Itchy skin is a very common condition which can affect every single person. Depending on the severity, this condition can be mildly annoying or intensely aggravating which can disrupt your sleep and daily activities.
Itchy skin causes
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There are many causes for itchy skin such as soaps and detergents, dry weather, skin infections, insect bites, allergic reactions, and even certain medications. When you scratch it, then this can give you a momentary relief but also it can lead to infections and injuries.
There are many effective home remedies which can give you relief from the itchy skin and also they can prevent complications which are caused by excessive scratching.
10 Home remedies for itchy skin
Juniper berries and cloves
Cloves and juniper berries when used together are very effective home remedies for itchy skin.
Cloves have a powerful essential oil which can help numb the nerve endings to reduce the itching sensation, and juniper berries have anti-inflammatory properties [1].
You should melt 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a saucepan. In another saucepan, you should melt 2 tablespoons of beeswax. You should add the melted beeswax to the melted butter and you should stir well. You should stir in 5 tablespoons of ground juniper berries and 3 tablespoons of ground cloves.
Allow this mixture to cool.
You should apply this home remedy to the affected skin and let it stay there throughout the night. You should take a cool shower or bath in the morning. You should do this natural treatment every day.
Apple cider vinegar
This natural cure has antibacterial, antifungal, anti-itching, and antiseptic properties which can help you to rid of the itching [2].
You should add 2 – 3 cups of apple cider vinegar to lukewarm bathwater. You should soak your body in this water for 15 – 30 minutes. Then, pat dries your skin. You should apply a light moisturizer. Do this natural treatment every day.
To treat more localized itching, you should apply apple cider vinegar to the affected area using a cotton ball. You should leave it for 30 minutes and then you should rinse it off using lukewarm water. You should do this natural treatment once or twice per day for a period of a few days.
Lemon
People have used lemon as their natural treatment for itchy skin for ages. Lemon has acetic and citric acids which have anti-irritating, anti-inflammatory, anesthetic, and antiseptic properties that can help you to treat the itchy skin [3].
You should extract the juice from 1 – 2 fresh lemons. You should apply the juice to the affected skin area using a cotton ball. You should let it dry on its own. Then, you should wash this area using lukewarm water. You should repeat 2 times per day until your condition improves. This natural cure is not suitable for people who have sensitive skin.
Cool water
The sensations of both itching and cold travel along the same nerve fibers in your body so when you apply cool water to the affected skin, then this can give you instant relief from the itchiness. There are many ways in which you can use cool water to get relief from the itchy skin.
You should run cool tap water over the affected skin for as long as you need. You can rub an ice cube wrapped in a cloth over the affected area. You should take a cool bath or shower. Also, you can apply a cold compress or cloth wet with cool water to your affected skin.
Colloidal oatmeal
This home remedy will help you to soothe and comfort itchy skin. It has soothing, anti-inflammatory, and anti-irritating properties which will give you instant relief from itching [4].
You should add 1 – 2 cups of colloidal oatmeal to a bathtub filled with lukewarm water. You should soak your body in this water for at least 15 – 20 minutes. You should never use hot water because it can irritate your skin more.
You can take an oatmeal bath up to 3 times per day which depends on the severity of this condition. You should add a small amount of water to one cup of colloidal oatmeal and you should let it thickens to a paste-like consistency. You should apply this natural cure to your itchy skin. You should cover it with a cloth and you should let it stay there for 30 minutes. You should follow this natural treatment once per day. If you do not have colloidal oatmeal in your near area, then you can use unprocessed oat flour or you can ground whole oats in a food processor.
Baking soda
This is the most common home remedy which is used for skin rashes and itchy skin. This natural cure has a soothing effect due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Also, it acts as a natural neutralizer which can help you to get relief from the itching [5]. In a bathtub filled with cool water, you should add one cup of baking soda. You should stir it well to distribute the baking soda thoroughly. You should soak your body in this water for 30 minutes. You should pat yourself dry instead of rubbing your skin with a towel. You should do this natural treatment once per day. If you have more localized itching, then you should prepare a paste by mixing 3 tablespoons of baking soda with one tablespoon of water. You should apply this paste to the affected areas and you should let it stay there for ten minutes. You should do this natural treatment once per day. If you have open wounds or broken skin, you should never use it.
