Itchy skin

The most common cause is dryness, sadly our skin grows dryer as we age and its a particular feature of the menopause (not that I am suggesting either of these things apply to you). E45 cream applied a couple of times day will do no harm and may bring you relief until you get this diagnosed properly. Try also using less soap and cooler water to shower/bathe in. I know how miserable this can be and it seems to get worse in the evening when we are tired as well. I hope these few suggestions work - they should help at least.

If you wash your hair in the shower and use conditioner sometimes the conditioner can cause problems. My skin erupts at a mere sniff of anything perfumed so I use Aveeno in the shower. You could start taking a non drowsy antihistamine every day. Apart from that Teetime is right.

I have had eczema all my life and always get very dry skin in autumn. I use A-Derma products for all bath, shower and moisturising. I still get very dry skin on my face and yesterday my French doctor suggested almond oil.

Have you tried the creams with manuka honey in them? Available in health fproduct shops. DH has similar problem and we found an olive Oli based cream in Kefalonia that gave a lot of relief.

We have found that we both need very simple shower gels and soaps - anything perfumed immediately causes itching, often in embarrassing places! E45 cream helps too.

I love hot baths but am sure that it gives me the itches, so really showers are probably better. I also get eczema when using shower gel - I can only use soap

When I used to go on holiday to Greece I always came back with lots of olive oil soap which is really cheap there but very expensive over here.

Diprobase or Dermol 500 are good for dry, itchy skin and can be prescribed by your GP. They can be used instead of shower gel or soap as well as an emollient lotion.

Do you get enough oil in your diet (eg olive oil, rapeseed and/or cod liver oil?)? A course of pure fish oils can often help skin conditions.

Our water is very chlorinated and I am sure this can cause dry itchy skin - does it happen after a shower?

Thanks for all your helpful advice, some of which I have already tried, but quite a few that I haven't.

I will reduce down my showers, try the olive oil soap. Eat some oily fish, I am already on the capsules.

It is at its worst from about 8.00 pm I eat a healthy varied diet so don't think that triggers it.

I find wearing cotton or silk helps.

I will let you know how it goes with the doctor in case it can help others with skin problems.

My husband and I both suffered from this but it is a lot better since we changed our soap powder to fairy non bio. Also nivea do an in-shower emolument which you put on after rinsing off the soap. Sorry to sound like an advert but both these have worked for us.

This happened to me several years ago and we eventually discovered it was a nickel allergy. If I wore a necklace containing nickel, then washed my hair in the shower, I would get a rash exactly in the distribution you describe where the water flows down. I then started getting a rash on my face form my metal glasses, which presumably contained nickel.

Just a thought.

Yes, nickel allergy is quite common.

It's not prickly heat is it? I know it has cooled down lately but it could have started in the hot weather and then is difficult to get rid of.

Yes Rose it could be prickly heat as I had that in my youth.

Today I went and bought something called a Chillow which is a pillow that stays cold when you lie on it. The young man who sold it to me was so knowledgeable and made sure I had the type which would suit me best, which in fact was the cheapest.

I have had a good day today but it creeps up on me at bed time, well I shall be ready for it with my chillow tonight and will slap it on my back the moment the itches start.

More later ....

I have had something similar on the back of my neck for some weeks. I tried various creams and emollients without success and eventually went to see the local pharmacist who told me to take Chlorphenamine 4mg anti histamine tablets 4 times a day - I had been taking anti histamines but apparently they were the wrong kind - plus 1% hydrocortisone cream to rub in sparingly on the rash. I am pleased to say that after a week the rash and itchiness has gone.

The back of the neck problem is what leads one to suspect a necklace.

I don't wear necklaces so that was not the cause of my problem mishap. I think it's another one of life's mysteries .

Well I had an evening of non scratching last night thanks to my new cold pillow. I just hope the same happens tonight and that it wasn't 't mind over matter for the first night.

I tried castor oil uses for skin is also a skin treatment especially for dry skin, skin itchiness, and skin inflammation. This oil is very effective in repairing any skin damage tissues.. It is highly natural and no side effects. Moreover, it can helps moisturize your skin as well.

Isn't getting older lovely? . I have always had a sensitive skin, eczema, etc., but the ichyness of aging becomes quite distressing at times.

I have had the problems of shampoos and conditioners which wash all over (yes, all over) when you wash your hair in the shower. As I suffer from eczema I now have a shampoo on prescription and it made me realised what was causing the problems. I also blister in the sun (little ones not sunburn).

How lovely to be able to discuss this and see we are not alone.

NanKate Chillows are brilliant! If you go for an olive oil soap make sure you check the other ingredients! Some soaps still contain a lot of additives which can be itch-producing. Have you tried aloe vera gel or lotion? That's very cooling and soothing, but again, check what else the product contains!

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice which I am trying out suggestion by suggestion.

I am, at last, seeing the doctor on Monday to try to get to the bottom of what has been happening to my skin over the last 8 months.

I know it is a daft question but I am going to ask her if any type of eczema is catching, as I have never had it before and my 20 month grandson has been hospitalised 3 times over his skin problems.

Anyway I am determined to try and manage the problem even if I can't get rid of it.

Signing off now for the night - Goodnight Folks.

When I recently had dry uncomfortable skin, including personal areas, I got fairy non bio and washed all underwear and bedding. Also was very diligent about moisturizing all over. Canasten very lightly on particularly dry/itchy areas. Something worked, after a few days it was much better.