Hot Water for Itches

I have found that hot water provides immediate relief for mosquito bites. In addition, it provides temporary relief from itching caused by poison ivy.

I bought the first book you wrote (Joe) and found the hot water treatment for moderate itching quite satisfactory. Once when my husband had an itch he couldn't get wet, he used a hair dryer with the same effect. Of course the same advice about how hot and how long still apply.

I get poison ivy at least twice a year when I am careless while weeding. I always use the hot water treatment and can expect itch relief to last for several hours.

I read this, I need to add that my daughter had a very bad case of hives she itched so bad. I put her in the bath along with a oatmeal bath. About five minutes later she yelled for me. Her hives had doubled in size and had three times the amount before she had the hot bath. I ended up taking her to the Emergency Room, I was told the hot water is what caused this reaction.
I was putting her in the hot bath because she itched so bad. To my surprise this is the worst thing you can do.
Tracy Pavan

Histamine is the chemical that causes a reaction, an itch, in a person with poison ivy, bug bites, etc. When you almost scald your skin with hot water, a great amount of histamine rushes to the site and it temporarily itches more. At a point, the histamine flushes from the site and voila--no more itching until the histamine builds back up at the site.

The hot water treatment works for athlete's foot too, and for any itching in the toe area. It took less than a week of applying very hot water (the hottest I could bear) for 1-2 minutes at the beginning of my showers and sometimes throughout the day, to get rid of the problem completely, without using any ointments.

I have had severe cases of hives, and a hot shower always made it worse, but cold helped the discomfort. This was before I read the article about hot water for bites, itching, etc. It does work and I have used it ever since and have told my family all about it.

I also give my husband mustard for cramps, for almost instant relief. Read that here too.

The mom is right, hot water opens the pores and causes hives to spread dramatically. There is a huge difference between hives and a mosquito bite! Hot water for bite, yes, hot water for hives, NO!!!

I have seasonal allergies--a few weeks each spring and fall. At times, if outside a lot--which i am--I will also get "allergic" reaction on skin--often between toes or fingers. I have used hot water for years--as hot as I can from the tap without scalding. It has worked every single time.

I haven't tried the hot water method but I am allergic to posion ivy and the like. I have always had success with a hair/blow dryer on high heat, using the same methods above. It has taken away the itch for hours at a time and also seems to dry the moist rash and clear it up sooner.

I suffer from severe eczema. The cream doesn't help because it is just rubbed into the dead skin on top and it has thinned my skin so badly from use over the years. By accident I found one day that if I ran hot water on the problem that it was the only way to get some relief and I was able to get sleep.

If your itch is on an easy-to-reach skin surface, save some water and use a cloth bag or heavy cotton sock filled loosely with white rice (so it will drape a little) and warm it in the microwave oven. The size is up to you, and you'll have to experiment with the time to heat it up. You can relax while your itches fade away.

When I have poison ivy or sunburn, even the hot water from my shower makes the area itch unbearably. The only thing that stops itching for me is ice.

When it gets cold outside, if I go out even with coats and sweaters, I get a very fine rash that itches, on my upper legs and hips and arms, sometimes it speads over my back and chest if I stay out long enough. Would hot water/shower help that?

I suffered from excema, and nothing really helped. One day I was making bread by hand, and all the itchiness disappeared. This was very successsful and happened every time I made bread.

I used to use hot water to relieve contact dermatitis on my wrists when I worked in a greenhouse about 25 years ago. It definitely was the only thing I found that stopped the itching. One warning, however, is that if my itching was intense the hot water felt so good that it was difficult to resist using water that was too hot. I sometimes scalded my wrists. However, even the scalded skin felt better than the itching.

I now have a small electrical device that can be plugged in or run on batteries that stops itching. For me it is safer than the hot water.

Heat definitely works, but as people have warned, using hot water can be dangerous. What works for me is to apply hot heat from a common HOT HAIR DRYER. This way I can treat little areas even if I am in bed or sitting in my chair.

I found the home remedy for itching at the website many people have found. I used www.itchcontrol.com

A caveat about hot water on poison ivy... it works well for me, really provides relief... but I learned the hard way that you must first wash the area to remove the poison ivy oil, or at least wait to see if blisters form.

Use a soap that's formulated to remove urushiol.

