Learning to navigate snow and to dress warmly (but not too warmly so I sweat and then get sick from being wet AND cold) have been quite the adventure since I moved north two and a half years ago. Now in my third winter, I'm doing OK with the first two, but what I haven't mastered - indeed what has gotten worse - is the dry air.
In the past winters this has resulted in cracked hands (very painful) and constantly chapped lips (there isn't enough lip balm in the world) and a pair of really nasty looking feet bottoms. I live in an apartment, so I do not have a humidifier hooked up to my heating unit. I've considered buying a freestanding one, but haven't gotten around to it yet. I'd probably not clean it out properly and then mold would grow in it and I'd have a whole new set of problems.
Anyway, this winter something new presented itself. Itchy, itchy skin. The kind of itchy where I can't sleep at night and when I do I have fitful dreams about scratching my legs, and in fact am probably scratching my legs in my sleep. I haven't itched like this since I had the chicken pox as a child. And yet, it's not a pox or poison ivy because there's no rash or bumps. At least not initially, now with all the scratching my legs are pretty gross. It's mostly my legs (upper and lower), though now my upper arms are itchy too (though nothing like my legs). I tried putting lotion on them - including Vaseline intensive rescue clinical therapy, which is supposed to be prescription strength, and Gold Bond Ultimate Healing lotion, which has worked wonders on my hands. But nothing has helped. Today I'm going back to the store for something to help with the itching, which hopefully won't make matters worse by drying out my skin even more.
Any suggestions or tips?
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Update: My legs have finally stopped itching, though I don't really think it's due to anything in particular. So I have no cure for extreme itching, but I am glad it's stopped — you know, in case anyone cares.
I put lotion on head to toe right after i get out of the shower. plus, i only use moisturizing body wash, never soap. the olive oil soap you gave me from greece was the only exception, and it was great. also, i sometimes make a scrub from olive oil and sea salt. my skin feels so good after that!
I see that I am way behind here, but are you by chance using a new detergent? You could be allergic to something in it.
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