Moisturizer for HORRIBLY itchy skin?

[Michelle T]

For the past few years, my skin has been itchy in the winters. Very annoying. But this year it is driving me INSANE! My arms are so itchy I actually have scabs and torn, red spots all over. My legs and stomach itch and also have actual scratches. I am unable to sleep at night, the itching is so bad.

 

I've been using anti-itch lotion on my arms, but still no real relief. I hate the feel of greasy moisturizer/lotion on my skin, but I am desperate.

 

Help! What are the best brands of moisturizer that don't feel horribly greasy or sticky, but will help with this winter-dry, itchy torture?

Michelle T

[LNC]

Eucerin Plus Intensive. I need the urea ingredient this time of year.

[Happy]

In the winter, when I cook and clean my hands get so dry the skin cracks and will bleed if I don't do something. I use plain ole olive oil as a remedy. I slather it on and wipe off any excess. Doing it before bedtime means it has time to soak in.

 

A tablespoon in a hot bath leaves your skin feeling like silk.

 

My son use to use Eucerin on his very dry skin on his legs.

 

I hope you find relief.

[StephanieZ]

Curel (extra strength varieties) fits that bill for my family.

 

Sometimes, tho, someones hands get so dry they crack. Then, we bring out good old fashioned vaseline. Slather it on, cover with old socks (or old long sleeve shirt if you need to do your arms in your case), go to sleep and wake up to HUGELY improved skin.

 

Vaseline is the one thing that does not sting or burn really irritated skin, IME. Love it for desperate cases. The Curel works for milder problems.

[HollyDay]

we just went to a dermatologist. She gave dd a prescription moisturizer, but she also recommended the Cetaphil line. I have been very impressed. I have 4 different Cetaphil moisturizers here from light weight to very heavy. They are all working great.

[BikeBookBread]

Eucerin original -- the kind that is like Crisco. It will heal ANYTHING! It's kind of nasty, but it works. Put it on while your skin is still wet to seal in the moisture.

[blessed2fosteradopt]

I use organic extra virgin coconut oil on my AA daughter who has terribly itchy and sensitive skin. It is the only thing that has worked for her. It cleared her up in three days. Before that, I had tried everything that has been recommended to you and then some so if the others don't do the job, try this. It is lightweight and smells wonderful. I got mine at the health food store.

[joannqn]

Are you sure it is just winter dryness causing it? That's how my skin gets if I use just about any soap or laundry detergent. I've been using hydrocortizone on the worst spots because my body from the waist down is shredded from the scratching.

[BridgeTea]

Eucerin in the tub

Curel

 

And another very gentle, healing one to try that is slimy at first but then dries and feels like normal skin to me is Cornhuskers. DD20 in the restaurant business (constant hand-washing) relies on this and she's very dry-skinned and sensitive.

 

Good luck! I used to scratch my shins in my sleep to the point of bleeding, so I know how miserable the dry skin can be.

 

edit: Cornhuskers has given lots of people relief from "jalapeno fingers", also. You know that feeling of the tips of your fingers must be in flames because you just seeded and chopped jalapenos sans gloves? The poison control center is the first place I got that little tidbit from.

Edited December 2, 2009 by BridgeTea
cornhuskers is awesome

[eternalknot]

Coconut oil. In the winter it solidifies which makes it easier to rub in like a lotion. I leave a jar in the bathroom and slather it on before/after baths and handwashing. The humidity from the bathroom keeps it from getting TOO hard in the jar, and it's just the right consistency to easily rub in.

 

If my arms ached as badly as yours seem to, I might apply generously the coconut oil to my affected areas and cover. Arms/long-sleeved tee. Feet/socks. Hands/gloves (until I got annoyed in the middle of the night and threw them off LOL).

 

Relatively cheap, and chemical-free. Plus if it doesn't work, there are other uses for it so you're not really out any money :D.

 

Also, seaweed in the bathtub. Warm baths and showers, not super hot (which is what I prefer - to walk out of my shower resembling a lobster) and either a piece of kombu sitting in the bathwater or a rubdown of the entire body with kombu (like a loofah). It adds good minerals to the skin and soothes burning feeling. I reuse the same piece of kombu for several baths. Can find in many regular supermarkets these days, down the Asian aisle.

[hornblower]

take showers, don't bathe - soaking dries out skin.

 

Immediately when you come out, pat skin gently with towel & apply good moisturizer. I've been using Aveeno Intense Relief overnight treatment- it has a burgundy stripe on the packaging & burgundy cap. It doesn't leave a greasy feeling.

 

Remember to drink lots of water throughout the day.

[WiseOwlKnits]

My big dry skin secret is a humidifier, actually. I run a humidifier all night in our bedroom (with the doors open) and during the day in the living areas while we're home. It helps a LOT with my skin. My other big trick are the in-shower moisturizers. You soap up in the shower like normal, rinse off, rub this stuff on, RINSE IT OFF, and then dry off. It doesn't make me feel greasy at all (and I hate that feeling!!). Between the humidifier and the moisturizer, I'm usually good. Without it, my skin cracks horribly.

[Dobela]

Make sure you are hydrating form the inside out as well. in the winter I try to drink lots more water to keep me well hydrated. Eucerine is our lotion/thick cream of choice but aquaphor is another that my kids like well. I also had a dermatologist recommend Crisco under gloves and socks, but I couldn't get past the smell. He also recommended that I not shower or take a bath every day in the winter if at all possible. Too much bathing will keep the skin irritated and dry. I also agree with running a humidifier. It is amazing how much that helps. If the air is moister in the house, it won't be pulling moisture from your skin.