Basil
This is a very useful natural treatment that you can use to rid of the itchy skin. This natural cure is rich in eugenol which is a potent essential oil and topical anesthetic [6]. Also, it has compounds called thymol and camphor which can effectively combat skin itching.
You should add one tablespoon of dried basil leaves to 2 cups of boiling water. You should cover the pan for a few minutes. You should allow this mixture to cool and then you should apply it to the affected areas using a cotton cloth. You should save the remaining nature cure in a jar for later use. You should repeat this natural treatment as much as you need. Also, you can crush a few basil leaves and you should rub them directly on your affected skin. You should allow it to dry for some time before you rinse it out using lukewarm water. You should do this natural treatment as much as you need to get relief from the itchy skin.
Aloe Vera
This home remedy has antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties [7]. Also, it has Vitamin E which will keep your skin moisturized and this in turn will reduce the itching.
You should extract the gel from one Aloe Vera leaf. You should apply this gel to the affected area. You should let it stay there for 15 minutes and then you should rinse it off using lukewarm water. You should follow this natural treatment once per day.
Also, you can make a paste by adding one tablespoon of Aloe Vera gel to 2 tablespoons of green clay. You should apply this paste to the affected area and you should let it dry on its own. You should rinse it off using lukewarm water. You should do this natural treatment once per day.
Peppermint oil
This natural cure has soothing, antiseptic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties which can help you to get relief from the skin itching which is caused by stress, scabies, and dermatitis.
You should add several drops of peppermint oil to a bathtub filled with lukewarm water. You should soak in this water for 30 minutes. Pat dry. Then, you should apply a moisturizing lotion. You should use this natural treatment once per day. You should add 3 or 4 drops of peppermint oil to one tablespoon of carrier oil such as almond oil, olive oil, or coconut oil. You should apply the diluted peppermint oil to your itching skin. You should massage your skin gently so the oil penetrates deep into your skin. You should follow this natural treatment once or twice per day.
Thyme
This home remedy has significant amounts of thymol which has anti-inflammatory and anesthetic properties [8]. This component can numb the nerve fibers and also it will reduce inflammation which is caused by excessive scratching.
You should add one tablespoon of dried thyme leaves to 2 cups of boiling water. You should cover it and let it cool. You should strain this natural cure. You should use a clean cloth to apply this natural cure directly to your itchy skin. You should do this natural treatment as many times as needed. If you have any leftover solution, then you should keep it in a jar to use later.
References:
[1] Han X, Parker TL, Benavente C. Anti-inflammatory activity of Juniper (Juniperus communis) berry essential oil in human dermal fibroblasts. Journal of Cogent Medicine. 2017;4(1).
[2] Yagnik D, Serafin V, Shah AJ. Antimicrobial activity of apple cider vinegar against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans; downregulating cytokine and microbial protein expression. Scientific Reports. 2018;8:1732.
[3] Kummer R, Fachini-Queiroz FC, Estevão-Silva CF, et al. Evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of Citrus latifolia tanaka essential oil and limonene in experimental mouse models. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2013.
[4] Reynertson KA, Garay M, Nebus J, et al. Anti-inflammatory activities of colloidal oatmeal (Avena sativa) contribute to the effectiveness of oats in treatment of itch associated with dry, irritated skin. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. 2015;14(1):43-8.
[5] Milstone LM. Scaly skin and bath pH: Rediscovering baking soda. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2010;62(5):885-6.
[6] Correia AM, Pedrazzani AS, Mendonca RC, et al. Basil, tea tree and clove essential oils as analgesics and anaesthetics in Amphiprion clarkii (Bennett, 1830). Brazilian Journal of Biology. 2018;78(3):436-42.
[7] Subramanian S, Kumar DS, Arulselvan P, Senthilkumar GP. In vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities of ethanolic extract of aloe vera leaf gel. Journal of Plant Sciences. 2006;1:348-55.
[8] Hotta M, Nakata R, Katsukawa M, et al. Carvacrol, a component of thyme oil, activates PPARalpha and gamma and suppresses COX-2 expression. The Journal of Lipid Research. 2010;51(1):132-9.