Shortly after hearing of the hot water trick, I stupidly tried it at the first sign of tingling on my arm, and I'm convinced I made things worse by not washing my arm carefully first. Either the hot water spread the oil around more, or opened the pores so more got into my skin--or something--but at any rate that became the worst case I've ever had--one of the blisters grew to the size of an egg. Wash the area first!

My father was extremely allergic to poison ivy, and whenever he'd go outdoors to where there might be some, he'd lather up the Fels Naphtha soap and put the lather on his arms and legs and let it dry, then go about whatever he wanted to and then come in and wash off the dried soap. This worked well for him.

I have had several drug reactions that produced terrible hives. I remember taking a bath or shower as hot as I could stand and received some relief. It had been years since my last drug reaction (I avoid drugs like the plague) and 20 years or so since I last used the hot water bath method of itch control. Recently I had another albiet somewhat less intense outbreak of hives. I tried the hot water bath again with oatmeal but ended up taking benedryl which did eventually calm me down.

I used to itch miserably from poison oak until I discovered that a hot shower would make the itching feel intense for a moment, and then I was itch-free the rest of the day and the itchy spots soon disappeared. Nothing else relieved the itch.

As a child in the 1940's and 50's I suffered from eczema to the point of being hospitalized on several occasions. I had large bloody scales all over my body. They would have to tie my hands or glove them at night to keep me from scratching. They also smeared me with vaseline and wrapped me in cloth to relieve the itching. Sounds cruel but it was the only thing that could be done to prevent my scratching. If left on my own I would scratch the skin off. I went through every conceivable therapy and allergy test for years. Nothing worked to releive the itching except hot water, which I discovered as a teenager on my own.

Later, I found a doctor who also suffered from eczema. He had concocted a skin cream which contained granulated caffeine. This worked wonderfully. It was the only topical cream that ever actually relieved my itching. Sadly, the doctor is no longer with us, and I lost access to the formulation.

Stress can bring on eczema. Take a hot bath with epsom salts to get temporary relief. To my knowledge, nobody really knows what causes eczema but it is known to be hereditary.

I had a terrible case of poison ivy on my legs once, and this was the only thing that helped. The super hot water stings and itches at first, but then it goes away and feels a million times better.

I have had totally different effect...as I started thru menepause I had intense vaginal itching.....nothing on the market would help.
One night (always was worse at night) I knocked a glass of ice water into my lap. Instantly the itching stopped!!!! I used ice water there during this time in my life with the greatest results.

Hives: ALWAYS use cold water; literally try to freeze the area with the water. If you cant get running water that cold use an ice cube or ice pack; it reduces the swelling and itch from hives (i have life threatening allergies im used to hives and this is what gets rid of them without benadryl)

Anything Else: if you are heat sensitive use cold water and freeze the area like above. The heat makes things worse if you are heat sensitive to begin with and you will be much happier freezing the area multiple times than making things worse with hot water.

I have had hives for years from the cold, so the ice method mentioned would not be good for me. I used to take Benedryl but didn't like it because it made me drowsy. I just try to get as warm as possible and they go away. I would be interested in any advice for hives caused by cold.

I have also found this advice to be true for both mosquito bites and poison ivy. I experience almost complete relief from itching for 4-8 hours.

The Itch Stopper saved my life when I lived in Guatemala for two years. You can find the Stopper online. I was plagued with flea bites. The itching was horrible, lasting two weeks at times. The Itch Stopper sends an electrical stimulus that reaches cell level disrupting the histamine reaction, something that creams cannot do. The bites lasted only two days and didn't itch or turn into huge red lumps. Relief!

I have always suffered from itchy skin and found that a hot shower is very effective especially at night before bed.

But this is method seems to go against the "expert advice" that tells us to avoid hot water?

My conclusion is that these so called experts have never experienced the curse of severe itchy skin.

Hi All,

This problem and relief is much simpler than everyone has explained. BUY a HANDHELD shower head, and then use it anywhere on your body. This is a method I discovered over 20 years ago, and it still works. Also, be sure to apply a moisturizer lotion AFTERWARDS so as not to dry out your skin.

