Home Remedies for Winter Itch
The wintertime creates weather conditions that wreak havoc on skin, as dropping temperatures and humidity affect the air. Your skin is robbed of vital moisture and to make matters worse – windy days encourage a whole new crop of irritating symptoms to develop. Protect your skin and combat weather changes by embracing home remedies for winter itch.
What is Winter Itch?
Winter itch (also known as winter itching or winter pruritis) is a form of eczema brought on by prolonged exposure to cold dry air [1]. The itching disorder causes abnormal dryness, scales, itchiness and cracks in the skin. Winter itch usually attacks the face, lower legs, the back of hands, and the arms. The face and hands are especially a target because they are often left unprotected in cold weather. With fewer oil and sweat glands, the arms and legs greatly suffer the effects of winter itch.
Winter Itch Home Remedies
From the kitchen cupboard to the bathroom cabinet, common items found in households can help treat the symptoms of winter itch. Sometimes, home remedies for winter itch mean changing a few of your habits when cold weather starts to affect the health of your skin. A couple suggestions include:
a) Oatmeal:
Oatmeal has been used to soothe skin for nearly 4,000 years. Use dry oatmeal to calm the symptoms of winter itch by pouring two cups into a bath filled with lukewarm water. The best results come when you use oatmeal that has been grinded into a fine powder. Some people use a food processor to grind their oatmeal. You may also use oatmeal as a substitute for soap.
b) Fatty Soaps:
Choose soaps that contain a high amount of fatty ingredients, such as cocoa butter, coconut oil or lanolin, as they help retain moisture.
c) Castor Oil:
Treat your skin to a moisturizing soak by adding castor oil to your bath. Some people prefer using this bath additive, as it doesn’t leave a ring around the tub like other substances. Combine ten drops of essential oil (like pine, rosemary, sandalwood or mint) with ½ cup of castor oil to create a well-rounded aromatherapy soak. Use one teaspoon of the mixture for each bath.
d) Soak and Smear:
According to the Archives of Dermatology, hydrating the skin for 20 minutes before bedtime (followed by an application of ointment to wet skin) is considered a suitable remedy for treating different kinds of eczema, including winter itch [2].
e) Avoid Wool Clothing:
Wearing wool or any other heavy material can cause unnecessary irritation to dry skin. Instead, opt for less-aggravating cotton clothing that allows the skin to breathe.
f) Pass on the Aftershave:
Men should avoid the high alcohol content of aftershaves, which robs the skin of its last drops of moisture and encourages further drying of the skin.
g) Baggy Clothing:
When cool temperatures prevail, select baggy pieces of clothing to avoid irritating dry skin. Heavier clothing makes constant contact with skin and can cause localized, low-grade friction.
h) Check Your Laundry Detergent:
Certain triggers can aggregate a case of winter itch, such as the chemical components found in most laundry detergents.
i) Humidifier:
Bring out the humidifier when dry skin develops during the wintertime. When cold weather strikes, furnace-heated air tends to decrease humidity levels inside the home to 10% or less. The skin ideally requires 30 to 40% to keep in moisture. Opt for a smaller unit positioned next to your bed.
j) Turn Down the Heat:
An excessive amount of heat in the home causes blood vessels to dilate, which can lead to tingling and itchy skin. Cooler skin tends to suffer fewer bouts of itchiness.
k) Petroleum Jelly:
Combat dry skin by slathering on a coat of petroleum jelly.
Resources
[1] http://www.aolsvc.merriam-webster.aol.com/medical/winter%20itch
[2] http://archderm.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/141/12/1556
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