HealthyLife Articles

Tag: itchy

Ten Ways To Get Rid Of Winter Itch

Skin Conditions

Oh, that winter itch! Your skin feels as rough and dry as sandpaper. If your skin is chapped, cracked, and inflamed during the coldest months of the year, take heart. Relief is a simple matter of water conservation.

The basic problem is lack of moisture. Anything that steals moisture from the skin will result in dryness and chapping. The drier the air, the more rapidly moisture evaporates. (In winter, heated indoor air tends to be dry.) Also, soap and excessive bathing or showering strips the skin of its natural oils making the problem worse. Add it up and the dehydrated cells begin to shrink and separate like caked mud in a dry lake bed and a network of painful cracks appear on your skin.

Dry skin affects everyone, but older people have it worse because oil production gradually declines with age.

Since you can’t change the weather or your age, try these suggestions if you want to prevent winter itch.

* Drink 8 or more glasses of water a day.

* Don’t scratch or rub your skin. Do apply moisturizer to your skin daily. Use an oil-based lotion.

* Don’t overexpose your skin to water, such as with washing dishes. Wear rubber gloves when you wash dishes.

* Right after washing your hands, put hand cream on to seal in moisture.

* Use petroleum jelly on very dry skin areas.

* Take a shower instead of a bath. Use warm (not hot) water. Pat your skin dry, but not all the way. Apply a moisturizing cream while your skin is damp. Use products with lanolin. If you prefer to bathe, bathe for only 15 to 20 minutes in lukewarm water. Pat yourself dry. Do not rub. Use a bath oil on your skin after bathing. Try sponge baths. Use a washcloth instead of soaping the skin directly. Use a mild liquid cleanser like Cetaphil brand, or use a fatted soap. Avoid deodorant, medicated, or alkaline soaps.

* Don’t use moisturizers with fragrances, preservatives, or alcohol.

* Use a night cream for the face. Stay out of the strong sun. Do not use tanning salons. Use a sunblock with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.

* Lower the setting on your heating thermostat so you’re comfortable, not toasty.

* Use a humidifier to add moisture to the air in a room or have a humidifier connected to your furnace. Also, don’t sit too close to fireplace heat – it’s drying.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Daily Defense Against Dandruff

Skin Conditions

Dandruff is harmless. But it can be annoying to have white flecks accumulate on the clothes on your back and shoulders.

Dandruff (or seborrheic dermatitis, in medical terms) affects the scalp and eyebrows – areas of the skin where oil glands are most active – leaving them oily and flaky. Unchecked, dandruff can collect around your ears and cascade down your neck and back.

While dandruff seems to run in families, no one knows exactly what causes it. Possible contributing factors include:

* Stress.

* Infrequent shampooing.

* Oily skin in general.

* Extremes in weather (hot and humid or cold and dry conditions).

Whatever the cause of your dandruff, thorough, daily shampooing is the most successful home treatment. To make shampooing more effective:

* Wash your hair thoroughly to loosen scaly skin, but be gentle, taking care not to scratch or irritate the scalp and increase the risk of infection. Change shampoos if the one you’re using isn’t helping or stops working after you’ve used it awhile.

* Use an antidandruff shampoo. Over-the-counter shampoos with selenium sulfide are often effective for mild cases. More severe dandruff may require a prescription medication containing coal tar or a scalp lotion with cortisone, which is rubbed into the scalp.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Hay Fever

Ear, Nose & Throat Conditions

Hay fever has nothing to do with hay or fever. The medical term for hay fever is allergic rhinitis. It is most common in spring and fall when a lot of ragweed is in the air. Some people have hay fever all year, though.

Signs & Symptoms

* Itchy or watery eyes.

* Runny, itchy nose.

* Congestion.

* Sneezing.

Causes

Hay fever is a reaction of the upper respiratory tract to allergens.

Treatment

Talk to your doctor if self-care measures do not help. He or she may prescribe:

* Antihistamines. For best results, take the antihistamine 30 minutes before going outside. {Note: Some over-the-counter antihistamines can make you more drowsy than prescribed ones. Be careful when driving and operating machinery since some antihistamines can make you drowsy.}

* A decongestant. {Note: Do not give antihistamines, decongestants, and other over-the-counter medicines for colds, coughs, and/or the flu to children less than 2 years old. For children 2 years old and older, follow their doctor’s advice.

