If you’ve ever tossed and turned on a hot summer’s night, you know how frustrating it is. There are many reasons why you may not be able to sleep when the weather is warm. One reason that can be addressed and dealt with is itchy skin. From mild itchiness to a full blown eczema flare up, there are ways to reduce this annoying problem.
Causes of Itchy Skin
When the weather gets warmer, you tend to flock outside and get some fresh air. The only problem is that your skin starts to itch. There are a variety of reasons why your skin may be itchy when the weather is warm. These reasons include:
- Insect bites
- Heat from the sun
- Sweat has blocked your pores
- You’re dehydrated
- Medical conditions such as eczema and psoriasis
No one likes the feel of itchy skin. If you’ve noticed you have particularly itchy skin when the weather’s warm, there are solutions to your problem.
Don’t Scratch
Your mother was right. You really shouldn’t scratch your skin when it’s feeling itchy. This is tempting, of course, but it actually makes the problem worse. It can even lead to other problems, such as an infection from an open area on your skin. As tempting as it is to relieve that feeling by scratching as hard as you can, please restrain yourself. Scratching at itchy skin is, at best, a temporary solution. It will benefit you greatly to solve the root of the problem instead.
Regulate Your Water Temperature
You probably enjoy a hot shower fairly regularly. However, hot water dries out the skin. If you want to reduce the itchiness of your skin, you must bathe or shower in lukewarm water. This may be hard to adjust to, but it absolutely will make a difference in your skin.
Moisturize Correctly
The best time to moisturize is right after your bath or shower. When you put on moisturizer right after bathing, you lock in the residual moisture there from the water. If your skin is completely dry when you apply lotion, it takes more work for the lotion to penetrate your skin. When the skin has been softened by the water, your moisturizer will work better.
Use Topical Probiotics
You may have heard of probiotics for gut health. Many people take probiotics as part of their vitamin regimen. Others take them when they are on certain medications, such as antibiotics, to counter the negative side effects. What you might not know is that topical probiotics for eczema have been shown to improve the look and feel of your skin. Even if you don’t have eczema, topical probiotics can improve your skin. The probiotics in the moisturizer help the solution to penetrate your skin and work from the inside out.
Your skin is your largest organ. It serves two very important functions. It is a barrier to bacteria and other germs and it regulates your temperature. Take good care of your skin by bathing in the correct temperature, not scratching it and using high-quality moisturizers.