[Tap]

DD3 takes Cod Liver Oil and it makes a huge difference in her dry skin. She takes Nordic Naturals Lemon flavored. It really doesn't taste bad at all. You can also get capsules of CLO or Omega 3s.

 

 

For topical on kids:

 

we use coconut oil for light use. For an intense treatment, Eucerin Cream (FYI creams are thick, lotions are more watery) in the jar, or for medium...Cetaphil lotion or Aveno Baby products.

 

If my skin gets dry or rough, I shower and wash with a wash cloth but instead body soap I use moisturizing shampoo or just conditioner. I let it soak in before I rinse off, then I follow with a moisturizer like Aveno Intense. I love, love, love Aveno products for me.

[SonshineLearner]

Not sure if you would use prescription, but it sounds like Excema which can get pretty bad... and develop secondary problems like Impetigo if you let it go.... I would get some prescription hydrocortison... or go get some homeopathic meds that are like it (which I've purchased before...) and then try .....Coconut Oil.... or a witches brew of Coconut oil.... and Crisco. No joke... get out of the shower... barely pat fry.... put crisco on.... wrap in warm towel/bag..... watch some tv..... We've done this with my daughter with good success...... Also, shea butter helps some...

 

Carrie:-)

[OH Kim]

I buy bottles of glycerin from a pharmacy every winter. I mix 1 part glycerin to 4-5 parts water in a spray bottle. After my showers, I spray my entire body with the mix, rub it in, and then dry myself off. This has completely solved my worst winter dry skin problems. It's cheap, unscented, fast and easy.

[Julie in CA]

I use this in the shower:

http://www.amazon.com/CeraVe-Hydrating-Cleanser-12-355/dp/B000Q2RP6E/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1259738795&sr=1-3

And I use this afterwards if I still itch:

http://www.amazon.com/Sarna%C2%BF-Sensitive-Lotion-7-5-Ounce-Bottle/dp/B002DUDEQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1259738859&sr=1-1

Usually I don't need the lotion at all if I'm using the cleanser in the shower.

If using the cleanser and the lotion still leave me itchy, I know it's a rash, or hives, or something else coming on.

 

ETA: Costco has a good price for the CeraVe, I think.

[gandpsmommy]

Cetaphil.

[Caribbean Queen]

Help! What are the best brands of moisturizer that don't feel horribly greasy or sticky, but will help with this winter-dry, itchy torture?

Michelle T

 

 

There is your problem. You need greasy and sticky stuff. Baby oil, Vaseline and Eucerin work. Using them feels better than having ichy, dry, messed up skin. I know this from experience.

 

No hot showers. If your home is cold you might be using hot water to heat up the bathroom. Use a space heater and take warm showers. You'll see a difference in your skin. Hot water dries skin.

 

Immediately after you shower, dry your skin with a towel and apply one of the greasy things I mentioned above. You may apply some fancy scented lotion on top of it if that makes you happy. If your skin is very dry you may need to apply more greasy stuff to your entire body before bed. Your hands may need grease several times a say since you wash them often.

[MaMa2005]

I use Aquaphor on my Asian's son's very sensitive/dry skin. He can itch to the point being in tears. During the summer, I can usually get away with Cetaphil that comes in the large tub.

 

Just an FYI: I learned about Aquaphor years ago when I had an allergic reaction to some medicine that burned my skin. Within a couple of days of slathering on the Aquaphor, my skin was back to new. But I did feel like a greased pig.:D

[Catherine]

The greasy stuff is the only thing that works-it traps moisture in. Aquaphor, plus drink a lot of water.

[Seeker]

One help is a humidifier for your home, but that did not do it all for me.

 

The best cure of all, I have found, is simply handmade soap. When I stopped using commercial soaps, which are really detergents and not soap, that made a huge difference. After decades of using lotions, I have not had to use any for the last three or four years since I began using handmade soaps. Handmade soaps leave a thin layer of natural glycerin that acts as a humectant, which not only retains moisture but also attracts it, I think. Commercial soaps are detergents that strip away all your natural oils and dry out the skin and then you have to add glycerin, usually in a lotion, to try to get the moisture back. Using homemade soaps cleans and leaves glycerin on the skin in just one step, and is actually more cost effective too. You may even decide to start making your own.

 

BTW, there is no greasy feel at all--just soft, smooth skin!

 

Edited December 2, 2009 by Seeker

[Oak Knoll Mom]

And I use this afterwards if I still itch:

http://www.amazon.com/Sarna%C2%BF-Sensitive-Lotion-7-5-Ounce-Bottle/dp/B002DUDEQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1259738859&sr=1-1

 

 

:iagree: My boys have ichthyosis and we use Sarna for itchy skin.

[littlebug42]

For my daughter, we use one called Eucerin Calming Creme. It is very thick and it does not leave her skin excessively greasy. I apply it after her showers and it helps keep her dry skin under control.

[Michelle T]

Thanks for the suggestions! I have written them down, and will be heading to Target today to start looking for relief!

 

I am also going to find the humidifier packed away somewhere in the garage and start running it daily.

 

It is miserable to be so itchy! Like torture at night. Hopefully one of these moisturizers will do the trick.

Michelle T, covered in scratches

[FlockOfSillies]

I get bad winter skin on my hands every year. Lately I've been using Aveeno Overnight cream.

[Tammyla]

My favorite is Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula, fragrance free formula. They have cream, body therapy, and lotion. This one doesn't sting sensitive skin.

[Rose in BC]

I don't know if this has been mentioned but being well hydrated does help somewhat. Low consumption of water does seem to contribute to my skins moisture content. It's not a substitute for moisturizer but in addition to creams.