* A corticosteroid nasal spray and eye drops, cromolyn sodium, and oral corticosteroids.

* Skin tests to find out what things you are allergic to.

* Allergy shots.

It is best to take what your doctor advises instead of testing over-the-counter products on your own.

Questions to Ask

Self-Care / Prevention

* If you are allergic to pollen and molds, let someone else do outside chores. Mowing the lawn or raking leaves can make you very sick.

* Keep windows and doors shut and stay inside when the pollen count or humidity is high. Early morning is sometimes the worst.

* Avoid tobacco smoke and other air pollutants.

* Don’t have pets. If you have a pet, keep it out of the bedroom. When you can, keep the pet outdoors.

* Use an air conditioner or air cleaner in your house, especially in the bedroom. Electronic air filters are better than mechanical ones. Clean the filter often. Or, try a doctor-approved air purifier, especially in the bedroom. Devices with HEPA filters can be very effective in cleaning indoor air.

To limit dust, mold, and pollen:

* Put a plastic cover on your mattress or cover it completely with an allergen-free mattress cover.

* Sleep with no pillow or with the kind your doctor or health care provider recommends. If you use a pillow, cover it with an allergen-free cover.

* Don’t dry sheets and blankets outside.

* Try not to have stuffed animals kept in the bedroom. If you must, have only one that can be washed. Wash it in hot water once a week.

* Use curtains and rugs that can be washed often. Don’t use carpeting.

* Dust and vacuum often. Wear a dust filter mask when you do.

* Put an electronic air filter on your furnace or use portable air purifiers.

* Shower or bathe and wash your hair after heavy exposure to pollen, dust, etc.

Resources

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

800.7.ASTHMA (727.8462)

www.aafa.org

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Hives

Skin Conditions

Hives can be (but aren’t always) an allergic response to something you touched, inhaled, or swallowed.

Signs & Symptoms

* Red or pink, raised areas on the skin (welts). Each welt can range in size from less than 1/8″ to 8″ or larger in diameter.

* Itching

* Hives often appear, sometimes in clusters, on the face, and trunk of the body. Less often, hives appear on the scalp or backs of the hands and feet.

* Swelling on the eyelids, lips, tongue, or genitals may occur.

* Hives can change shape, fade, then rapidly reappear.

* A single hive lasts less than 24 hours. After an attack, though, new ones may crop up for up to 6 weeks.

Causes & Care

Common causes of hives are reactions to medicines, such as aspirin, sulfa, and penicillin and exposure to chemicals and things you are allergic to.

Sometimes it is not known what causes hives. To identify the triggers, keep a diary of when you get hives. List things you expect may have caused the hives.

In most cases, hives are harmless and go away on their own if you avoid what caused them. Self-care helps with symptoms. Prescribed medicines may be needed for severe hives or for attacks of hives that recur.

Your doctor may advise allergy testing if you have hives that last a long time or recur. Emergency medical care is needed for hives that are part of a severe allergic reaction.

Self-Care

* Take a lukewarm bath or shower. Heat worsens most rashes and makes them itch more. Add an oatmeal bath product, such as Aveeno, or one cup of baking soda to the bath water.

* Apply a cold compress.

* Wear loose-fitting clothes.

* Relax as much as you can. Relaxation therapy may help ease the itching and discomfort of hives.

* Ask your doctor whether or not you should take an antihistamine and to recommend one. Antihistamines can help relieve itching and suppress hives. Take as directed by your doctor or by directions on the label.

* Use calamine lotion on itchy areas.

* Don’t take aspirin, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, or naproxen sodium. These may make hives worse.

When to Seek Medical Care

Contact Doctor When:

* You have constant and severe itching, and/or a fever with hives.

* Hives last for more than 6 weeks.

* Hives started after taking medicine.

Get Immediate Care When:

Hives are present with signs of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock).

Signs of a Severe Allergic Reaction

* A hard time breathing or swallowing

* Severe swelling all over, or of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat n Obstructed airway

* Wheezing

* Dizziness, weakness

* “Signs & Symptoms” of shock

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026