Shower - Seeking Cure

[wolram]

Am i strange? after i have had a shower my back itches like crazy, i am sure
i am not allergic to water, please, please, anyone have a cure.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Me too, Tiger Balm is great.

 

[wolram]

Me too, Tiger Balm is great.

Please Fi, what is Tiger balm, can i buy it at a chemists?

 

[darkar]

Sounds like the water u used is toxic to me.

 

[Astronuc]

Am i strange? after i have had a shower my back itches like crazy, i am sure
i am not allergic to water, please, please, anyone have a cure.

Possible causes:

1. Shower water is too hot - and capillaries near surface dilate and affect nerves which causes itching sensation

2. Water is hard - minerals on skin my irritate skin

3. Skin is 'allergic' to soap or shampoo (one or more chemicals in either)

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Seriously? I thought everyone had tiger balm lurking somewhere in their bathroom cupboards. I don't ever remember actually buying it, but I'm sure you could get it at a chemist. It has menthol and campher in it, so its a little hot, like dencorub.

 

[wolram]

Possible causes:

1. Shower water is too hot - and capillaries near surface dilate and affect nerves which causes itching sensation

2. Water is hard - minerals on skin my irritate skin

3. Skin is 'allergic' to soap or shampoo (one or more chemicals in either)

1. I only have water warm, to save electricity

2 . We have a electronic water softener, it seems to work as we no longer get scale build up in our kettle

3 Hmm, me allergic to some thing but i will change the soap and
shampoo brand.

Thanks Astro, if this works i wll buy you a beard strimmer

 

[russ_watters]

4. Dry skin.

 

[wolram]

Seriously? I thought everyone had tiger balm lurking somewhere in their bathroom cupboards. I don't ever remember actually buying it, but I'm sure you could get it at a chemist. It has menthol and campher in it, so its a little hot, like dencorub.

Honest, I am never ill, bandages and plasters are all i ever buy, if Astro's
idea doesn't work i will buy some, if your idea works i will buy you an old
master.

 

[Moonbear]

Hairy back? Could just be the hairs tickling you as they "fluff" back up as they dry off.

If it's a soap or shampoo allergy, the easiest thing is to just switch brands for a week and see if it goes away.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Honest, I am never ill, bandages and plasters are all i ever buy, if Astro's
idea doesn't work i will buy some, if your idea works i will buy you an old
master.

That would be a whole lot nicer than a beard strimmer(?), thanks

 

[wolram]

Hairy back? Could just be the hairs tickling you as they "fluff" back up as they dry off.

If it's a soap or shampoo allergy, the easiest thing is to just switch brands for a week and see if it goes away.

Hairy back, I'm not very hairy thanks for the idea Moon B.

 

[wolram]

4. Dry skin.

Could be but it's not visibly.

 

[wolram]

That would be a whole lot nicer than a beard strimmer(?), thanks

One of those things with a nylon cord that whizz round at a gazillion rpm.

 

[honestrosewater]

You might want to try 'natural' products or products for sensitive skin.
I love the smell of Jason Natural Cosmetics Satin Liquid Soap, Glycerine & Rosewater (no surprise). But I don't know how 'natural ' it really is. There's an excellent company in Tampa called Aubrey Organics. You can order from their website; I don't know about international shipping, but a store near you may carry their products. I've tried a lot of natural/organic companies, and this one is the best by far.
Burt's Bees' stuff is usually good too.
Cetaphil is supposed to be very good for sensitive skin - and you'll probably have an easier time getting ahold of it. I wash my hands a lot, and my knuckles tend to get dry, crack, and sometimes bleed during the winter. Other soaps sting and make it worse, but Cetaphil doesn't cause any problems.

 

[hypatia]

I use to have very dry skin. Then my doctor told me to start taking flax seed oil pills. I take 2 a day{morn and night} and no more dry skin. I have even gone back to the soap I like{but gave up cause it was drying} with no problems!

 

[wolram]

You might want to try 'natural' products or products for sensitive skin.
I love the smell of Jason Natural Cosmetics Satin Liquid Soap, Glycerine & Rosewater (no surprise). But I don't know how 'natural ' it really is. There's an excellent company in Tampa called Aubrey Organics. You can order from their website; I don't know about international shipping, but a store near you may carry their products. I've tried a lot of natural/organic companies, and this one is the best by far.
Burt's Bees' stuff is usually good too.
Cetaphil is supposed to be very good for sensitive skin - and you'll probably have an easier time getting ahold of it. I wash my hands a lot, and my knuckles tend to get dry, crack, and sometimes bleed during the winter. Other soaps sting and make it worse, but Cetaphil doesn't cause any problems.

