Do you recall having this happen before? Your feet start to itch as you are drying off after taking a hot shower. It feels like a genuine itch.
After taking a shower, itchy feet are a common issue that we all encounter frequently. Most people will experience mild symptoms that last only a short time. The causes of this challenge are numerous. Often, overly dry skin is the culprit, but there may also be certain conditions that make you more likely to experience itchy skin after a shower.
This article will expand in detail to explain why you get itchy feet after a shower and how to fix the trouble.
Table of Contents
Why You Feet Itch After a Shower?
Sensitivity to Soaps
Sometimes the answer is as simple as changing to another brand of soap or body wash. For the creation of their products, various soaps use a range of both natural and synthetic chemicals. Some soaps may dry out your skin over time, resulting in the itch that follows.
Hot Showers
Your skin may suffer if you take extremely hot showers. Your skin’s natural oils may be washed away by this process and left dry, leaving your skin feeling exposed and itchy. When you take a shower, try reducing the heat to a warm setting.
Cold Weather & Dry Air
In contrast to hot showers, cold temperatures and dry air both cause similar itching by dehydrating the skin’s natural protective oils. Showering in these circumstances might aggravate your dry skin further. To heal and rehydrate your skin, try using a moisturizer.
Aquagenic Pruritus
This condition also makes the skin break out in hives when exposed to water, similar to aquagenic urticaria. Although the causes of this condition are not well understood, the treatment is. The condition can be identified and treated by a doctor.
Cholinergic Urticaria
It’s a more painful itch that typically affects people between the ages of 10 and 30 and that hot showers may make worse. It is a disorder connected to body temperature that, when temperature is elevated, will cause a reaction that results in hives that are itchy and painful. The condition can be identified and treated by a doctor.
Athlete’s Foot
Sweaty feet in tight-fitting shoes are the usual culprits for this condition. A lot of people can spread the fungus by walking barefoot in public restrooms and showers, where it thrives.
This can be avoided by regularly donning well-ventilated footwear and wearing waterproof sandals in the showers at the gym. For the treatment of the infection, over-the-counter creams are available. If over-the-counter remedies are ineffective, consult a doctor.
Aquagenic Urticaria
No matter the temperature of the water, this condition causes the skin to swell up in hives. It typically affects women around the time of puberty and can cause the itch you’re experiencing, as well as minor hives or rashes. The condition can be identified and treated by a physician.
How to Treat Itchy Feet After a Shower?
After taking a shower, if you still itch, you might want to think about trying a home remedy as a cure. Below are some ways you can prevent itching or treat it if it happens:
- Pat dry instead of toweling off. After taking a shower, rubbing your skin with a towel can dry it out. Do not attempt to dry your skin completely of all water. Instead, pat your skin dry with your towel after washing off.
- While your skin is still wet, moisturize it. Applying moisturizer to slightly damp skin will help your skin barrier retain moisture. Choose a hypoallergenic, fragrance-free moisturizer. Consider using one that’s “oil-free” if you have acne-prone skin. Before using it, keep your moisturizer in the refrigerator for additional cooling effects.
- Switch your soaps. Perhaps it’s time to switch soaps if you experience persistent itching after a shower without a rash. Choose a soap that contains gentle, hypoallergenic ingredients. Moisturizing soap has been foundTrusted Source to have a positive effect on reducing the symptoms of dry skin.
- Change your shower routine. Your skin might become parched if you take long, steamy showers. You might have healthier, less itchy skin if you take shorter, lukewarm showers that quickly taper off from a hot temperature.
- Try a cooling agent after showering. At the site of itchiness and irritation, the American Academy of Dermatologists advises applying menthol or calamine lotion.
- Anti-itch creams that contain lactic acid may be usedTrusted Source to soothe itching from dry skin and to help bind moisture to the skin. Pramoxine hydrochloride is another promising ingredient that has been shownTrusted Source to decrease itching caused by dry skin. Be aware that topical corticosteroids and other over-the-counter creams intended to treat itching symptoms brought on by inflammation typically do not relieve itching brought on by simply dry skin.
- Consider incorporating essential oils into your shower routine. Essential oils can be used to treat or prevent itching. Any essential oil that you choose should be diluted. The oil should be diluted with a soothing carrier oil, such as sweet almond or jojoba oil, before being applied to skin that’s irritated. All of the herbs peppermint, chamomile, tea tree, and rose geranium may help to relieve dry, itchy skin.
- Drink more water. Being dehydrated can leadTrusted Source to skin that feels dry. Make sure you drink eight cups of water each day—or more!) each day to hydrate your body properly.
Summary
Frequently, a few easy home remedies can be used to treat itchy feet after a shower. Itchy skin can be relieved by using over-the-counter ointments, moisturizing lotions, various brands of soap, or even just changing the temperature of your shower. Once the necessary adjustments are made, you’ll soon notice a difference. The best course of action is to speak with your doctor about your options if these remedies don’t work.
