Whether you’ve come down with a bad case of chicken pox (thanks to your 8-year-old, who imported it from his classroom), you developed a nasty rash after wearing overly tight fitting clothes on a ski trip, or you’re suffering from an unusually aggressive case of winter eczema, you want to avoid itching your skin. You want not only to prevent spreading the skin condition and bleeding but also to eliminate the annoying distractions, so you can concentrate more on important matters. To that end, here are 3 tips for getting fast (and smart) relief from an itch.
- Get an appropriate diagnosis, particularly if your skin condition is unusual or unique.
Obviously, if you’re dealing with a simple mosquito bite — or a problem that you and your doctor have noticed and tracked for years, like chronic eczema — you don’t immediately need to rush out and call the doctor. But if you’re at all uncertain about what’s causing the itch, err on the safe side.
The proper diagnosis should lead to proper treatment. For instance, if you’ve got a bacterial infection that’s causing the issue, an antibiotic might be useful. Conversely, if you’re just dealing with an irritation due to a bug or spider bite — or a rash caused by tight, wet clothes — over-the-counter ointment should be appropriate. Proper diagnosis can also prevent you from doing dumb or dangerous things that will have no effect or which could make the situation worse.
- Stick to the treatment routine, and track it objectively.
For instance — and this may sound a little silly, but bear with us here — you might want to keep a journal about the itch or at least track its progress on a Microsoft word or Excel document. That way, you can understand what makes it worse and what makes it better. For instance, maybe a certain ointment works for x amount of hours and then wears off. Or maybe you will discover, as you track the “journey to becoming itch free,” that certain engaging activities, like listening to music or playing a video game, take your mind off the situation. Understanding your triggers – and how you respond to different treatments – can be quite useful, particularly if you really should not give into the itch urge. For instance, maybe you’ve just been through some surgery, and you’re feeling awful itching at the site of the incision. You obviously want to avoid scratching the incision and ripping it open, but you likewise want to protect yourself from psychological torment. Understanding your own patterns can make the process easier.
- Learn from the experience (if possible), so you that you won’t have to endure this torture again.
For instance, maybe you got terrible bug bites recently. Find out how and why you got exposed to the bugs, and do something about it. For instance, you might want to install a new screen on your porch or avoid going hiking in swampy, mosquito-rife areas. Alternatively, maybe a certain medication caused the itching. In that case, you’ll want to avoid that drug or talk to your doctor about going on a different one.
This is a guest post by the boulder dermatology office of Mountain View Dermatology – A company offering a wide variety of skin care services including skin cancer treatment.