But i can not go and buy any of this stuff, the sales staff will think i am a
bit strange, a man in one of those stores, i would rather grit my teeth and
bare it

 

[Danger]

But i can not go and buy any of this stuff, the sales staff will think i am a
bit strange, a man in one of those stores, i would rather grit my teeth and
bare it

Listen and learn, my good man. Just do it my way and avoid any embarrassment. Take a list with you, look very puzzled trying to make out what it says, and when someone offers to help just say "My girlfriend asked me to get this stuff for her and I don't know where to look". Works every time.

 

[wolram]

Listen and learn, my good man. Just do it my way and avoid any embarrassment. Take a list with you, look very puzzled trying to make out what it says, and when someone offers to help just say "My girlfriend asked me to get this stuff for her and I don't know where to look". Works every time.

I understand but they will know ,i am a hopeless at deception, if i
wanted razor blades, they are sure to think i really wanted some thing else.

 

[Archon]

5. Flesh-eating parasites.
6. Republicans

 

[hypatia]

Yes they know...and after you leave, they stand in a group and snicker about it for the rest of the afternoon. Then one of them spots you at a theater, she points, and tells all her friends"thats the guy"...then they ALL laugh at you.
Before you know it, you can't leave the house. Even kindly Mrs. Whats-her-name shakes her head in dismay when you go to get your mail.

BUT..you can order most soaps lotions on line...just be sure to ask for a plain brown paper wrapping.

 

[Astronuc]

4. Dry skin.

Well along those lines, it could be that the soap/shampoo takes too much of the naturally protective oil or epidermal cells off, and leaves a drier, less protected skin. In which case, a moisturizing cream might help - e.g. alovera based creams or oils, or the Cetaphil that honestrosewater recommended. Afterall, soaps and detergents are designed to facilitate the dissolution of oils.

My wife uses tiger baum on hands and other moisturizing cremes on arms, legs and torso.

Also, taking certain vitamin supplements (I think Vitamin E) or oils might help. A friend used to rub vitamin E on his skin.

 

[Danger]

Yes they know...and after you leave, they stand in a group and snicker about it for the rest of the afternoon.

Geez, you're a cynical wench. Ignore her, Wooley; she's just trying to propagate the myth than women are more perceptive than they pretend to be.
By the way, packing your showerhead with sodium should eliminate the problem.

 

[Evo]

4. Dry skin.

Russ is correct, the soap you are using is drying out your skin, causing it to itch. I used to have the same problem, but it stopped when I switched to a more moisturizing soap.

 

[Moonbear]

Russ is correct, the soap you are using is drying out your skin, causing it to itch. I used to have the same problem, but it stopped when I switched to a more moisturizing soap.

Why just his back then? I think he just needs a nice wolewe to scratch his back for him.

 

[Astronuc]

As one ages (50+), the skin naturally produces less oil, and perhaps a soap one has used for a long time may be removing too much oil.

My wife recommends moisturing along the lines of Evo's recommendation, and also any moisturinzing products (soap or creme) containing shae butter or lanolin. The moisturizer forms a protective layer to keep moisture in the skin (reduced evaporation), and therefore it should be applied while the skin is still moist, rather than waiting until one is completely dry.

Correction to the baum my wife uses - she uses bag baum, not tiger baum. She mentioned a concern about talc (possible carcinogen ?), which is apparently an ingredient in tiger baum. I have no way to verify this concern however.

So use a moisturizing soap, and perhaps a moisturizing cream containing lanolin. Perhaps see a dermatologist if the problem persists.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Possible causes:

2. Water is hard - minerals on skin my irritate skin

Tsu has the same problem; hence in part the motive for the water treatment system discussed earlier.

 

[*Kia*]

there isn't talc in tiger balm!
it's menthol and camphor and other stuff in a ... well... balm kinda like a very very firm gel/soft wax kinda thing.

it is reminiscent of vicks!

and to put it on dry skin or to "moisturise" hands with it

I have always had tiger balm around - it was the fun thing to do at school - tiger balm - eyes... lmao

but I agree it think it is just the fine hairs everyone has just "fluffing back up" as they dry off.
or he is scrubbing to hard

 

[fuzzyfelt]

tiger balm - for the symptomatic relief of muscular aches and pains, sprains, insect bites, itching and headache. Rub gently on affected parts.
Contains menthol, camphor, dementholised mint oil, calput oil, clove oil, paraffin and petrolatum.
No talc, but I did stop using it as a kid for a while because I thought some cruelty to tigers might be involved in its production.
Rest assured its not a particularly girly product - rugby playing friends unashamedly use it in public.
Maybe I should see a doctor too, but it worked so well - My back was itchy every time I hopped out of the shower too. I tried it on my itchy back for the first time about two months ago and it brought quite immediate and strangely ongoing relief - my back hasn't been itchy again.
Good luck with yours.

 

[arildno]

Another option might be to use a scrub (as in the old times) and somewhat less soap.
This was recommended by a Norwegian doctor who meant that over-usage of soap led to dry skin in addition to being not as effective in cleansing as a vigorous scrubbing.