# Why does hygine itch?! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 18, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hygine-itch/426961 "2007-11-18T22:20:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hygine-itch/426961/1 "2007-11-18T22:20:11Z")
Basically every time I get out of the shower, I itch like mad, particularly my lower legs. It drives me absolutely nuts. Any idea what could be causing this? ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hygine-itch/426961/2 "2007-11-18T22:24:45Z")
Dry skin combined with hot water. (And hot water can add to dry skin problems, too.) Moisturize! ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hygine-itch/426961/3 "2007-11-18T22:35:11Z")
Or a sensitivity to the soap that you’re using. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hygine-itch/426961/4 "2007-11-18T23:00:11Z")
I get the mad itching from a _lack_ of hygiene. If I don’t shower every day, I get really, really itchy. The itching goes away when I shower. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hygine-itch/426961/5 "2007-11-18T23:16:58Z")
Might be hard water. I’d try some hypoallergenic soap. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hygine-itch/426961/6 "2007-11-18T23:19:04Z")
[QUOTE=Anne Neville] I get the mad itching from a _lack_ of hygiene. If I don’t shower every day, I get really, really itchy. The itching goes away when I shower. [/QUOTE] I get that, too. Dry skin sometimes makes me itch, particularly when the weather is getting dry. It’s usually not right after I shower, though, but rather more of a general itchiness. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2007, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hygine-itch/426961/7 "2007-11-19T00:02:13Z")
[QUOTE=Baldwin] Might be hard water. I’d try some hypoallergenic soap. [/QUOTE] I’ve found over the years living in areas that only have hard water that indeed soap makes things worse. What I’ve found that helps a lot is something like a body wash, which uses different surfactants than your standard bar of soap. ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2007, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hygine-itch/426961/8 "2007-11-19T00:16:17Z")
I have this problem too, especially in winter. Hot water + dry skin = much itchiness. ---
**Author:** ![Zany\_Zeolite\_Zipper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/4af34b/32.png) [@Zany\_Zeolite\_Zipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zany_Zeolite_Zipper)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2007, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hygine-itch/426961/9 "2007-11-19T00:41:11Z")
I have a funny reaction to hard water. Where I live now has soft city water, and I have to shower everyday to feel clean, but at home where we have hard water, I only need to bathe once every two or three days. I don’t know what it is, but hard water makes me feel less dirty. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2007, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hygine-itch/426961/10 "2007-11-19T01:36:55Z")
[QUOTE=asterion] I’ve found over the years living in areas that only have hard water that indeed soap makes things worse. What I’ve found that helps a lot is something like a body wash, which uses different surfactants than your standard bar of soap. [/QUOTE] Well, right now I use Irish Spring body wash, dunno if there is a less harsh body wash I should try. It might just be my tendency to soak under the showerhead. ---
**Author:** ![Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nefarious_chipmunk/32/1045_2.png) [@Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefarious_Chipmunk)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2007, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hygine-itch/426961/11 "2007-11-19T05:41:12Z")
I would definitely try using a hypoallergenic soap. I have major issues with Irish Spring. I do have really sensitive skin. I have also had doctors suggest showering in warm water instead of hot water. This seems to work pretty well for me.