Gil

This hot water cure WORKS and is miraculous as far as I am concerned. A few months ago I had a terrible bout with insect bites: some I think were a severe allergic reaction to a bite, but some I think were bad spiders or some insect. I tried everything the pharmacy and my dermatologist had to offer, and then went to People's Pharmacy web site in total desperation and read about the hot water treatment. I couldn't believe it. At first you think it isn't working, but then you stop the hot water and realize the itching is gone. I use it on any bite now, and have told everyone I know. It is great!

I use hot water for relief of itching, but this makes my condition worse. If I can avoid the scalding hot water for approx 7-10 days My hives will normally go away. (No easy task though) I have tried ice packs
w/some relief but not the cure. (I'm still searching for some permanent relief)

Absolutely! As a teenager, I suffered from terrible eczema and dermatitis, along with occasional hives all over my body. I learned that standing in a near-scalding shower would give me amazing relief. For my itchy hands, I would just run them under very hot water a couple times a day. Haven't had problems for years, but this past week I had a skin reaction, probably from the NyQuil I took. (I rarely take any medications, which could explain why my allergies stopped when I moved out on my own!) I tried the hot shower method again, to blissful relief!

Absolutely! As a teenager, I suffered from terrible eczema and dermatitis, along with occasional hives all over my body. I learned that standing in a near-scalding shower would give me amazing relief. For my itchy hands, I would just run them under very hot water a couple times a day. Haven't had problems for years, but this past week I had a skin reaction, probably from the NyQuil I took. (I rarely take any medications, which could explain why my allergies stopped when I moved out on my own!) I tried the hot shower method again, to blissful relief!

I discovered about 2 years ago that if I took a shower with extreme hot water, my itching would subside for most of the day. I use a hand held shower head on a hose and target itchy hot spots. it feels great.

I had shingles 6 months ago and still have the itch which is associated with it. I tried many creams, hot water, nothing works. Does anyone have any suggestions who had the same problem?

The fast relief that came from using hot water on itchy areas seem to work really well for me. The hot water helped circulated blood throughout my body and help relieve the focus on that one itchy area.

A technique I also learned to do with a large area that is itchy was to soak in a warm bath filled with water and put oatmeal in it. This might also work for those who get hives.

Interesting take on itch relief, however I've always used ice or ice packs for itching, especially bug bites. My kids now run to the freezer anytime they have an insect bite without me even saying anything to them. Hot water can exacerbate dry skin, so I wouldn't think it would be advisable for eczema.

I first discovered the hot water treatment when I had chicken pox as an adult. A bath as hot as I could stand it every few hours stopped the itching.

I have allergies, eczema, autoimmune problems. If your skin is itching, how can more heat help? may feel better for the moment, but you are causing more inflammation. I have had eczema for 20 years.

I found out a few years ago the "poison ivy" I was getting was actually poison parsnip. It's water-based and there is no immunity from it. The effect is superphotosensitivity of the skin, so it's first a rash then forms blisters, activated by any exposure to UV light (indoor or outdoor). If your contact dermatitis ends up as yellow bubbles, there's a good chance it's this. Using sunblock will prevent it, or prevent it from getting worse! Anyhow, the hot water treatment is absolutely amazing on poison parsnip. I have had to run an arm, leg or hand under hot water just to get enough relief to get to sleep.

I have found hot water has worked for me on mosquito and fire ant bites. When I come in from working in the yard I sit on the edge of the tub and run hot water over my legs. I had a very bad itchy bite on my arm and did the same in the shower and it worked.

Hot water is by far the best treatment for athletes foot. I would suggest using a foot cream as well after drying your feet. I would suggest using running bath water with the drain plug open for feet, or a hot shower for anything else. Others mentioned a hair dryer which is what I originally tried but found it cracked the skin and made it too dry. The hot water treatment works great.

Wow!!!
i have been using extremely hot water for over 25 years. I Kept this a secret because I was afraid of being called "disturbed or "mental."

I stumbled across this blog today after wondering if maybe, just maybe I was not the only one getting relief. I have asthma, eczema, dermatitis off/on for 40 yrs. I have tried all creams, soaps, etc...$$$$$$$$$$

I found hot water by accident many years ago working in a restaurant kitchen.

IT WORKS!!!!!!!

PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE:

Not everyone with eczema will benefit. BRIEF exposure (second or two at most) and NEVER hot enough to BURN!!!